Nikolai Valuev, left, and boxing promoter Don King, right, celebrate after winning the WBA heavyweight boxing title fight against John Ruiz in Berlin on Saturday. (Miguel Villagran/Associated Press)Russia's Nikolai Valuev earned a unanimous decision over American John Ruiz to regain the WBA heavyweight boxing championship Saturday night at the Max Schmeling arena in Berlin.
Confusion on the judges' cards originally resulted in a split decision, but the outcome was later officially changed, with the judges scoring it 116-113, 116-111 and 114-113 for Valuev (49-1).
WBA delegate John Mack said one of the officials, Japanese ringside judge Takeshi Shimakawa, alerted him after a split decision was announced that he had given the fight to Valuev.
Shimakawa claimed one of the scorecards had the names of the fighters in a different order. He scored it 114-113.
But Ruiz (43-8-1), along with many in attendance who booed the decision, didn't agree.
"I thought I won the fight," he said after the 12-round bout. "I don't know what was going on with the scorecards," he said, still in the ring after the fight.
Valuev, who also defeated Ruiz in a split decision in December 2005, regained the title he lost to Ruslan Chagaev of Uzbekistan on April 14, 2007.
The Russian was slated for a rematch with Chagaev for the title in July. But Chagaev was declared a "champion in recess," following an Achilles tendon injury that forced him to call off the rematch, opening the door for Ruiz.
Valuev had trimmed down for Saturday's bout thanks to a change to his diet and training regime, but he still held an advantage of eight inches in height and nearly 80 pounds in weight over Ruiz.
He continuously used his left jab to keep the American at a distance but never delivered a punch that shook the 36-year-old American.
Instead it was Ruiz who delivered an early power punch, connecting with a right in the second round that appeared to hurt Valuev.
But the Russian recovered quickly and used the jab to disrupt Ruiz and prevent him from scoring with combinations.
Valuev did land a few big rights throughout the bout but not enough to put Ruiz in trouble.
"I did not do what I wanted to do 100 per cent," Valuev said.
With files from the Associated Press
