"Razor Ruddock vs. Bonecrusher Smith" from '89.. A Full Woody..

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by MRBILL, Dec 12, 2010.


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  1. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I popped in my 1989 tape of "Ruddock-Smith" for review earlier this Sunday night. GODDAMN! What memories of what regular CBS TV used to give us... Gil Clancy and Tim Ryan calling the heat...

    Bones Smith was aging at 36 yrs, while Razor Ruddock was primed at age 25... STILL! Both men were in-shape and serious... Hell, Joe Frazier worked Smith's corner... Ruddock had his usual homies that included his brother in the corner...

    Smith landed and decked Ruddock with a wicked right hand in round 2, but Razor took it well... That was Smith's highlight of the fight... For the most part, Razor Ruddock was too young and spry in 1989 for the aging Bonecrusher Smith... Smith was still tuff as nails, but also slower than a Mummy that has been dead for 3,000 yrs...

    It was good to see Razor Ruddock using his jab in 1989. Somewhere along the road, R.R. forgot about his jab come the 1990s... Ruddock got too dependent on his "Smash" shot...

    Poor Bones Smith was in the fight for the first 4 rds, but by round 5, Smith was fading and getting tagged a whole lot by Razor Ruddock, though Smith was still winging back hard... Joe Frazier tried to lift Smith's spirit in the corner, but it was to no avail... Razor Ruddock was now in control... The end of the epic fight in North Carolina was closing in...

    Razor Ruddock finally lowered the boom in round 7... Smith went down from the "Smash." Smith's goose was well done as he was parked like a Cadillac by Ruddock...... A great fight...

    MR.BILL:deal:bbb:good:hat
     
    MRBILL, Dec 12, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 12, 2010
    #1
  2. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    C'mon... No way in hell I'm the only dude who saw and recorded this fight back in 1989... Someone has got to have an opinion here... "Ruddock-Smith" was a goodie on CBS....

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    #2
  3. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I'm gonna rewind my tape and do this fight again.... I like it....

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    #3
  4. tommygun711

    tommygun711 The Future Full Member

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    prime smith wouldve knocked rudduck out.
     
    tommygun711, Dec 13, 2010
    tommygun711, Dec 13, 2010
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    Charles White likes this.
  5. CANNONBALL

    CANNONBALL Well-Known Member Full Member

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    i remember this.
    wasnt razor laughing when he got up?
     
    CANNONBALL, Dec 13, 2010
    CANNONBALL, Dec 13, 2010
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  6. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Hard to say... Smith was strong and powerful, but so ****in' slow...:deal

    MR.BILL:hat
     
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
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  7. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Yep... He took Smith's right hand well in round 2...:shock::hey

    MR.BILL:bbb
     
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
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  8. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

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    The punch that dropped Ruddock was weird. Almost seemed like it hit Ruddock in the ear, or neck.


    Ruddock started celebrating when the round ended, and then went to the wrong corner. :lol:
     
    Thread Stealer, Dec 13, 2010
    Thread Stealer, Dec 13, 2010
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  9. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    All free on CBS TV in 1989..... And people wonder why I boycott so much stupid PPV in 2010......

    MR.BILL:deal:think
     
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
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  10. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    I saw this fight live on television in 89', and had initially thought that it was a very good win for Ruddock, given that he had KO'd a man who took Tyson the distance.. I did not however realize how old or out of shape smith was until years later.. James came into that fight 20 lbs over his best weight, 36 years of age, off for 12 months, and hadn't won a fight in nearly 3 years. In addition, I seem to remember something about him taking that match on very short notice, but have no source to back up what I heard. Nevertheless, asside from being a big man with a hard shot, James had little left to offer at this point, yet nearly ended it in two rounds regardless. Ruddock's stoppage of Smith was clearly the result of a tired, aged and deconditioned opponent succumbing to exhaustion... It was a very entertaining fight, and one that I would gladly sit through again, but I don't know if I'd pick Donoven to beat the Boncrusher of three years earlier.
     
    mr. magoo, Dec 13, 2010
    mr. magoo, Dec 13, 2010
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  11. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    OOOHHH! Good point, but I disagree with this notion for 1989... Bones Smith was a big dude.... Them real lean 228 pounds that he weighed in '84 for Larry Holmes was real light fo Smith.... I thought Smith carried 249 very well against the 220s Ruddock in '89..... Smith was NO SLOB at 249.... He was conditioned, but age 36 hindered him against the 25 year old Ruddock.....

    NOW!! Yrs later in 1998 / 1999, against "Bugner and Holmes," Bones Smith was a major slob at 281 and 275 pounds..... Them saggy tits and soft girth made me puke.....

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
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  12. anut

    anut Boxing Addict banned

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    i recorded this fight also....... this is when razor jabbed and used lateral movement
     
    anut, Dec 13, 2010
    anut, Dec 13, 2010
    #12
  13. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    I think he would have done well by himself to show up in the 230ish range. 250 lbs was too much, and as you said earlier yourself, he was so slow that his feet were basically stuck in the mud.. This says nothing of his inactivity, his age, or poor preparation. Lack of stamina and slow reflexes is what lost this fight for Smith. The man who fought 5 times in 1986, was much trimmer and 3 years younger would have had a real live chance at beating Ruddock.
     
    mr. magoo, Dec 13, 2010
    mr. magoo, Dec 13, 2010
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  14. MRBILL

    MRBILL Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Magoo,

    I know that... Notice that Bones Smith started adding pounds immediately following his loss to Holmes in '84..... From '85 to '86, there was a weight gain of 3 to 5 pounds for each fight leading up to Tyson of '87, where Smith trained hard, but grabbed all fight long...... But, by 1989, 250 was okay for the massive Smith....... Smith was NOT a slob in his fights with "Spoon, Frazier, Weaver, Ferguson, Bey & Spoon" in 1986...

    MR.BILL
     
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
    MRBILL, Dec 13, 2010
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  15. AnthonyJ74

    AnthonyJ74 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Bonecrusher carried his weight better than George Foreman, who looked flabbier at the same weight.
     
    AnthonyJ74, Dec 13, 2010
    AnthonyJ74, Dec 13, 2010
    #15
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