Mercer seemed to have his mojo back, Moorer was still trying to regain some of his. I think I'd back Mercer to push through and get the stoppage win, possibly while behind on the cards. From his post-Foreman comeback, Moorer still had some snap in his jab but didn't use it as much as he used to, and would kinda drift off in some rounds. You can't really do that against the Mercer of that time, who had kicked the drugs and rededicated to his own jab. His aggressive intent would probably put Moorer on the back foot, and like I say in '95 he was still trying to get his head back together really.
Yeah this is a tough fight to call. Both guys were sort of coming back from setbacks. Moorer could outbox Ray in my opinion, but would he fight smart enough or try and engage Ray. I think Mercer's power is a little overated at times, so I would lean towards Moorer winning a UD. Dont mean to be mean but both guys were stupid fighters in the ring. They didnt listen to their corners and didnt use their heads in the ring.
Mercer was comfortable in his role of giving the top fighters hell (in the period), but losing. Moorer really could not afford a setback in 95, so I take him to get though the rough patches and edge a decision. Moorer WM10 (6-4).
I think that if Moorer chose to box Mercer and not engage in an all out war the way he did initially against Foreman, then a decision victory for Moorer may not be entirely out of the question. I don't know if Mercer had the power or the right tools to catch Moorer the way that Foreman had. On the otherhand, if Moorer got drawn into a slugfest such as the Burt Cooper fight, then there is no way he's winning a battle of attrition against Mercer...
I think Mercer's intensity and aggression would win out against Moorer's "lazy" technical style. Mercer by decision or late stoppage.
I give the edge to Moorer due to his jab, and mostly his edge in hand speed. Ray would push on hard, but Moorer would beat him to the punch more often then not. Ray Mercer could be out boxed. Moorer doesn't share the height and reach advantages that Damiani and Holmes had on Mercer, but he punches with a bit more authority than those guys. Holyfield tried to out box and out fight Mercer at the same time. Lennox Lewis looked as though he fell into a Machismo battle with Mercer. Moorer is susceptible to a slug fest too, but I think being a recent ko victim will keep him more cautious. I believe Ray would sometimes catch Moorer out of sheer effort, and we would see some exiting exchanges. Mercer has the chance for a ko here, but I'll give Moorer the benefit of the doubt. Moorer ate quite a bit of leather from Foreman. People tend to forget that, but watch the clean shots Foreman lands on him all fight long. Cooper hurt Moorer, hit him more often than I think Mercer would get the chance, may hit harder than Mercer, and still couldn't put Moorer away. Moorer by decision.
I can only see it materializing into a hard hitting contest, and the one who catches the shots better will be probably be the winner. That's Ray Mercer.
