How was Lewis able to KO ruddock in 2 rounds but it Tyson couldn't do it?

[BattlingNelson]

Just a styles thing I think. That and it was still before his change to the less aggressive, more sensible version. He really took it to Ruddock. Very impressive win.

The thing that stands our to me from this fight, was Ruddock bending down, sticking his nose forward in a stupid provocative manner and Lewis punishing the move with a wonderful piston-like right hand. It was academic from that point. Lewis certainly looked like the best HW on the planet from that point on.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Those two beatings Ruddock got from Tyson killed his punch resistance. Both were good competitive fights but Ruddock shipped a LOT of punishment in them and that can take a lot out of a fighter. A Ruddock that wasn't damaged goods still loses to Lewis though, he just lasts a good bit longer.

Good post, I think you are dead on

[Sugar Adam Ali]

1: it was Lewis's best performance
2: Ruddock was foolish in that fight.
3: Tyson was past prime when he fought Razor.

1.I agree that it was lewis' best performance,, or at least top 3

2. I dont know how Ruddock acted foolish,, he got caught huge at the end of the 1st and never recovered enough between rounds and got waxed early in the 2nd... Not saying your wrong, just dont understand how he was foolish, maybe im missing something

3. I disagree and agree --Tyson was still prime, the dude was 24 years old,, I do think that mentally he had checked out along time a go, so yes he wasnt mentally prime anymore,, I really dont think tyson really cared about boxing since the spinks fight

[StarshipTrooper]

1.I agree that it was lewis' best performance,, or at least top 3

2. I dont know how Ruddock acted foolish,, he got caught huge at the end of the 1st and never recovered enough between rounds and got waxed early in the 2nd... Not saying your wrong, just dont understand how he was foolish, maybe im missing something

3. I disagree and agree --Tyson was still prime, the dude was 24 years old,, I do think that mentally he had checked out along time a go, so yes he wasnt mentally prime anymore,, I really dont think tyson really cared about boxing since the spinks fight

Even if Tyson had mentally checked out you couldn't tell it by the Ruddock fight. I consider those two fights Tyson's finest performances.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Even if Tyson had mentally checked out you couldn't tell it by the Ruddock fight. I consider those two fights Tyson's finest performances.

Sad to think that mike fought for another 15 years and ruddock was his last legit good win,,, beating bruno, seldon, etc was no where near as impressive

[StarshipTrooper]

Sad to think that mike fought for another 15 years and ruddock was his last legit good win,,, beating bruno, seldon, etc was no where near as impressive

Got to give him props for saying hanging on any longer to score a few bucks was disrespecting the sport. People say they lost respect for him for the McBride fight? My respect for him went up when he said that.

[Sugar Adam Ali]

Got to give him props for saying hanging on any longer to score a few bucks was disrespecting the sport. People say they lost respect for him for the McBride fight? My respect for him went up when he said that.

What i never understood is why tyson's handlers would put him in with williams and mcbride in the first place,,, They brought no money or name value, maybe williams brought alittle bit,,, but those guys were huge heavy fighters, and mike thru his career always struggled vs very large men, and considering he was at the end of his career, why put him in with these big guys like williams and mcbride, when they could have made more money and bigger fights by lining tyson up with toney, moorer, jirov, mesi, golata rematch, etc

I never understood the choice to pick mcbride and williams

[billeau2]

What i never understood is why tyson's handlers would put him in with williams and mcbride in the first place,,, They brought no money or name value, maybe williams brought alittle bit,,, but those guys were huge heavy fighters, and mike thru his career always struggled vs very large men, and considering he was at the end of his career, why put him in with these big guys like williams and mcbride, when they could have made more money and bigger fights by lining tyson up with toney, moorer, jirov, mesi, golata rematch, etc

I never understood the choice to pick mcbride and williams

they figured his big punch would carry. It was not a very smart choice but then again by this time his footspeed was also quite diminished and so was his endurance.

[billeau2]

First off. Lewis was very good and severely underrated at that time. Most people thought Razor was a monster who would destroy him in the ring. In a case of cognative dissodance even boxing people drank the koolaid on this one...lewis would carry this imprompteur for most of his career....it was always the next guy was going to destroy him.

Lewis actually burned Razor with speed. With a similar size and reach he got there first and more often. By that time Ruddock was seen as durable, heavy handed and in for the long hall....Lewis disabused him of virtually all those traits.

Tyson had problems with Razor for a number of reasons that I can see:
1) Razor's chin.
2) Razor's size and ability to smother and fight coming in while pushing Tyson back.....Later on Holyfield showed a much more refined version of this push when he had Tyson on his heels, with his head in Tyson's grill. Razor still was in punching range but managed to catch Tyson with wide clipping blows.
3) Psychological. Don't you just hate those big guys that are so slow mentally they yell OUCH!! five minutes after you smach em upside de head? Seriously though Tyson thought each time that he knocked Razor down, that Razor was done. Tyson was smaller, had to work harder, and was starting to fade late in fights even then....He really did not want to grind further but had too.

[Scott9945]

What i never understood is why tyson's handlers would put him in with williams and mcbride in the first place,,, They brought no money or name value, maybe williams brought alittle bit,,, but those guys were huge heavy fighters, and mike thru his career always struggled vs very large men, and considering he was at the end of his career, why put him in with these big guys like williams and mcbride, when they could have made more money and bigger fights by lining tyson up with toney, moorer, jirov, mesi, golata rematch, etc

I never understood the choice to pick mcbride and williams

Those fights were perceived as mismatches for Mike, and they were to set up bigger PPV events. I wasn't shocked when he lost to Williams, but losing to McBride that way was a huge tumble from his previous stature.