NEW YORK – Losing a decision to Evander Holyfield for the vacant WBA heavyweight title wasn't John Ruiz's only disappointment.

"I had him as a better fighter," said Ruiz, scheduled to meet Holyfield in a rematch March 10 at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. "I expected so much. I thought he would come out fighting. He didn't do that."

Holyfield won the fight on an unanimous decision, although he needed to win the last round to get the nod on two of the three officials' cards.

"I thought I had the fight won before the last round," the 28-year-old Ruiz said Tuesday. "I thought I did more than he did. But it was 'It's Evander Holyfield, who is John Ruiz?'

"Now I can show the world I won the first time. I'm going to prove it."

A win could be a ticket for an exotic trip. Promoter Don King reportedly is planning to have the winner defend the title in China.

Ruiz maintains that while the 38-year-old Holyfield's reputation as a major figure in boxing might have influenced the outcome, he was not awed.

"I just saw him as another person in the ring," Ruiz said. "I see him the same way, but this time I know him a little better. After six rounds he started elbowing, and with head butts. That's what he does. That's his trademark. He takes your mind off of fighting."

Losing, although disappointing, didn't come close to taking Ruiz' mind off fighting again. This time.

It did when Ruiz was knocked out in 19 seconds by David Tua in 1996.

"Coming back from the Tua thing was harder for me than losing to Holyfield," Ruiz said. "After Tua I had this thing in my head whether I should continue my career, whether I should give up and do something else."

Ruiz (36-4, 27 knockouts) won 11 fights between the losses to Tua and Holyfield.

The rematch will be part of a championship doubleheader to be carried by Showtime on pay-per-view. Tim Austin will defend the IBF bantamweight title against Miguel Angel Gonzalez of Mexico.