Joe Frazier vs Razor Ruddock

If you say so styles make fights …

 

Frazier on points solely based on quality, although I am tentative with my opinion in regards to Frazier against punches, especially ones with the lead uppercuts that Ruddock throws, it’s a risky fight for Frazier, with his passive defence and taking one to give one, he could get his lights switched out at any moment, but as long as he doesn’t, I see him getting on the inside, landing body shots on the open body of Ruddock considering how high he held the earmuffs, and basically out working Ruddock.
As would Ken Norton.

 

Power Ruddock
Speed Frazier
Chin Probably Ruddock, but not by a lot
Stamina Frazier
Footwork Ruddock
Technique Frazier
Accuracy Frazier, Ruddock could get wild af
Range Ruddock
Ring IQ Frazier
Combinations Frazier
Defense Frazier
Heart Even

7-1-4 advantage Frazier.

As others said, on paper Frazier is the better fighter. He has both the better resume and better overall boxing ability. The problem is the clash of styles and size difference. A small swarmer is always going to have issues with a huge, tall slugger who can load up with big bombs at mid range whilst imposing their size on the smaller swarmer.

The problem for Ruddock is he could get wild, has severe lapses in defense, and neglected his jab and ring IQ often either opting to slug or load up for one big punch. He also sometimes failed to fight like a proper big man giving up his height/reach advantage, unlike Foreman who frequently hammered you with his heavy jab and pushed smaller men back to his preferred range.

In spite of these issues, Ruddock is still a very dangerous opponent and Frazier could be a slow starter who was vulnerable early. I think Frazier hits the canvas at some point, but does get up given his immense heart and conditioning. So it really boils down to if Frazier can make it past the 4-5th round without getting banged up too hard. If he does, he start smoking and wearing Ruddock down with an accumulation of body shots and hooks to the jaw punishing Ruddock's sloppiness. I'd favor Frazier to win about 60-65% of the time, probably by decision or late round TKO.

 

I'd say Ruddock's chin is somewhat overrated based on his performances vs Tyson. He could take punches well when he anticipated them and every time Tyson hit him or even dropped him, Ruddock saw these punches. Now when Ruddock gets hit unexpectedly, from nowhere (see Smtih fight, Lewis fight, Morrison famous left hook KD), he's down very hard, like a ton of bricks.

The question is whether Razor will be aware of every single Frazier's left hook? For example, Ali in 1971 wasn't, at least rounds 11 and 15 show it.

 

This.

 

Feel like theres a sense that frazier was chinny because of the foreman fights, but he shouldve gotten knocked out cold at least in the first one and he got up at 5, then theres also the Ali fights where he got hit with shots that knocked out Foreman, Lyle, Moore, Patterson, Liston, Bonavena, and Quarry. (He was also blind in the last minutes of Manila) so IMO his chin is his biggest asset

 

I agree. Foreman landed his hardest ever shots on Frazier imo. Anyone hit like that is going down. Question is who’s getting up?

 

Tbh i dont really know if Ali could of taken that uppercut for the 2nd knockdown, especially the way Joe ducked right into it

 

Myself along with one of the best posters the site's ever seen, share your sentiments.

 

Holmes.

 

After that perfect overhand by Shavers i cant really disagree

 

Only once or twice maybe. Holmes isn't getting up 3, 4, 5+ times getting nailed by Foreman's hardest punches. Unlike Shavers, Foreman had better timing and finishing ability and was the greater overall 2-fisted threat.

Holmes was still very badly hurt the rest of the round when he got up against Shavers, and was still groggy in the next round but fought through the pain.

 

Holmes would get up once, maybe twice. Six times? No.

 

Interesting, so internet posters know better than the man who actually threw the punches...?

 

Fair point, but it isn’t always that straight forward. Sometimes those with more knowledge also have more incentive to lie & distort. Think of all those doctors during Covid.