Help changing my shift knob?

Hey gang,

I've got a Momo Raptor shift knob that I absolutely love! The only problem is, the stock '02 Civic EX shift knob fit into a ring on the boot. Now that I have a different knob, I can't figure out how to attach the boot to it. Is there any way to remove the plastic ring from the existing boot?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

CP