Did Holyfield duck Ruddock?

[BKM-]

We just had that what if thread on Bowe and you know something, Ruddock is nearly as big of a what if as him. And another thing, Bowe saw what happened in that Lewis fight and didn't want to turn into another Ruddock. That's what I think anyway.

[yngwie]

Fights Lewis, Tyson, Holmes, Moorer, Foreman, Bowe, Toney, Valuev, Byrd, Mercer, Qawi, Tillis, Dokes, Cooper and Ibragimov.
Still someones makes a thread about him ducking someone.
And Razor can be better than some of the fighter i listed, but c'mon, it's clear that Holyfield never ducked ANYBODY.

[Elroy The Great]

Fights Lewis, Tyson, Holmes, Moorer, Foreman, Bowe, Toney, Valuev, Byrd, Mercer, Qawi, Tillis, Dokes, Cooper and Ibragimov.
Still someones makes a thread about him ducking someone.
And Razor can be better than some of the fighter i listed, but c'mon, it's clear that Holyfield never ducked ANYBODY.

im guessing a hurt tyson fan is behind this bullshlt. unless a link can be supplied.

[Klitschko2]

Yeah he denied to defend his title

[BKM-]

Fights Lewis, Tyson, Holmes, Moorer, Foreman, Bowe, Toney, Valuev, Byrd, Mercer, Qawi, Tillis, Dokes, Cooper and Ibragimov.
Still someones makes a thread about him ducking someone.
And Razor can be better than some of the fighter i listed, but c'mon, it's clear that Holyfield never ducked ANYBODY.

He ducked the Klitschko's in the early to mid 00s.

jk

[Hank19]

Someone told me Evander Holyfield ducked Rauor Ruddock (he told me Bowe ducked Ruddock too) i don't believe it but i can't find anything about it.

True or not true?
Does anyone got a link and/or now the backgrounds?

I've read this a few times.
Don't quote me, but I believe Bill Cayton mentioned this as well at one time.
Holyfield wanted no part of Razor.
When Tyson fought him, Ruddock was being avoided by both Bowe and Holyfield.
The fight was offered to Holyfield but he chose to fight Foreman instead, which was the 'safer' bout.
With Holyfield committed to Foreman, Tyson and Ruddock (ranked #1 and #2 respectively, by all 3 governing bodies at the time) agreed to fight.

IMO, Holyfield was a warrior. The man refused to quit.
But at the same time, you cannot discredit his abuse of steroids (google Evan Fields if you're not familiar with the name).
His body transformation was also a tell-tale sign that he was juicking. His upper back, traps and neck were enormous for a man that used to fight at 175.
And being as cut as he was as an older fighter...?
Not to mention his heart condition which is synonymous with PED use.
Finally, Emmanual Steward actually stopped training him because of how lazy he was in training.
He loved to lift weights, but Holyfield hated to spar and run.
How is it that he was able to have all that extra gas in the tank for those late round heroics or his ability to find reserve energy in some of those grueling fights he was involved in if he had a poor work ethic?

[QueensburyRules]

- -Big Dummy ducked near everyone, but Field fought near everyone.

[Mugwump]

Holyfield always stuck me as the kind of guy who would self-destruct if the word "duck" somehow entered his mind.

The guy *thrived* on danger.

[GhostofDempsey]

Looking back at Evander’s resume, it is nearly impossible to believe this man ducked anyone. Look at all of the top tier talent he fought. A man who fights Bowe, Tyson and Lewis is not ducking Ruddock.

[billeau2]

Looking back at Evander’s resume, it is nearly impossible to believe this man ducked anyone. Look at all of the top tier talent he fought. A man who fights Bowe, Tyson and Lewis is not ducking Ruddock.

This is my thinking as well. Also most fighters are not the ducking type, it is a management decision.