If Big Earnie Shavers could not get to you early, he would run out of gas,as he did against Ali in 1977. Razor Ruddock would lay back and countering every Shaver's bomb. Razor by TKO 11. Earnie was kayoed by Jerry Quarry, on Dec 14 1973, in one round, at Madison Square Garden. He could hit though.
It's not going the distance and, at first glance, I did like Ruddock for it, but it's a case of whoever lands first and I suspect Shavers could get to Ruddock early enough to disrupt him and end it in quick fashion. I wouldn't argue too hard against Ruddock taking it, either.
Ruddock hands down. Short window for him. 25-1-1 going in against Tyson 15 out 16 wins were TKO/KO. Early stoppage & rematch, allowed fans to see what Ruddock could take. IMO those 12 rounds damaged him. Lennox finished him he was never the same. 3 Big problem with Shavers 1. He gasses out. 2 he gets Knocked out 3. En route to being KO'd he throws so sloppily at times they look amatuerish. Ruddock had a set of whiskers and took shots from Tyson, Shavers took from who to compare? IMO Lyle was closest, but he doesn't punch like Mike. Rudoock perfected a punch that comes from underneath and has a solid left. Shavers was the true haymaker. Not wild, but he loaded up and wasnt' very sound in boxing. He just had heavy hands with no technique. Cobbs beats him? Razor too. Shavers lands a few bombs, but wilts in 6-8 rounds.
I like Ruddock here. Big. Ruddock takes a better punch as well. Earnie dips to throw. Always did telegraph is stuff. what it does is play into the strength of the other telegrapher here. When he dips to throw, Earnie is in a horrible position for that wide hook/uppercut that Razor threw. So I think Earnie dips and R$uddock lets go and it's all over. shavers is not absorbing this guy's punch. a shot off the top of his head will hurt him. Clean and on the jaw and he'd go out like he did against Lyle.
Ruddock could get bombed out early here, first or second even. He walks out, trying to take out Shavers and gets boomed quickly.
Ruddock took 19 rounds of Tyson bombs. It was a diminished Tyson, or rather a lesser skilled Tyson than the young terror who unified all 3 belts, but 1991 Tyson was also a dedicated fighter wanting his belts back. Shavers could land a home run bomb but Ruddock gets to him first, in my opinion.
Some of this is true.. Ruddock may be a little tougher. On the other hand you didn't mention that Razor was more amateurish than Shavers. He threw big uppercuts from mid range and even the outside. Easy to read, easy to see coming. Ruddock was also the definition of a one handed fighter. Shavers had more balance and could belt from both sides of the plate. He does gas out. Razor also threw a very low volume of punches. I don't see Ernie getting as tired with Ruddock allowing him to rest whenever he needed to. Anything could happen here. Two limited sluggers. For me edge to Shavers because I think he delivered his power smarter.
Your right. If Ruddock fought the way he did as a prospect against Weaver he has a decent chance. He wouldnt, by the time he was a contender he had already regressed as a boxer, extremely.
Yeah I used to question why he would bring his uppercut from the canvas damn near! But it was his special punch he worked on. It worked well and was quick. In the end, two limited sluggers anything can happen.
The poll sits at 12-12 and that's a damn good reflection imo. I personally think Ruddock could take it a little better at his best so would narrowly favor him. I wouldn't however get into lengthy debate over it.