the best versions of: - Ernie Shavers - Razor Ruddock - Tommy Morrison - David Tua - David Haye Who wins and how?
Love the idea of all these fights...have to go back and watch more Povetkin. He’s one of those guys I feel is slightly above these guys but I could be wrong. Think he losses to Tua for sure but beats the rest but I’m basing this off only a handful of fights I’ve seen.
Povetkin over Shavers by early Ko in the first 5 rounds. Shavers was a glass cannon - Povetkin too good from a technical standpoint and his chin too good. He would find angles all night on the acorn and put him away with vicious combo pretty early on. Povetkin over Ruddock. Decision. Ruddock too one dimensional for Povetkin who knows how defend himself. Some good action but the more complete fighter wins. Povetkin over Morrison. Morrison starts early and looks to do well but is slowly eaten up by the counter punches of Povetkin. Similar to Mercer bout. Povetkin vs Tua - Povetkin uses his guard to protect from Tua’s hook and boxes from mid range. If Rahman could almost turn the trick Povetkin would make it look easy. Povetkin vs Haye. Dangers fight - Haye athletic with quick twitch reflexes, could be Sasha kryptonite. However Povetkin way more proven with a better heart finds a way to box to point win. Povetkin has well balanced resume he’s defeated boxers (Byrd, Donald, Chambers, Fury) Pressure fighters (Chagaev), Big guys ( Price, Wach, Hammer), boxer puncher types (Perez, Takam,) Sluggers (Whyte) Takes a skilled fighter with a high ring IQ to beat a diverse group like that. I don’t think Povetkin has much left but he’s proven that he would beat most contenders in many eras. I would pick him over any version of Bowe except Holy 1 Bowe. I would take him over 90s Foreman. I would pay good money to see him in with Ken Norton. Povetkin is hard night work for anyone.
Tua would have been tough because of the iron chin. The younger Razor who was a boxer/puncher. I think he'd pf beaten them all, the rest fairly easily.
Shavers: 80-20, for Povetkin Ruddock: 60-40, for Ruddock Morrison: 80-20, for Povetkin Tua: 60-40, for Povetkin Haye: 75-25, for Povetkin
Povetkin survives Shavers' best and stops him later on. He could outbox Ruddock, but it's a dangerous bout. 55-45 Povetkin. Povetkin stops Tommy mid-rounds. Tua's pressure is a threat and he had a very good chin. Povetkin at his best could win a decision, but it's 50-50 imo. Povetkin likely beats Haye and probably stops him. I thought he would back when both were at their best too. I think the two toughest potentially are Ruddock and Tua, but it's possible that Alexander could beat them all.
Povetkin beats Shavers in a fire fight. Similar to the Lyle/Price fights. Rudduck vs Povetkin would be a war, but I'd take Povetkin. He has a better arsenal, was more skilled and a better chin. In a fire fight, I'd take him to win by KO. Same in a fight with Morrison, although Morrison's speed and technique means that Povetkin probably has to get up off the floor. But with Morrison's chin, I can't see him winning. Tua is pretty similar to those fights actually. Although in this case, Povetkin is the one with the inferior chin and doesn't hit as hard. Tua takes him out in a war. Haye's boxer-puncher style and counters should be a pretty bad match up for Povetkin, but I can't shake the image of Chisora crowding and hurting Haye. If it was prime Povetkin, he'd have stopped Haye then IMO.
I'd favour Povetkin over them all. Tua's probably the biggest threat because of his iron chin and the fact that he carried his power right until the final bell.
Sasha is underrated because of his nationality. He's at worst 3rd best HW fighter of his era and what he's done recently is nothing short of incredible. It's one of the best performances ever at HW by someone that old.
I would say... Povetkin KO 9 Shavers Ruddock KO 8 Povetkin Povetkin KO 7 Morrison Tua TKO 10 Povetkin Povetkin KO 6 Haye Just my best guesses
