By Sanjeev Shetty

Ruiz is always in tough fights

For a man who holds a portion of the world heavyweight title and a victory over Evander Holyfield, John Ruiz enjoys very little respect.

Bemoaned as one of the worst title holders in the history of heavyweight division, Ruiz has the chance to silence some of the doubters when he fights Roy Jones in Las Vegas on Saturday.

Although beating a light heavyweight may not make everyone a believer of the Puerto Rican-born champion, it would be a start.

Perhaps the reason that few are convinced of Ruiz's credentials is the sub-minute defeat he suffered at the hands of David Tua.

The New Zealand puncher knocked out Ruiz with just a few well-placed blows, leading everyone to believe that the current WBA champion's chin is more china than concrete.

Add that to his clinch-fest with Kirk Johnson last summer and the fact that most people consider he was lucky to get a decision win over Holyfield in their last fight, and the Ruiz resume looks ordinary.

In his 43-fight career, Ruiz has lost four times, drawn once and won the rest, but aside from Holyfield and Tua, the only other name British fight fans will recognise is Julius Francis.

Ruiz's style of fighting probably does not help his reputation - his trilogy of fights against Holyfield showed him as a messy, spoiling fighter with an average jab and a sneaky right hand.

It was enough to get one win over Holyfield because the former champion is clearly over-the-hill.

And when all else fails, Ruiz has also shown himself to be adept at getting fouled by low blows, usually causing his opponent to lose valuable points.

At 31, the father-of-two's long term dream would be to get a fight with Lennox Lewis, although a win over Jones Jr would probably lead to a fight with IBF champion Chris Byrd.

A close win over Jones Jr will give Ruiz grudging respect, but it will no doubt be overshadowed by how the result affects the loser's legacy.

If he is able to knock Jones Jr out, then his small army of followers will have plenty to crow about and perhaps rightly so.

Perhaps the best, if slightly unusual, analogy to be drawn is with Liverpool FC.

Ruiz, like the Reds, has wins over some formidable opposition and is taken seriously, but neither has much style and the neutral observer would rather watch someone else perform.

For a modest man who has overcome setbacks such as the Tua KO and a controversial decision defeat to Holyfield in their first fight, Ruiz is entitled to feel that he deserves more respect.