Heavyweight contender John Ruiz has agreed a deal with Golden Boy Promotions ahead of his title showdown with David Haye.
Title challenger joins Golden Boy ahead of Haye clash
Puerto Rican heavyweight contender John Ruiz has agreed a deal with Golden Boy Promotions ahead of his title showdown with David Haye.
Londoner Haye (23-1 21 KOs) will make his first defence of the WBA belt he claimed from Nikolai Valuev last November when he meets 38-year-old mandatory challenger Ruiz (44-8-1 30 KOs) in the spring.
Veteran Ruiz, who won the same belt in 2001 to become the first Hispanic heavyweight world champion and again in 2004 before relinquishing it to Valuev in 2005, has now signed with Oscar De La Hoya's Golden Boy.
The Las Vegas-based fighter is anticipating a thriving partnership with the promoter, which also represents Haye in the United States.
Excited
"I'm excited to become a member of the Golden Boy Promotions family and know that I have a great future ahead of me," said Ruiz.
"I'm going to continue to make history and break records one fight at a time, starting with David Haye this spring.
"I know Golden Boy will help get me back to the top of the heavyweight division and to secure my place in the boxing history books."
Golden Boy president de la Hoya was delighted with his new signing.
"John Ruiz is a very skilled and talented heavyweight and we are very excited to add him to our elite stable of fighters," said de la Hoya.
"He has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to battle with the top guys in the division and will continue to do so in 2010 and beyond."
A date and location for the Haye-Ruiz title fight is expected to be announced shortly.
