Not even Ruddock believes that. He probably barely won 3 rounds between the 19? Rounds they spent together. I honestly think Prime Tyson lost to Douglas and Douglas just had the right plan- if his team saw it how long before others did? It’s unlikely Evander beats Tyson to me without Buster and his corner pioneering how to do the job.
Douglas’ talents were well recognised and appreciated back in the day - so too were his lack of focus, conditioning an commitment. Love him or hate but just prior to opening bell, even The Colonel Bob Sheridan accurately profiled Douglas and prophetically mused as to which Buster was going to turn up. Even so, maintained mental focus and optimal conditioning are no mean attributes and not to be taken for granted, as boxing history has proven, with so many other well skilled guys going by the wayside. In a sense those attributes can’t be divorced from the overall assessment and perception of an ATG - rather, they are traits that are inextricably entwined. In a way, one could say Ali, by way of his extraordinary heart, courage chin and will, was able to “overachieve” in his second career - but we don’t say that because we know those attributes were interwoven into the fabric that made Ali a great fighter.