Razor Ruddock vs Rocky Marciano

Michael Spinks could have easily made the modern supermiddleweight limit, and he woudl have been the betting favorite over Ruddock, if we shift the time line a bit.

Don't get me wrong, Ruddock was a vas exciting fighter who gave us some incredible fights, but he was not a near miss for being an ATG.

He was a flash in the pan, and he ended up where he did for a reason.

 

The weight still transfers to the lead leg when you throw the right hand. Now picture Marciano with his average speed trying to get past ruddocks stiff arm with his 15 inch reach and footspeed advantage, Marciano trying to launch a right hand from the outside, ending up short by about 7 inches as ruddock steps back, Rockys weight transferring forward and Ruddock placing a smash right to where Marcianos head ends up when he tries to lunge in.

Result. The 185 lb ATG gets put to sleep by the 230+ lb Contender

 

Spinks is a completely different style. He doesnt play into Ruddocks hands like a swarmer.

Ruddock ended up where he ended up because he spent almost 19 rounds out on his feet being punded on by Tyson and then finished off by Lewis who was his stylistic nightmare due to his long straight punches getting to him first.

Have you seen what Ruddock looks like now? Just shadowboxing and hitting the bag? Tyson did that.

Im not saying he was that great anyway.
But these short come forward guys were taylor made for him. He just lost to Tyson because tyson was elite and levels above which compensated for the stylistic problem.

There is no amount of greatness that can compensate for stylistic problems plus 30 plus lbs of muscle, 15 inches of reach etc.

 

You might be right, but your understanding of several things is mistaken.

 

Then why didn't some promotor simply find a bigger stronger heavyweight?

There were name fighters approaching the size of Valuev back then.

 

Ruddock wasn't even that big to be honest.

A 6' 3'' 230 lbs. man is a big heavy, but he is also the kind of man that a champion needs to be able to beat in any era.

Either you beat him, or some small cutie eliminates him for you, in which case they were the better man.

 

Marciano had the S**T knocked out of him in the title fight with JJW in 1952...cut...blinded for 4 rounds...decked for the first time...behind on all scorecards...and in the 13th..."BANG"...the best right hand ever...we have a new champ! The savage brawl for former champ Ezzard Charles...15 rounds of mayhem...in June 1954...Rock wins a UD...in the rematch in September 1954...Charles splits Rocky's nose open down to the cartilage...blood is pouring out...they talk about stopping the fight...Marciano storms out...KO's Charles...and keeps the title. Marciano had more pain in these 3 fights than most fighters have in their whole career. He was one of the all time great warriors...Ruddock was not...I'm taking Marciano all night long! And stop with the "size" difference...that "old hat"...

 

I think Razors size will work against him. For example, i read in another post that Razor going through hell with Tyson for 12 rounds solidifies Razors capabilities. This only happened because both Tyson and Ruddock became more and more tired equally throughout the fight.

Ruddock will slowly or quickly become tired and slower as the rounds pass but Marciano will become faster, quicker and more precise.
Marciano was one of the most disciplined boxers with endurance and stamina for days.

 

Were these name fighters ranked guys? Valuev was.