ALL CHANGE
Ruiz comes in at very late notice to replace the injured Mares against Davis
TWO-TIME world super-featherweight titlist Gervonta Davis will have to show some adaptability this Saturday (February 9) in Carson, California. The unbeaten Baltimore southpaw was initially set to make the first defence of his WBA crown against Abner Mares. However, on Wednesday last week, Mares was forced to withdraw after suffering a detached retina in his right eye during a sparring session. On the same day, it was announced that Hugo Ruiz had been drafted in as a replacement.
Like Mares, Ruiz is an experienced Mexican and former world title-holder. Physique-wise, though, the pair are chalk and cheese. Whereas Mares is diminutive and compact (height: 5ft 4 1/2ins, reach: 66ins), Ruiz is tall and rangy for a 130-pounder (5ft 9 1/2ins and 70 1/2ins). Suffice to say, Ruiz will offer a very different type of threat to the one that Davis had been preparing for. In fact, although most people would regard Ruiz as a downgrade on ex-three-weight world champ Mares, Davis has described him as “a better opponent than Abner.”
Interestingly, Ruiz’s last outing came less than three weeks ago, when he recorded a comfortable unanimous points triumph over 10 rounds against Alberto Guevara – twice a world bantamweight title challenger in the past. Despite the quick turnaround, Ruiz is brimming with confidence ahead of this weekend’s Tgb/sampson Boxing co-promotion (Showtime) at the Dignity Health Sports Park (formerly the Stubhub Center). The late substitute said: “After the [Guevara] fight, I immediately went back to the gym, because you never know what’s going to happen in boxing. I’m 100 per cent ready to KO Davis.”
The Guevara bout, which was fought at featherweight, represented Ruiz’s first-ever appearance above super-bantam – the division in which he previously reigned as WBC king. His clash with Davis, therefore, will mark his super-feather debut. He may be four inches taller than the 24-year-old American, and boast a longer reach by three inches, but he doesn’t possess the natural solidity and sturdiness of the man aptly known as “Tank”. This explains why Ruiz, 32, started out as a super-flyweight. Last time out in April, Davis rebounded from losing his IBF strap on the scales the year before by ravaging the decent Jesus Cuellar in just three frames to become WBA boss. All but one of Davis’ 20 wins have come inside the distance, and worryingly for Ruiz, the Glendora, California-based fighter has been stopped three times in his four defeats. With 33 inside-schedule successes in 39 victories, Ruiz is a proven puncher, but only from 115 to 122lbs. He is certainly more seasoned than Davis, yet the Maryland man is the far fresher of the two. Davis will have to watch out for Ruiz’s long hooks, but the champion’s impressive variety and explosive combinations can see him end matters around the midway point.