Was Razor Ruddock the one heavyweight Tyson truly respected ?

I'm not sure he feared anyone, in the literal sense, but I'm pretty sure he respected the threat that Lewis posed him before their fight.

 

No mate, I was 8-years old and whilst I watched Tyson vs Bruno a couple of years earlier, I didn't follow boxing on a global scale closely until a few years later.

I doubt Tyson was scared of Ruddock, but wouldn't be surprised if he lacked discipline in camp to the extent he withdrew for fear he wasn't in the shape required for a guy as dangerous as Ruddock.

 

I don't think Tyson feared Ruddock at all.

I've seen some clips and Tyson was making death threats to Ruddock before their 1st fight.

He famously said "If Razor Ruddock doesn't die it doesn't count"

 

Nope.

 

I saw neither any signs of respect nor fear.
"If he isn't dead, it doesn't count." - [the respectful and fearful ] Tyson on Ruddock

 

Yes, I think he was worried about the threat of Ruddock's power.
He had already withdrew from the scheduled 1989 fight, and was acting very aggressively as if he was trying to hide some nervousness before their first fight (just like he did versus Lewis).
However he looked really cool just before the fight whereas Ruddock admitted that entering the ring to face Mike was "like seeing the devil".

I also recall reading recently that Tyson was wary of fighting Smith because it was the first time he was facing a big puncher.

He seemed really intimidated during the staredown before the Holyfield rematch.

EDIT : actually it was in a 1996 Ring interview where he said that " Bonecrusher got me a little nervous. He hit hard, he was strong. But like I said, he didn't have the temperament ".

 

My thoughts exactly.

If anything Tyson trashed talked more than with most of his opponents against Ruddock. I am sure he respected him as a threat though but not necessarily being scared.

 

Of course Tyson had fear, and not only for the Ruddock fights.

Mike was brought up by Cus D’Amato, who taught the mental side of the game and how fear was natural for every fighter.

To wit: Fear is like fire. If you control it, it can cook your food and keep you warm; if you do not, it can burn your house down and kill you.

Cus understood that animals have a heightened sense of fear — that it is a survival instinct that keeps them alive, like why a deer runs when it encounters humans. It’s why we don’t step in front of a moving bus. It’s why a fighter doesn’t wade in with his hands down and his chin jutting out.

D’Amato wanted Tyson and all his fighters to be aware of their fear, to confront it and control it. And, whenever possible, to instill it in their opponents to take advantage of it.

Said Cus: “Every good and reasonable fighter has fear.”

So, yes, Tyson had a healthy fear of Ruddock. And he controlled it.

 

I am sure Mike had respect for Bone crusher and Holmes.

 

I always thought the more outlandish Mike's behaviour was, the more doubts he had...and his threats and antics towards Ruddock certainly suggests to me, a people watcher and reader of many years, that he felt he NEEDED an edge. If he didn't respect him before the fight, he certainly did after. I think the quote was 'he hits like a ****in' mule'.

I always remember Ruddock sitting listening to Mike's histrionics and uttering, without a hint of irony, 'Ypu don't got no class' or something equally apt...I'm sure he was even wearing a suit....