BOXING Rahman, Ruiz trying to get back to the top

They'll meet in a heavyweight bout Saturday in Atlantic City.
ATLANTIC CITY, N.J. (AP) -- Former heavyweight champions Hasim Rahman and John Ruiz know what it feels like to be at the top. The challenge now is to find a way back.
For them, the road begins Saturday night at Boardwalk Hall, in a 12-round fight that will determine who gets a shot at WBA heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. or -- if he won't fight -- his belt.
"I feel like I can come out victorious in this fight and come out the new star in the heavyweight division," Ruiz said Wednesday.
Co-feature bout
The fight, a co-feature on the Bernard Hopkins-William Joppy middleweight championship card, could be a turning point for both men. The winner could get a shot at the title. The loser will move a step closer to heavyweight oblivion.
"This fight is my career," Rahman said. "It's a must-win fight for me. If I can't beat him, I can't be heavyweight champion."
For seven months in 2001, he was.
In April 2001, Rahman stunned the sports world with a fifth-round knockout of heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis. But Lewis drubbed him in the rematch, and Rahman hasn't won since, losing to an aging Evander Holyfield and then fighting to a draw against David Tua.
Since the bout against Tua, Rahman (35-4-1) has dropped about 20 pounds, moved his family to Las Vegas and replaced his trainer -- it's now Roger Mayweather.
"This is a rejuvenated Rock who's looking to do what he can to be a two-time champion. He's in the best shape of his entire life," co-manager Steve Nelson said. "He knows he had a missed opportunity."
Some see Rahman as a one-hit wonder who got lucky against Lewis. Rahman and his corner men see it the other way around; it was Lewis who got lucky in the rematch.
Rahman said he wasn't mentally prepared for Lewis the second time.
"We both fought in the first fight. I didn't throw hardly any punches in the second fight. I wasn't even into it. Physically, I was in shape, but mentally, I was somewhere else. I just felt like as soon as I hit him, the fight would be over," Rahman said.