The respect between the pair which has characterised the build-up remains, but now the fighting talk has started. And it is in keeping with what is at stake — an opportunity of a lifetime to claim the vacant WBO title.
Parker weighed in at 111.9kg, the heaviest he has appeared before a fight. That is the result of an increased weights routine under his new strength and conditioning coach and Parker said he was hitting harder than ever.
Mexican Ruiz jun tipped the scales at 116kg, slightly heavier than his goal weight of 114kg. He appears slightly flabby, which he admitted afterwards, but he has lost a significant amount of weight — about 16kg — in training for this fight.
The weigh-in, held in front of a big gathering at a downtown bar, belonged to crowd favourite Parker. He flexed his muscles while on the scales and his height and size advantage looked significant.
Asked how he would make that count from the first bell, he said: "I’m going to punish him from the outside. I’m going to pierce his face with my jab, that’s what I’m going to do from the outside".
Ruiz said of his weight: "I’m really happy with that. We thought we were going to be 114kg, but we’ve been eating right and I’ve been taking care of myself. I’m going to come out strong".
Asked about how Parker’s power ranked alongside that of his previous 29 professional opponents, Ruiz said: "Everyone who is 200-plus [pounds] has a lot of power. It’s a matter of when they hit you and where they hit you, that’s what counts. I’m pretty sure he hits hard and I know I hit hard".
