BoxRec

Hypothetical prime fights. ------------


1. Prime Donovan Ruddock vs. a prime Evander Holyfield?



2. Prime Donovan Ruddock vs. a prime Riddick Bowe?




3. Prime Donovan Ruddock vs. a prime Ron Lyle?




4. Prime Donovan Ruddock vs. a prime George Foreman?




5. Prime Donovan Ruddock vs. a prime Joe Frazier?




6. Prime Donovan Ruddock vs. a prime Sonny Liston?




7. Prime Donovan Ruddock vs. a prime Larry Holmes?





Who would win in these fights? Why?

All ATGs - Holyfield, Bowe, Foreman, Frazier, Liston, Holmes - had much more of a class, than Ruddock, so for obvious reasons I chose all of them to win him. Lyle could have been a less tougher option, of course. It sounds like an interesting and competetive match-up. Both of them weren't too creative, so it could have be a slugfest, where the chin factor could become the main one. I'd say, Lyle had a better chin, he was taking Foreman's shots pretty well before being KOed eventually, he got up after Shaver's punch. Ruddock still could have ended everything with a single clean left hook though. A close call.

Ruddock takes an L in every one of them, with Frazier, Lyle, and Holyfield being shootouts.

Ruddocks problem was neglecting his boxing and relying pretty much on his left hand power shot, so for me he probably loses to all of them with maybe a chance against Lyle and half a chance against a 70s Foreman.

Razor could bang with his left but wasn't an impressive all around fighter.

Got most of his acclaim by LOSING twice to Tyson.

It's not great when your reputation is enhanced by losing.

Step up fights against Lewis and Morrison didn't go well, so it's difficult to envision Ruddock being successful against the stars the OP suggested.

Lyle of course is a possible win, since he fell short of elite status.

But Lyle could be a smart, patient fighter, (as he showed against Ali) and displayed plenty heart against huge punchers (see his gutsy performance against Shavers and Foreman).

He probably outboxes and outworks Ruddock, who as another poster noted, was prone to waiting just to load up on his left.

donovan ruddock dangerous to all those fighters ,,,,,,...dam ruddock v holy would have been fun,,,,fact bowe ducked ruddock 2x to fight phil brown and also could have fought donovan in a wbc eliminator but opted to go the ibf route in a eliminator against pierre coetzer(who was tuff as nails) but didnt have the punch as donovan ....bowe was ruddocks sparring partner for when ruddock fought bonecrusher and knew what kind of power ruddock had and stayed away from him ...at least lennox had the balls to fight donovan ....i a;so think razor ruddock would have been a very tuff fight for frazier(not saying ruddock would win) but damn that uppercut hitting frazier as his coming in ???? ruddock weighing 238 lbs leaning on joe frazier ??? i also think ruddock would have a great chance against ron lyle (not saying he would win ) but its a toss up