Home Boxing News Haye KO 9th Ruiz

Haye KO 9th Ruiz

Haye makes successful first defence.

Ruiz came out fast at the bell, and put the champion on the back foot, but Haye responded quickly and Ruiz went down with a thump from a beautifully fast left-right combination. Ruiz was up at five and came forward once more, but he looked in desperate trouble already from the power of the defending champion.

David forced Ruiz toward the ropes and caught the challenger with several punches, a couple landing around the back of the head. Ruiz fell to the canvas and received a count, while the referee deducted a point from Haye for hitting his opponent a foul blow.

The second was a quieter round, indeed Haye looked a little short of breath after his first round activity. The pattern continued in the third and fourth rounds, with Haye backing off and fighting in spurts, throwing some lovely, lightning quick combinations. Ruiz had no answer as Haye began to recover his breath, but he was very game and did land some nice punches from time to time.

Ruiz came out for the fifth, still trying to take the fight to Haye. Toward the end of the round, Haye landed another superb left-right combination, followed by a punch on the back of the head. This forced Ruiz down again, and he indicated with his glove that he wasn’t happy about the champion’s rabbit punch. This was the third knockdown scored by the Haye, no points were deducted this time, but it was getting wild in there.

Ruiz came out for the sixth trying once again to force Haye back, he was showing great guts. Haye came back at Ruiz with some nice right hands forcing the challenger to the canvas yet again. The challenger again signalled a foul blow to the back of the head, but took a count from the referee who ignored his protests.

Haye was a little overanxious, the errant blows didn’t look intentional, but the champion was treading a fine line with regard to rabbit punches.

Haye forced the challenger to take a lot of punishment over the next two rounds, Ruiz was looking old and slow. David landed a stunning right hand toward the end of the eighth, Ruiz was proving tough and resilient.

The older man kept coming forward, but he was becoming an easy target for the fast, flashy champion. All credit to the challenger, he took his lumps ad bumps, and never once resorted to the ugly tactics he’s usually renowned for.

Ruiz continued to come forward in the ninth, but was becoming a punchbag for the increasingly confident Haye, who was landing at will. The resistance was draining from Ruiz, who looked hurt as more punches reigned down on his battered face. This was too much for the Ruiz corner, who threw in the towel, forcing the referee to stop the fight. It was a good stoppage, there was no need for Ruiz to take more punishment.

So it was a successful first defence for Haye, and a brave showing for the challenger, he fought a much better fight than expected, but Haye just had too much for him.

Next on the agenda for David will hopefully be a fight with one of the Klitschko’s, question is which one?