French boxer Jean-Claude Ruiz fought in the light-welterweight tournament at the 1976 Montréal Olympics but lost in his first fight to Calistrat Cuțov of Romania. In 1978 Ruiz won the national amateur light-welterweight title and a bronze medal at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in Beograd. He only had a few bouts as an amateur and never boxed as a professional. Ruiz then became a regional technical adviser in Normandy after gaining a position as a sports teacher. With his new-found teaching skills he worked as an assistant to the national coach of the women’s boxing team.