Legacy: Tucker for becoming a champion. H2H Ruddock slightly because he fought like he wanted to win.
I think Ruddock had more ability you can see in his younger days he has some good boxing skills he just fell in love with his power. Tucker never really impressed me and I think hes a tad overrated because he lasted the distance with Tyson, don't get me wrong hes very durable and is a solid fighter. But his opposition was so/so and he never really had a standout performance or win where he looked really good.
At his best? Tucker. His prime only lastet until Tyson. He went on a 2.5 year coke binge after that and only returned in late 89 as a completely different fighter without Legs. Tucker looked spectacular against Tyson. For a man his size he moved very well, threw combinations, triple left hooks. I also believe the broken right hand is overstated. He doesnt stop throwing it until tyson starts slipping it and countering it with a left hook to the body 3 times in a row in round 4 i believe. Tucker with better management and a bit of luck could have beaten Holmes in 85 as well as spinks and anyone else until Tyson got to him.
As has been pointed out Tucker was talented but feeble minded and didn’t have much about him to go that but extra. Even Douglas looked like he wanted to win more when they fought which is saying something. Ruddock takes this.
I think you’re overstating things. He didn’t look that much different against Douglas than he did around 89/90. I also don’t know that he ever completely went off the rails. He had a contractual dispute and I don’t know that he used cocaine and alcohol to the point where it would’ve affected him any more than it did a lot of the too 80s heavyweights.
Hmm, good question. Tucker was the more talented of the two, Ruddock the bigger puncher with more fire in him, I’d pick Tucker on points if they fought
He didnt look different? He literally had no legs. Watch his fight vs orlin norris. He isnt even half the fighter he was vs tyson. He lost his legs and all of his athleticism and fluidity over the layoff. When he came back he moved like frank bruno. 2.5 year layoff and cocaine addiction. 2.5 years off after a loss indicates that he basically gave up on boxing and stopped training and peobably went all in on the coke and partying. Please dont tell me that a fighter who all of a sudden looks worse vs orlin norris than against prime tyson is the same, especially considering the known circumstances.
Tucker's best wins were Broad, Douglas, Norris, and McCall. He didn't look great in any of these fights but did enough to win. Two were before the layoff and two were after. He moved around more in the 80s and bulked up and sat on his punches more in the 90s. If he'd have lost his legs, he wouldn't have lasted against Lewis and performed decently. He never was very fluid and his "prime" was basically looking pretty good for the first few rounds against Tyson. Lewis is kind of analogous. He was sort of jittery and moved a lot when he was younger, and settled down more when he got older. And both were tall guys who jabbed and clinched.
This is actually awkward. Ruddock got out there and showed his level more times than Tucker did at their best. Tucker gets a bit overrated due to Tyson IMO where he won three rounds tops tho by the same token he went ok. Tucker at his finest was also getting slightly outclassed by Douglas before, for some reason, he suddenly capitulated. Tucker was more polished, Ruddock a lot more powerful and explosive and willing to lay it right on the line. For me Tucker was missing something, he was flat, uninspired but still a good fighter. More of a steady guy with physical attributes rather than someone outstanding.
