Lets think about some potential opponents and get some input on how Donovan fares. And just like the real world, if he loses; what damage or effect does it have on subsequent fights/opponents. A list guys; Bowe Holyfield lets go to the B grades and most likely candidates he would have or could have fought; Alex Stewart Frans Botha Foreman Bert Cooper Moorer Axel Schulz Tua Mercer Golata Bruno McCall Ibeabuchi Holmes Witherspoon Rematches like Lewis 2 or Tyson 3 How about these guys? Ruiz Valuev Brewster Chris Byrd Corrie Sanders Arreola Haye Rahman Maskaev
Loses to Holyfield but I'm not writing off his chances against Bowe. In the 90s he loses to Mercer and Ibeabuchi, maybe Tua and Moorer. Beats the rest of your list. In the 00s he loses to Byrd, Haye and probably Valuev.
Ruddock was a good boxer until he fell in love with his power and "The Smash". The name "Razor" was about his jab, not his hook/uppercut... "Smash". He was a good amateur and even defeated teenaged Lennox Lewis. He started his pro career in 1982 (age eighteen). He went 9-0-1 (4) thru his first 10 fights. In his 11th fight he was stopped after 8 rounds vs. David Jaco due to an asthma attack (he had a rare respiratory illness). He came back after almost a year-long layoff. He won his next 16 fights (1986-1990), 14 by KO, including a decision win over Mike Weaver, KO7 Bonecrusher Smith, and KO4 Michael Dokes. The KO wins over Smith and Dokes were brutal. Smith had actually dropped Ruddock but Ruddock boxed well and eventually dropped Smith for the full count and much more. He also stopped Ken Lakusta KO1, Reggie Gross KO2, James Broad KO1, and Kimmuel Odum KO3 during this stretch. Next up was his two fights with Tyson. He fought well in both but suffered several knockdowns and a broken jaw. The first fight was stopped in the 7th round but most will agree that he could have continued... which set up a rematch. Ruddock went the distance in the rematch but was down twice and got his jaw broke. When Tyson was convicted of **** many people ranked Ruddock was the best active HW based off of his tow fights with Tyson. He won his next two fights, KO8 Greg Page and KO4 Phil Jackson. It was Jackson's first loss and he would last until 1/2 way thru the 8th round vs. Lewis almost 2 years later. Next was a fight vs. Lennox Lewis on 10/31/92. The winner of this fight was supposed to fight the winner of Holyfield vs. Bowe (which was two weeks away). Lewis won (KO2) and Bowe won (W12) but Bowe decided not to fight Lewis and Lewis was proclaimed the WBC Champ. Ruddock didn't do too much after the loss to Lewis. He came back 15 months later with a decision win over a fighter he was supposed to "Smash". Anthony Wade had been stopped in the 8th round by Bert Cooper about 2 1/2 years prior... no one else ever stopped him though. Ruddock did not fight again for about a year and a half. He gave Tommy Morrison hell in 1995 but Morrison was able to get up from a knockdown and eventually stop Ruddock, KO6. Prime vs. Prime? Who knows? Ruddock was clearly not at his best anymore. He won his next 12, 10 by KO, and then got knocked out in his last fight, LKOby3 to the 9-2 (8KOs) Dillon Carman (current record) at the age of 51. 40-6-1 (30) and the only world title fights he fought in were for the lightly regarded IBC belt he won by beating Phil Jackson (it was vacant). He vacated the belt after winning it. He fought for the vacant IBC belt again but lost to Morrison. The fight vs. Lewis was for a title shot... which resulted in Lewis being proclaimed the WBC Champ. The Tyson losses and the Lewis loss are the only real "in prime or close to it" losses on his resume. At 6'3" with an 82" reach and 230 solid Lbs. he looked the part. He could take a pretty good shot, he had very good power, and he had a decent jab when he used it. He showed a lot of heart vs. Smith, Tyson x2, and even Morrison but he was clobbered quickly by Lewis. Lewis did a similar job on Grant and Golota.
Bowe and Holyfield beat him but Ruddock gives them both a good fight. Ruddock might drop Bowe but Bowe gets up and stops Ruddock. Holyfield wins by decision and neither man goes down. Ruddock stops- Stewart, Botha, and Cooper. I'll have to get back to you on the others.
Ruddock v Bruno would have been explosive .that would have been a belter. Ruddock v Mercer would also have been a ******* think Mercer survives the early onslaught and turns the tables on Ruddock. The rest of bunch will have to wait too much for my brain to process quickly.
I think he could beat Bruno, Schulz, Botha and Alex Stewart. Bert Cooper maybe. That could be a tough, close fight. He loses to those guys with tough chins like McCall, Foreman, Mercer, Tua. Larry Holmes would make a ****** out of him. Holyfield and Bowe both beat him but there would be some fun moments in there.
Had a very good jab and good mobility early in his career (his fight against Weaver was a great example of both). Problem is that his skills regressed over the course of his career and he was less than the sum of his parts. I think that the 215/220-lb version of Ruddock would be a more formidable opponent for most of the better fighters on the list, while the later 230/240-lb version of Ruddock might be better able to get rid of some of the more mediocre guys.
I agree. Ruddock never came close to reaching his potential. The classic case of a fighter falling in love with his power. Physically he had all the tools a heavyweight could ask for. He seemed to be a pretty smart guy out of the ring but in the ring one of the dumbest boxers I can recall.
bowe avoided him and fought phil brown instead ....then the ruddock camp really wanted bowe an bowe opted the easy route to title shot thru peirrce coetzer instead / bowe and ruddock sparred in 89 and according top janks morton bowe didnt like that smash to much with headgear / i think tua is tailer made for razor ruddock = that smash landing as tua is coming in ???? axel shultz no way /alez stewart nope/frans botha would have got knocked out /bruno interesting /foreman and spoon avoided donovan for a reason/bert cooper gets kod/moorer actually intersting im not sure how donovan would handle a southpaw/mercer ? i say ruddock via dec/golota was a nervous wreck against punchers and ruddock would have knocked him out ./mcall ruddock via dec/ibeabuchi is so overrated man = he fought 2 small heavyweights chris byrd and david tua ..ruddock knocks him out /prime holmes beats ruddock via dec /ruiz would get stopped/valuev couldnt beat a shot holyfield ...did u see the chicken dance haye made valuev do ....ruddock stops that featherfisted freakshow/byrd being a southpaw and a very good defensive fighter ..tuff fight for ruddock based on styles/corrie sanders another southpaw with quick hands another tuff fight for ruddock but the longer the fight goes the more i favour donovan/areolla would get stopped inside 5 rds /rahman gets knocked out as does masquev /
I think he'd beat most of the b guys, but.. I think Tua would be a dangerous matchup. He could get caught with the Tua hook and Tua had a great chin. Foreman would be tough. Witherspoon, as well.
