This is an interesting cross-generational fight this one, with the sliding Weaver providing Razor Ruddock with his first legitimate test as a fighter in this 10-rounder from 1986. I'd never actually seen it until today, and I was delighted to find it on YT: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpL2Hudq4vY I scored it, and I had it huge for Ruddock, 8-2, which surprised me as both the official scorecards (SD) and the commentary live from ringside would indicate that it's not a card that anyone should expect. Any thoughts on this one? Any scorecards? Ruddock sure moved beautifully in these days.
Also, this guy has uploaded Ruddock-Hernandez which I have seen recently and is insane. Worth a look, at least the ending is. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ArmRSf3prh0
I'll check it out sometime, Weaver was kinda old in 86, and Ruddock was just a rookie, at the time it was probably a pick em match..
I'm remember seeing this when it took place and haven't seen it since. What I recall was watching this Ruddock dude, whom I had never seen fight, completely outbox Weaver and won it comfortably on my card. I remember him being trained or managed by George Chuvalo who worked his corner and whomever was calling the fight did a very brief interview with Chuvalo after the fight. I remember thinking to myself when I saw Razor much later how he obviously dispensed with the boxing when he found out he had a wicked left uppercut. I thought he should have stayed with Chuvalo who had him boxing nicely - the uppercut would have always been there and he wouldn't have been a one-trick pony.
Yeah, I've watched this a few times. It's a shame that Ruddock didn't retain much of the boxing style he had here in '86 when he became a more highly-touted fighter in '89 and '90. He "fell in love with his power" in the worst way, far too much of just pitching his left 'smash' in those later fighter. If there was ever a time to bring back some of this jab-and-move stuff it would have been against Tyson in '91. I agree McG, it wasn't close at all. 8-2 sounds right.
Been a number of years since I've seen it, but yeah. Ruddock was the clear winner. Not a bad victory for a young prospect either. Weaver was past it but still in good shape and had sparked Carl Williams within the same calendar year.