On this day in 2010: David Haye beats John Ruiz to retain WBA heavyweight title

David Haye retained his WBA world heavyweight title when he out-classed American John Ruiz on this day in 2010.

The 29-year-old Londoner, who had claimed the belt with a majority points victory over seven-foot Russian Nikolai Valuev during the previous November, triumphed in his first defence in front of a sell-out crowd of 20,000 at Manchester’s MEN Arena.

At 38, Ruiz, a veteran who had been stopped just once in 54 fights in an 18-year career which had seen him go 36 rounds with Evander Holyfield a decade earlier, nevertheless entered the ring as a firm underdog.

Haye spent the early afternoon before the bout at Old Trafford watching Chelsea beat Manchester United and paraded his belt on the pitch before kick-off.

He wasted little time in making his presence felt once the bell sounded, knocking Ruiz to the canvas with a straight right within moments, the prelude to a fearful battering.

The Briton, who weighed in at a career heaviest 15st 12lbs, was too quick and too powerful for the challenger, who nevertheless proved tenacious and even exploited Haye’s defensive weaknesses when presented with the opportunity.

Ruiz was saved by the bell at the end of the sixth round and rocked in the eighth, and the fight was over when his corner through in the towel to spare him further punishment as the ninth drew to a close.

In the aftermath, a confident Haye immediately set his sights on a showdown with either Vitali or Wladimir Klitschko, who at the time held the WBC, IBF and WBO belts.

He said: “If I hit the Klitschkos with the same shots I was hitting John Ruiz, both of them would go over.”