Boxing: Haye v Ruiz to go the Distance?

Boxing | selectabet | April 3, 2010 at 3:40 pm

davidhaye David Haye’s eyes may be on the Klitchkos but he’s got some business to take care of first and tonight he needs to get the better of the experienced John Ruiz at the MEN Arena in Manchester.

Ruiz may not be a household name but he’s actually fought in 11 world title fights and is a two-time world champion. In his long career he’s come up against the likes of Rahman, Golota, Jones (Roy) and Holyfield, against whom he’s won, drawn and lost in a trilogy of fights. He’s not an easy man to stop either, in fact you need to go back to 1996 for the last time he was beaten inside the distance. It all makes the 2/11 (Expekt) odds on a Haye win seem a little too short.

Sure Haye cuts an impressive figure and has the speed and ability to take care of Ruiz but it won’t be the walk in the park that 2/11 suggests. If Haye’s last win, over Nickolay Valuev, is anything to go by this could be a bit of a bore and Haye may well end up grinding out the win. 21 of 23 of Haye’s bouts have been won early but 1/2 (Betfair) doens’t make any appeal against the durable Ruiz.

Paddy Power go 5/2 (SkyBet) on the Hayemaker winning on points and that makes most sense tonight. Haye’s slight of hand and power-punching should see him rack up the points but Ruiz’s track record suggests he knows how to take a punch. If the 38-year-old doesn’t last all 12 rounds then a Haye KO between rounds 10 ans 12 looks a good saver at 5/1 with SkyBet.