“CHUBBY” RUIZ MORE EXCITING THAN MARQUEZ-ALVARADO
San Francisco, CA– My desire this weekend was to look to the future of boxing in semi-contender Andy Ruiz Jr., rather than praise Juan Manuel Marquez. I sold JM Marquez short as he schooled Mike Alvarado over 12 frames on HBO. And it wasn’t like I said he was going tio lose, I closed with, “Top Rank matchmakers don’t make many mistakes.” They didn’t.
THATY “OTHER” TOP RANK SHOW HAD MORE SPARKS
Before we get to the Forum card, Bob Arum promoted in both Inglewood and Fresno, CA aka “Raisin-ville USA” as the valley played host to a fight card involving the aforementioned undefeated (22-0, 16 KOs) Andy Ruiz Jr. When I tell people I think he’s the best “junior” in the heavyweight division they take it wrong. By “junior” I mean he has yet to be promoted to the “Senior” class of the heavyweight weight class.
“WELL ROUNDED” RUIZ LESS ROUNDED!
At one point and time, Andy looked like an obese guy risking a heart attack boxing at 290+ lbs. and all the while winning. With the prodding of Arum, et al to lose weight, he was 260 lbs. Saturday night in a TKO 2 over Manuel Quezada (22-9, 8 KOs). That being said, a trimmer Ruiz, who will never resemble Evander Holyfield, again flashed extremely fast hands, good footwork and punching power.
RIGHT OPPONENTS AT RIGHT TIME
Not that Quezada is upper echelon talent, but what Ruiz has done thus far is knocked the bowling pin types Top Rank thus faes over. Every talented fighter gets about 7-10 “softies” especially in the chin dept. When you are still blowing guys out at 22-0, I think that says something about Ruiz, who again, will never look resemble Hercules.
HAS “PLENTY OF POP” ON PUNCHES
Ruiz’s punches have “pop” on them, his chin is not made of glass, and his belly of jelly is in a reduction mode. The nice combinations Ruiz put together are not seen in heavyweights today. My problem with him losing a lot more weight is that it may rob him of power and you don’t have to be an Adonis type to be heavyweight champion of the world.
MARQUEZ-ALVARADO PUT 12,500 IN “NEW” FORUM”
Although the return of boxing to the Great Western Forum, Los Angeles Forum or the Inglewood Forum is great for the game of boxing and the fans in the El Lay area, I must point out that Juan Manuel Marquez looked “great” seeing he is 40 going on 65. Taking the much younger (32) Mike Alvarado to school was quite a feat and should set up the final fight (career wise) for both Marquez and Manny Pacquiao.
Pedro Fernandez