LAS VEGAS -- Round-by-round of the Evander Holyfield-John Ruiz WBA heavyweight title fight Saturday night:

Before a near capacity crowd at the Mandalay Bay hotel-casino arena, Ruiz entered the ring first in all black trunks. Holyfield followed in a silver-and-red robe with matching trunks. Referee Joe Cortez gave instructions.

Round 1
Both fighters meet in the center of the ring. Ruiz lands a right and then falls down. His corner is yelling at Cortez to watch Holyfield's pushing. Cortez has to break the fighters twice early and then warns them both against holding. Ruiz lands a right and left to the body. Ruiz lands a right and is tied up by Holyfield. Holyfield lands a left-right and the fighters clinch once again. Ruiz lands two jabs and is tied up. AP gives the round to: Ruiz.

Round 2
Ruiz comes out and lands two jabs. Holyfield lands a right and left. Ruiz is marked under his left eye. Both fighters are holding and clinching. Ruiz lands a counter right and Holyfield holds on as Ruiz lands a flurry. Ruiz is using his jab well. Ruiz's eye is getting puffy. AP gives the round to: Ruiz.

Round 3
The early part of the round is marred again by holding and clinching. Ruiz lands a good right hand a minute into the round. Holyfield lands a left hook and then another to the head. Ruiz throws a left hook to the body, Holyfield replies with a pair of jabs. At the end of the round, the two fighters both throw flurries after Holyfield comes off the ropes in the best action of the fight. AP gives the round to: Holyfield.

Round 4
Holyfield comes out and traps Ruiz near his corner but doesn't land effectively. The fighters clinch and Cortez calls time out to lecture both again. Ruiz's left eye appears to be swelling even more. Holyfield follows two jabs with a right to the head. The two trade rights and Ruiz then lands another midway through the round. Ruiz lands a left hook to the body and then to the head. Ruiz is cut on his forehead in the closing seconds and complains it is a head butt. AP gives the round to: Ruiz.

Round 5
Between rounds, Ruiz's corner is upset over Cortez's ruling that the head butt that caused his cut was accidental. Ruiz's face is immediately bloodied. Holyfield lands a big left hook a minute into the round. Holyfield is suddenly fighting more aggressively as blood streams down Ruiz's face. Ruiz lands a right, and the two fight on the inside once again. Holyfield lands a left hook and Ruiz replies with a flurry of punches. Ruiz's corner is screaming at Cortez about Holyfield using his head. AP gives the round to: Holyfield.

Round 6
Holyfield digs a few hooks early and is on Ruiz, who fights back and backs Holyfield up. Crowd is chanting "Johnny! Johnny!" Holyfield is now the aggressor. Ruiz appears to be hurt and is moving away from Holyfield, who lands with his left hook. Ruiz lands a good left hook inside and then a right hand uppercut. Ruiz's left eye is swelling more. Ruiz lands a good straight right and then a flurry. Holyfield lands an uppercut near the bell and Ruiz complains he is being held. AP gives the round to: Ruiz.

Round 7
The crowd boos as Ruiz spends the first part of the round moving away from Holyfield, circling to his right. Holyfield goes after Ruiz, but when they get close, he does not land much. The action slows in this round until the final seconds when Holyfield lands a good left hook and a right. AP gives the round to: Holyfield.

Round 8
The pattern continues as Holyfield goes after Ruiz, who is content to counterpunch. Neither fighter is landing much. Holyfield can't seem to pull the trigger when he gets inside. Ruiz lands a good counter right and then a left uppercut. The fight is stopped to fix loose tape on Ruiz's glove. Ruiz lands another uppercut. AP gives the round to: Ruiz.

Round 9
Holyfield lands a hook in the opening seconds. Holyfield appears to be getting frustrated, then catches Ruiz in the corner with a left hook. Ruiz is now cut under his right eye. Holyfield lands a good left hook that puts Ruiz back. Holyfield lands two more hooks and then a right hand. Ruiz is holding on. Holyfield rocks Ruiz with a right uppercut and seems to be gaining confidence. AP gives the round to: Holyfield.

Round 10
Holyfield lands a right hand and Ruiz complains it's on the back of his head. Ruiz has cuts beneath both eyes and on forehead, but isn't bleeding much. Ruiz throws a left hook to Holyfield's head. Holyfield lands a low blow and Ruiz goes down in pain in neutral corner. Cortez takes a point from Holyfield for the low blow. Ruiz is on his back in pain. Cortez agrees to give him five minutes to recover. Holyfield goes over and talks to Ruiz's corner, which is complaining about his tactics. Holyfield can't believe Ruiz is taking so much time to recover. The fight resumes after a 3-minute break. Ruiz almost immediately throws a low blow with a left hook and Cortez warns him. AP gives the round to: Holyfield.

Round 11
Ruiz lands a big right hand 30 seconds in, and Holyfield goes down. He's up quickly, but hurt. Ruiz follows and Holyfield is holding on in his corner and goes down, dragging Ruiz. Ruiz almost has to crawl out to get away. Holyfield falls across the ring holding on to Ruiz all the way across. Ruiz is on Holyfield, who is on the ropes desperately hanging on. Holyfield is trying to survive. Ruiz lands some jabs and another right. Holyfield tries to hold, but Cortez won't let him. Ruiz is landing big rights on Holyfield, who holds on desperately. Ruiz lands a big uppercut and three rights and a left hook, and Holyfield is now cut and holding on. AP gives the round to: Ruiz.

Round 12
Crowd chants "Holy! Holy!" as Holyfield desperately battles. Holyfield lands a left hook, but takes a left. Ruiz pushes Holyfield into the ropes and lands a combination. Ruiz takes a left from Holyfield but Holyfield can't follow it. Ruiz lands a combination in the closing seconds.

Bell rings to end the fight, and Ruiz puts his hand in the air. AP gives the round to: Ruiz.