It was a dominant performance for WBA heavyweight champion David Haye, who successfully defended his title against challenger John Ruiz moments ago at the M.E.N. Arena in Manchester, UK. Dropping the former champion four times, Haye used his superior hand speed to put on a boxing clinic, controlling the action with his jab and big right hands from the outside and battering Ruiz until his corner threw in the towel to prevent any further punishment. Check out all the action in FightHype's round-by-round coverage.
DAVID HAYE VS. JOHN RUIZ
PREFIGHT
Ruiz makes his way to the ring first to a chorus of boos. He runs to the ring with a slight scowl on his face. He looks confident. The champion, David Haye, comes out next and the crowd erupts. He looks calm and relaxed as he takes his time making his way to the ring. He soaks it all in before stepping through the ropes. Haye almost looks a little too relaxed in there. Ruiz looks intense.
ROUND 1
Ruiz begins backing Haye up behind a double jab. Haye on the retreat. Ruiz lands a left. WOOOOOOOOO....HUGE right hand down the middle lands for Haye and Ruiz is down. WOW. He' up, but he looks hurt. Haye jumps on him. Ruiz tries to tie him. Haye lands two big shots behind the head against the ropes and Ruiz is down again. He's up. Haye gets a warning for hitting behind the head. Haye lands a right. Ruiz tries to tie him up. Another right and a left lands for Haye. Right to the body lands for Haye. Ruiz lands a left to the body now. Uppercut lands for Haye. 1-2 and a left lands for Haye. Ruiz backs him up with a left. Another 1-2 lands for Haye. Ruiz eats it and presses forward. Haye lands a left. Ruiz lands a 1-2 very late after the bell. The crowd boos. Big round for Haye.
Haye 10 Ruiz 7
ROUND 2
Ruiz presses forward as he stalks Haye. Haye looking to set him up with something as he circls on the outside. Ruiz lands a right. They trade jabs. Ruiz lands another jab as he closes the distance. Double jab lands for Ruiz. Haye lands a right to the body. BIG right hand lands for Haye and Ruiz just eats it. Jab lands for Ruiz. Haye continues to circle on the outside. They trade jabs. Ruiz lands a right and a left. Better round for Ruiz, but not quite enough to take it. Round to Haye.
Haye 20 Ruiz 16
ROUND 3
Ruiz continues to stalk as Haye circles. Two jabs and a nice right hand lands for Ruiz. Big right hand from Haye just grazes Ruiz. Right hand down the milddle lands for Haye. The nose of Ruiz looks busted open. Uppercut lands for Haye. Nice right lands for Ruiz. Another right hand lands for Ruiz. Haye jacks him with a jab. HARD 1-2 lands for Haye and Ruiz covers up. They trade jabs. Right hand over the top lands for Ruiz. They trade left hooks. Again, not a bad round for Ruiz, but he's getting outdazzled in there by Haye's faster hands a bigger shots.
Haye 30 Ruiz 25
ROUND 4
Ruiz backs Haye up with a double jab. Haye just circling and using his jab. Ruiz walking him down. STIFF jab from Haye snaps the head back of Ruiz. Haye looking to counter. Right hand lands for Haye. Nice left hand lands for Haye. Straight right lands for Haye and he dances away. Haye starting to put on a boxing clinic. Ruiz just following. Jab lands for Haye. Ruiz lands a right as he finally backs Haye up to the ropes. Another right lands for Ruiz. Haye looking a little tired in there. Ruiz lands a jab. Right hand lands for Ruiz. Another jab. I think Ruiz might have squeeked that one out in the end. Round to Ruiz.
Haye 39 Ruiz 35
ROUND 5
Right and a left lands for Haye. Another BIG right and a left lands for Haye and Ruiz covers up in the corner. Uppercut lands for Haye. Ruiz eats it and fires back. Ruiz walks him down behind his jab. Haye circles away. Ruiz lands an uppercut. Haye lands his jab. Another. Left hook lands for Haye. They trade jabs. Jab lands for Haye. Ruiz still walking him down. Right hand down the middle lands for Ruiz. WOOOOOO...BIG right hand lands for Haye again and Ruiz is down. Ruiz complains that it was a rabbit punch. He's up. Haye tries to jump on him, but there's the bell. Round to Haye.
Haye 49 Ruiz 43
ROUND 6
Ruiz backs Haye up to the ropes, but isn't able to land anything. Now Ruiz lands a jab. Haye looking to counter as he bounces on his toes. Nice counter right hook lands for Haye. Ruiz fires back and lands a right down the middle. Haye lands another series of right hands and Ruiz is down. Again he complains about a rabbit punch. He's up. Haye jumps on him. Right hand lands for Haye. Ruiz holds on. Another left hand lands for Haye. Ruiz presses forward though. Wooooo...another nice counter right lands for Haye and he dips away. Right to the body lands for Haye. Jab lands for Haye. Ruiz looking shaky in there. Round to Haye.
Haye 59 Ruiz 51
ROUND 7
Ruiz continues to stalk after his corner told him they were giving him one more round. They trade jabs. Haye looking to land some more counters. Jab lands for Haye. Again. Nice right hand down the middle lands for Haye. Ruiz lands a right to the body. Right hand lands for Haye. Ruiz backs him up to the corner and lands a right. Haye just controlling the fight from the outside. Round to Haye.
Haye 69 Ruiz 60
ROUND 8
Haye circles and dances on the outside. Nice left hand from Haye backs Ruiz up. Right hand lands for Haye. Ruiz just following. Haye picking him apart. Nice right hand cross lands for Haye. Left hook lands for Haye. Woooo....BIG right hand lands for Haye. Wow. Ruiz ate it though and presses forward. 1-2 lands for Haye as he continues to pick Ruiz apart from the outside.
Haye 79 Ruiz 69
ROUND 9
More of the same as Ruiz follows on the outside and Haye looks to counter. Stiff jabs land for Haye. Right hand lands for Haye and he dances away. Left lands for Haye. Ruiz presses on. They trade jabs. Ruiz lands a right. WOOOOOO....BIG right hand lands for Haye and a left. He jumps on him and that's it. The corner of Ruiz throws in the towel.
Haye TKO9
THE WINNERY BY WAY OF TKO AT 2:01 OF ROUND 9...AND STILL WBA HEAVYWEIGHT CHAMPION OF THE WORLD...DAVID HAYE
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