CHIEF NEGOTIATOR By Jeff Mayweather

A very entertaining event will take place this Saturday night, March 1, 2003; realistically that in itself is more of what it is than an actual fight. There will definitely be two pugilists in the ring attempting to take one another's heads off.

It's an event because you have two fighters and neither one is a Pay Per View attraction. The only real interest lies within the possibility of Roy Jones Jr., one of the most dominant Champions in the last decade, capturing the WBA version of the Heavyweight Championship of the World. That is the selling point... or maybe not. Well, Mr. Ruiz boldly agreed to take only a percentage of the Pay Per View sales, no purse guarantee, and allowed himself to be played by Mr. Jones who didn't help in the promotion so that Mr. Ruiz would at least have a chance to make good on the position he put himself in.

Mr. Jones made sure he got a purse guarantee of $10,0000,000.00 and a guaranteed percentage of the Pay Per View, while Mr. Ruiz's guarantee is $0. Roy has nothing to lose; he has no title at stake, only Ruiz's title is at stake and without a world title he's meaningless to boxing. Who cares to fight John Ruiz without a world title belt? Right now the ticket sales aren't doing very well and Ruiz is mad at Jones, because the biggest event of his life may leave him fighting for not one red dime.

It's not Roy's fault 'The Quietman' kept his mouth shut during negotiations and found himself on the very short-end of the stick. Now he can't keep his mouth shut, but unfortunately it's too late. No one is trying to hear him now.

Saturday night will be a night I'm sure Mr. Ruiz will never forget win lose or draw because, no matter what, he still loses in the department of finances. I have heard many fighters say they are willing to fight winner take all, but in his case it may be loser take all. I feel for Mr. Ruiz but if I were Roy Jones, Jr. I would have done the same exact thing. I hope Ruiz does get something out of the deal other than a defeat at the hands of a much smaller man. Maybe he knows something that no one else does; now that certainly would make him a Chief Negotiator.

02-27-03

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