Why Ruddock gets more credit for losing to Tyson than Douglas for beating Mike?

I don't doubt Mike wasn't in his right state of mind for the fight and he clearly had no respect for Ruddock's power despite the body punches taking the wind out of him after just two rounds. I also doubt Mike wanted Ruddock to escape ***** street countless times and see the final bell.

 

All that suggests is that even as early as 1990, Tyson wasn't trying to force mistakes from opponents. Rather he just waited for them.

 

Rudduck was way overrated at that time. He really had only one punch...that wide left hook/uppercut which indeed was deadly. Unfortunately he had little else. Tyson realized he would have the upper hand always fighting this opponent. Tyson had the shorter, quicker hook and his crouch caused Rudducks longer wider hook to miss his head as Mike ducked under. Tyson would make Rudduck miss and the counter with his own hook. In fight two Rudduck used his jab early then went away from it reverting to his all left hook attack mode. Tyson ate him up.

 

I can't agree with that. David Tua is a figther who waits for mistakes.

Tyson even at his worst against Ruddock was trying to force openings, even if that meant walking into an uppercut so he could bomb a right over the top.

 

Well another thing yet mentioned in the Ruddock and Douglas is boxing brains. guess which guy showed some and which guy didn't?

And just how often do the guys lacking in the boxing brains department win big fights against elite opponents?

 

The 10:10 mark, beginning of the replay for round 2. Tyson does counter a couple times here but very poorly. After a 5-punch combo by Douglas that mostly grazed and missed, Tyson had a wonderful opportunity to counter a wide open Douglas who freezes after admiring his work. This happens throughout the fight.

I do agree that countering Douglas was more challenging than Ruddock but Tyson doing it less frequently had more to do with him being underprepared and sluggish. The first Ruddock fight Tyson looked sharp and focused and determined to kick some ass. Obviously his skillset wasn't that of a few years prior but he did look focused. Sharper even. Tyson did look bad in the rematch but sources say he skipped training a ton. This might have something to do with Don King unsure of moving forward with the rematch.

Tyson looking to jab, bobbing and weaving is the style he employed. He did this against McBride, even. Might not have implemented it as much the further away from his prime but it's how he fought.

 

That's why I specificed Ruddock II.