Norman Stone

It should have ended with a kiss, but in the end there are few lasting love affairs in boxing. Four days after John Ruiz was dethroned for the third and likely final time as World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, he severed professional ties with longtime manager and surrogate father Norman Stone yesterday, forcing Stone into an unwanted retirement because of growing strife inside the Ruiz camp. read more ...

Stone grabbed the mic and expressed his displeasure with the media, stating, "I have to say, you can only beat a person down so many times, meaning you guys in the press. After we lost to Roy Jones he wanted to pack it in, I told him no, we're not leaving until we win this f**kin' title back. I know when Johnny says something, he means it," Stone continued, "This kid has never said anything bad about anyone, but you wrote all kinds of bad things about him. Look in the press, it's all you guys ever wrote. Here's a kid who beat (Andrew) Golota, he's the kid that knocked-out (Fres) Oquendo, He's the kid who beat Rahman, well, I have to say to you, John's done, farewell." read more ...