John Ruiz has blasted David Haye as 'boring' and says only his travelling fans got him the decision against Nikolai Valuev.
Quiet Man also questions Valuev decision
John Ruiz has hit back at David Haye, insisting it was the British fans that won him his world-title fight against Nikolai Valuev.
The Quiet Man missed the Manchester press conference to confirm their WBA heavyweight title showdown on April 3, live on
Sky Box Office.
Haye took the opportunity to launch the opening salvo, labelling Ruiz as "the cure for insomnia" and insisting neither the Puerto Rican or American boxing public wanted to claim him as their own.
But Ruiz, who has fought six times in England before and won every one of them, responded by claiming the travelling fans in Nuremberg swayed the judges when the Londoner took the WBA belt from giant Russian Nikolai Valuev.
"Most of the fans there were cheering for him every single moment and sometimes that can change the judges' opinion on the fight," he told
Sky Sports News, live from Las Vegas.
"Sometimes luck plays a big part in this game; he did what he needed to do and the fans helped out. But he got the decision and that's the good part; he got the win, he's the new champion and I congratulate him on that.
"I'm glad he's talking because in reality that's his motivation to get ready for the fight. From what I saw in his last fight, he was boring! Calling me boring, that's like throwing rocks at a glass house when he's living in one.
"In his last fight against Valuev, how many punches did he throw? Maybe 10 a round? I go out there and throw at least 15 or 20, so how can that make me boring?
"I'm glad he's talking because like I say, he's trying to motivate himself for the fight. He knows he's got his hands full and I can only wait for more of his expressions."
Succeed
Ruiz also promised to drag Haye into the sort of close-up war he does not want.
He has nullified some of the best heavyweights in recent years, take the likes of Evander Holyfield (twice), Roy Jones Jr, Hasim Rahman, Ruslan Chagaev and Valuev (twice) himself the distance.
And he says it will be no different at the MEN Arena come Easter Saturday.
"It's a tough fight," he said. "David Haye moves around, he's quick, he tends to escape a lot of punches - that's my main focus, to stay on top of him, bring the fight to him and make him fight my fight.
"I've got to go out there and fight - that's the name of the sport. That's what I do in every fight, I go out there and make him try to fight my fight and succeed on that. That's my main thing, so hopefully he's ready for that.
"It has to be up close and personal. Something David Haye loves to do is move - that's his main weapon actually, the movement - and I have to stop him doing that. I have to corner him."
