BoxRec

Interesting match this, how does it play out?

Damn, this is tough. That may explain the lack of answers.

My first, guttural reaction was Ruddock lands the dynamic, "Smash," somewhere he did on Tyson and others, and either ends proceedings with the follow-up or lays Moorer down outright. Moorer had heart alright, but his chin was certainly a health hazard, and he typically held his own with bigger guys but never REALLY got on top of them (unless they were on the journeyman level, ala Mike White).

Thinking though, Ruddock is disadvantaged in the majority of areas. He had big, possibly game-changing upper-hands in chin, power and overall size, but his adaptability, speed, combinations, ring intelligence...those were all deficit areas for him and Moorer was better in those facets of the game.

This one is nearly 50-50, IMO. Moorer wide on points or Ruddock by unapologetic KO in the mid-rounds, take your pick.

No decisions in this fight. Ruddock by ko over Moorer heavy and early!

what if the Moorer that fought Cooper and Alex Stewart showed up. this version of Moorer would win and the careful boxing version would eat the smash.

Hard call because Ruddocks power and moorers chin but i go with moorers more structured defense ,fight plan and accurate non wasting punch output , then razor stamina no fight plan style. I dont think razors style would trouble moorer the same way bowe or lewis would. Ruddock just was't as polished.


Decision or late tko ref jumps in while razors on his feet and only mildly disturbed but not throwing back.

Moorer on points for me, his defense was good enough to catch Ruddock's famed smash. Very skilled guy was Moorer, and could also get off the floor to win as he did more than once.

Razor wins with "the smash."

Ruddock easily manhandles Moorer then knocks him cold.

Cap

Ruddock is far too mobile for Moorer. He gets in, lands hard and fast and gets out again, while Moorer tries to cut off the ring.

Ruddock easily by brutal KO inside four rounds.

The pre-Tyson and Lewis version of Ruddock would win by early KO, the later version would probably lose by late stoppage

I like Moorer, but I feel he is way overrated at HW due to his SD win over Holyfield with heart condition.

I think Ruddock knocks him out eventually. The fight with Cooper could be a good example - Moorer was outboxing Cooper quite easily when he wasn't down, the problem was he was down often enough to make the fight competitive, and with a little more skill and luck from Cooper you can imagine the outcome could be opposite. And Cooper was never considered top fighter, especially not at the time when he fought Moorer.

Moorer defence perhaps wasn't as bad as I perceived it at that time, but definitely not good enough for someone with his chin.

gregor wrote:I like Moorer, but I feel he is way overrated at HW due to his SD win over Holyfield with heart condition.

I think Ruddock knocks him out eventually. The fight with Cooper could be a good example - Moorer was outboxing Cooper quite easily when he wasn't down, the problem was he was down often enough to make the fight competitive, and with a little more skill and luck from Cooper you can imagine the outcome could be opposite. And Cooper was never considered top fighter, especially not at the time when he fought Moorer.

Moorer defence perhaps wasn't as bad as I perceived it at that time, but definitely not good enough for someone with his chin.

MD, not SD.

Rover wrote:

gregor wrote:I like Moorer, but I feel he is way overrated at HW due to his SD win over Holyfield with heart condition.(...)

MD, not SD.

True, though it wasn't crucial difference here.

who cares

max hord wrote:who cares

apparently you did cause you answered

This is a pretty difficult fight to pick. Moorer of course has the iffy chin (and more importantly, was not incredibly difficult to tag) but definitely the better stamina and boxing skills. Ruddock not only completely neglected the jab* and combination punching, but fatigued badly in the middle rounds of fights. I think the big question would be whether Moorer could hurt Ruddock early and get his respect, and avoid enough punishment to take Razor into the mid-late rounds and drown him. The outcome of the fight, if not the fight itself, would be decided by what happens in the first 2-3 rounds. Forced to pick give me Moorer.

Watch the Ruddock-Page fight. Poor Floyd Patterson told Razor over and over again to not go for the KO and use the jab. And round after round, Razor totally ignored him. Shows that Razor really wasn't the most intelligent fighter in the ring.

I was amazed a month or two by how highly people rate Moorer as a heavyweight. Whether its just success starved Americans getting all nostalgic I don't know. Ruddock wasn't the most skilled heavyweight ever to step into a ring. Tough one to call. I may play safe and suggest Moorer may eek out a decision win.

dr_devious wrote:The pre-Tyson and Lewis version of Ruddock would win by early KO, the later version would probably lose by late stoppage

Moorer TKO 10

I'm inclined to giving the edge to Michael Moorer. While his chin was shaky and Ruddock's power colossal, Moorer had precision, a south paw style, fast hands, and the heart to rise off the canvas. Both guys came back to win fights after being decked, true enough, and both could go 12 rounds. But Moorer was not as one dimensional as Razor. I could see this fight producing multiple knockdowns on both sides and having the crowd on it's feet. I'm thinking Moorer by late stoppage or decision, unless Donoven launches something huge and preferably early.

This a tough one. But since Moorer couldn't keep focused during fights ( remember Atlas imploring him to fight harder against Evander? ), and his suspect chin against big hitters, I'd have to go with Razor here. His only hiccup was his out-of-the-blue early KO vs. Lewis.

It could be similar to Moorer-Foreman fight: Michael was going to clear decision, Ruddock landed left hook sooner or later, that's it. It could have gone either this way, or more skilled and rational Moorer could have remained cautious and taken his decision.