Ron lyle can't see the 1 dimensional 1 armed Ruddock winning a convincing decision over a prime Lyle over 12, let alone 15. Lyle had underrated ring iq, a good jab, could pace himself well, had respectable power himself, and if need be could get off the floor to deliver some serious revenge (see the shavers fight). I slightly favor Lyle to either take the decision or stop Ruddock within 8 in a brutal war. Ernie terrel Ruddock gets frustrated for several rounds with all the clinching but I just have this nagging doubt that Terrel leaves himself open for a split second and gets caught by a devastating smash. He either gets stopped or goes into survival mode and loses too many rounds. Cleveland William's williams was far more athletic and agile with a more balanced 2 fisted slugging ability and good coordination. Despite saying that, his lack of defense and chin cost him dearly. Ruddock by KO 75-80% of the time within 3 rounds. Ruddock was no defensive wizard either, its just that his size advantage and better chin bail him out if he gets in trouble. Ernie shavers ive thought about this matchup several times and I really dont known what to think. There would obviously be a knockout but the question is if shavers' more methodical and patient "organized chaos" would win against Ruddock "spam my best special move" strategy. Shavers showed a lot of heart and was the only man to KO the 6'5 brawler Roy Williams. He also flattened the 6'4 bugner, demolished the 6'3 Norton, brutally dropped and nearly KO'd the 6'3 Holmes and several men the same size or bigger than Ruddock so i dont think size would be an issue at all. I'll go with shavers 55-45, he actually evolved and became a better boxer learning from his losses. Michael moorer Ruddock by KO in 5.
MM would be the only safe bet. I think Earnie bombs him out quick. Earnie would dip to throw the right hand missile and everyone in the arena would see it. Except ruddock. He'd be standing there and get hit clean. Not too often Earnie has the edge in handspeed===he gets there first and that would be it. Lyle takes him out to deep waters and drowns him. Ruddocks 20 punches a round just won't get it done. And Lyle threw some nice uppercuts on the inside that would land a ton when Ruddock goes into his defensive shell coverup thing he did. You know--the one he'd do for like half the round. Williams gets the ko when by getting there first. Ruddock with that lean way to the left to launch his wide hook gets him clipped. I really like Ernie to win a lopsided type decision. Ugly fight and not many guys I can think of that Earnie could win a 15 round lopsided decision against. This would be one of them and Ruddock would eat that jab all night. I really think Ruddock needs a hard right hand to the body to help his chances with these guys. Or the ability to dig that left hook to the body. But he was no Frazier or Weaver with that left; upstairs only. But he was a headhunter of the highest degree. The ability to do body damage would open things up for him===but you still have that horrible habit of leaving himself wide open for counters. Going to the body would probably make that shortcoming worse.
This is a real nice grouping for a tourney as well. I would pick Ruddock over all 5 of these, but they would all be pick em type of fights. I am just glad these guys are on a level playing field rather than against greats this time.
Not a big Razor supporter. He may beat Terrell if he comes in with his head strait. The others beat him. Lyle beats his a@@ in a good scrap Shavers catches him. I think William's and Moorer eventually do also but its tighter.
Lyle/Razor-tossup Terrell/Razor-Razor Cleveland Williams by KO Ruddock wins a decision over Shavers Moorer climbs off the canvas and stops Ruddock.
Wasn't the Holmes vs Williams fight the one where Cosell repeatedly denigrated Holmes for not having the power to put Williams down? If so, I think it kinda demonstrates the large difference at that point in time of Shaver's power and that of Holmes as Williams makes the final bell in the fight with Holmes, and his very next fight is with Shavers, who knocks him out in the 1st round
Also, never really understood what the deal was with people thinking as highly about Ruddock as they did? I thought he was pretty bad in both Tyson fights, and Tyson was pretty much s h i t in both as well, not fighting anywhere near what had been his ability to do, and I think for those two fights it certainly wasn't on account of anything Ruddock was doing
