Boxing History
Content Birthday Donovan “Razor” Ruddock – the coolest thing to watch in a 90s heavyweight division.
Published
5 months agoon
By
J. HumzaImagine if Donovan Ruddock, better known of course as “Razor,” were fighting today. Ruddock – born December 21, 1963 in St. Catherine, Jamaica – seriously lit up the heavyweight division in the 1990s. Win or lose, Razor was guaranteed to give the paying fans a great fight. Or a great KO. Or maybe Ruddock would be the victim of a KO that would be unforgettable.
Best known to today’s fight fans for his two brutal battles with Mike Tyson – Tyson suffered a somewhat controversial 7th-round TKO in the first meeting and then had to fight Razor for all 12 rounds in a hastily arranged rematch – Ruddock rumbled with plenty of vocal or other notable artists including Lennox Lewis, Tommy Morrison, Mike Weaver, Michael Dokes, Bonecrusher Smith, Greg Page, James Broad and others.
Ruddock, who shocked us with his comeback in 2015 at the age of 51, turns 59 today and has certainly had an eventful in-ring career, with highs and lows, worth looking back on.
Content Birthday Razor and thanks for the memories.
Razor held raw, savage power in his left hand, and the athletic fighter’s favorite punch was a left hook/left uppercut hybrid he lovingly named “The Strike.” This deadly weapon left bodies in its wake. When it landed.
Ruddock began his ring career boxing at 165 pounds as an amateur. The highlight of this was a remarkable victory over a certain Lennox Lewis, but Ruddock’s true calling was the professional game. However, Ruddock’s early pro career attracted little attention. Drawn by the most tough Phil Brown in his fifth fight, Ruddock was then defeated in his eleventh. The tough trial horse Dave Jaco withstood the early wave, and then after the eighth round of the April 1985 fight, Ruddock resigned from his stool.
It was discovered that Ruddock was suffering from respiratory problems and was forced to take almost a year off. When he returned, armed with a health condition that doctors had not predicted, Ruddock was busy scoring knockouts. Then, in August 1986, Ruddock scored his biggest victory to date, a points victory over former heavyweight champion Mike Weaver.
From that point on, now boxing mainly in the US, Razor went up, up and away.
Solid fighters like Larry Alexander, Ken Lakusta (returning to Canada for the Canadian title), Reggie Gross and James Broad were looked after before Razor chopped up “Bonecrusher” Smith in July 1989; with Razor getting up with a smile after a challenging knockdown en route to a 7th round KO victory. Ruddock, now a recognized contender, was about to enjoy a coming out party. Enter Michael Dokes and “The Smash.”
In April 1990, fighting another former champion, this time at Madison Square Garden, the 26-year-old Ruddock showed the world his favorite punch. In the process, Ruddock nearly decapitates Dokes. Gil Clancy, on commentary (and later, during post-fight interviews, forced to restrain a jubilant Ruddock from ripping off his hairpiece; Gil took it all in good spirits), stated that Ruddock was the best heavyweight prospect he had seen in his years of career. The razor was now hotter than fire.
A massive fight with heavyweight king Mike Tyson was scheduled for behind schedule 1989, only for Tyson to fall ill and be forced to withdraw (his next fight would instead be Buster Douglas), and now, in 1990, Ruddock was finding it challenging to get a gigantic name to face him. Completely hazardous as he was lethal, Ruddock scared off many potential foes. Then, in March 1991, Tyson – now a former champion – agreed to fight Ruddock. Tyson had one of his best fights, it must be said.
Razor’s deadly weapon failed to land a single strike against Tyson, although both men let out a rousing roar. And a controversial one. Ruddock held his own with Tyson, but was stopped, most felt prematurely, in the 7th round. Richard Steele’s itchy trigger finger ensured that the two boxers would fight again.
In a hastily arranged return, Tyson, looking far less polished and interested than in the first fight, took a few bombs, landed more, scored a few knockdowns and ultimately won a wide 12-round decision. Ruddock showed a jaw of steel, though he paid a high price for it. In his next gigantic fight, this one with Lewis, in a fight billed as “The Fight for the Right,” similar to the title shot now held by Evander Holyfield, Razor was sensationally blunted in two shocking rounds in London.
And Ruddock reached the pinnacle; he did all the great things he ever did. Apart from a thrilling but losing shootout with Tommy Morrison in 1995 – and then a bizarre comeback in 2015, at the age of 51 – Ruddock made headlines. Today, Ruddock should be seen as one of the best and most powerful heavyweights never to win a world title.
Razor really lit up the heavyweight division for a while, and some of his knockouts still resonate with fans to this day. Watching Ruddock in the heavyweight division in the 90s was truly the most fun. It was a time when the division was blessed with talent, and with that talent, consistently delivered great fights that we as fans can’t even imagine today.
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Boxing History
Bunny Sterling’s great legacy in British boxing
Published
2 weeks agoon
December 4, 2024St Pancras’ BUNNY STERLING will always be remembered as the first black non-British-born player to win a British title. He was the first to benefit from rule changes introduced by the Board in 1968 and defeated one of the golden boys of British boxing, winning the title.
Mark Rowe had a very successful amateur career, culminating in winning a gold medal at the 1966 Commonwealth Games held in Perth, Australia. Representing England, Rowe overtook Scotsman Tom Imrie to win welterweight gold, sweet revenge for the Londoner after being knocked out by Imrie in the ABA final at the same weight just over three months earlier. When Rowe turned around two months later, it was in a blaze of publicity at the Royal Albert Hall.
Meanwhile, Bunny made his professional debut at the less austere Shoreditch Town Hall. Losing points over six rounds to Islington’s Joe Devitt BN stated that Sterling “was willing, threw one or two punches and always resisted. A boy from St Pancras given the chance to learn a trade would do well.”
Sterling came to the UK aged seven from Jamaica in 1955 and attended Fortescue boarding school in Twickenham, where he played rugby, football and cricket. He was also involved in boxing, and as an amateur at the BC Polytechnic University he came under the tutelage of the slow, great George Francis. Knowing a good player when he saw one, George encouraged Bunny to turn professional and stayed with him as his coach. A loss to Devitt was quickly followed by two more, but Bunny learned from those losses and quickly turned things around, winning the next seven.
By 1969, he was mixing it with artists such as Johnny Kramer, Wally Swift, Harry Scott and Dick Duffy. Despite losing to all four fighters, Sterling was selected by the management to fight in a British middleweight title eliminator against Denny Pleace and defeated him over nine rounds at the Anglo-American Sporting Club. Then came the final eliminator against Harry Scott and Sterling got his revenge by beating the Liverpool veteran of twelve years in Nottingham.
Rowe won the British title at Wembley in May 1970, defeating fellow Liverpudlian Les McAteer in 14 rounds, and when he faced Sterling four months later in his first defense, most thought he would be able to finally defeat Sterling . BN was no exception and predicted Rowe to win after the break. The two fighters could not have had more contrasting careers, with Rowe winning his last 15 fights, mostly on major London events, and Bunny, who found it arduous to get fights, losing regularly and campaigning on the continent to find work.
Rowe’s trainer, Bill Chevalley, was already talking about pairing his boy with world champion Nino Benvenuti after he defeated Sterling, but those plans were thwarted by in-ring events at Wembley in September 1970. The Commonwealth title was also at stake, and Bunny, what was at stake BN called the “shock of the year” had nothing to do with it. He boxed on the back foot for the first two rounds, trying to avoid the powerful punches of the stalking Rowe, and then after catching Rowe’s head and causing a cut, Rowe charged at him, looking for an early stoppage.
This brought out the best in Sterling, who boxed better than ever before and managed to avoid Rowe’s desperate attacks. Rowe was then cut on the other side of his face, with blood pouring from two solemn cuts, and referee Wally Thom stopped the fight after four rounds, much to the annoyance of Rowe and his camp.
Bunny remained champion for four years, winning the Lonsdale belt outright before losing to Kevin Finnegan in February 1974. He was the first immigrant to win a British title and his place in British boxing history is assured.
Boxing History
Leotis Martin has beaten the fearsome heavyweight beast
Published
3 weeks agoon
November 29, 2024Name and surname: Leotis Martin
Born: March 10, 1939 Helena, Arkansas, USA
Died: November 20, 1995
Career: 1962–1969
Record: 36 fights, 31 wins (19 by KO/TKO), 5 defeats (2 by KO/TKO).
Division: heavyweight
Attitude: orthodox
Titles: NABF Heavyweight Champion
Major competitions
Goals scored over: Allan Harmon, Sonny Banks, Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila, Mariano Echevarria, Billy Daniels, Karl Mildenberger*, Thad Spencer, Alvin Lewis (twice), Roger Russell, Sonny Liston **
Lost to: Floyd McCoy, Jimmy Ellis**, Roger Russell, Henry Clark, Oscar Bonavena*
**Former/future world title version holder
*Unsuccessful challenger to the world title version
The boxing story of Leotis Martin
As an amateur, Martin had an outstanding record. In March 1960 at the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, he defeated future foe Jimmy Ellis in the 160-pound final and a month later. At the Intercity Golden Gloves (the predecessor of the National Golden Gloves), he won the 160-pound title. He also won the U.S. title in April 1960 again at 160 pounds (newborn Cassius Clay was the 178-pound champion that year), but lost in the semifinals of the U.S. Olympic trials in May. In 1961, he repeated his victory in the Intercity Golden Gloves, but lost in the semi-final of the 1961 national finals.
He moved to Philadelphia and was trained by Yank Durham, who also trained Joe Frazier. Martin had his first professional fight in Canada on January 26, 1962, against American Bobby Warthen, whom he defeated in the final of the Intercity Golden Gloves in 1960. He then crossed the border and scored three wins in Pennsylvania in 1962. In 1963, he won 9 -1 in ten fights and lost by upset KO to 14-14-1 Floyd McCoy.
He won five in a row, but one victory went to Sonny Banks. Banks, a ponderous puncher, knocked down Cassius Clay in the first round of their 1962 fight, only to be stopped in the fourth. On May 10, 1965, Banks was winning against Martin, who was badly shaken in the ninth throw, but delivered a counter right that sent Banks down, hitting his head on the canvas. Banks was taken from the ring on a stretcher. He never recovered and died three days later.
Martin returned to the ring with a victory in October 1965 and scored victories over Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila and Spaniard Mariano Echevarria. Victories over several underdogs pushed his record to 23-1 by June 1967. When Muhammad Ali refused to enlist in the U.S. Army, the WBA stripped him of his title and held a tournament to determine a novel champion. Martin was selected to compete in the qualifiers, and in the quarterfinals he drew with Jimmy Ellis, his rival from his amateur days, when they lost 1-1 in two fights. It wouldn’t be a heavyweight fight at this point.
They both climbed on the weights. Martin weighed 160 pounds in his first fight and weighed 192 pounds in this fight. Ellis weighed just 157 pounds and was 194 ¼. Ellis won easily. He was too swift for Martin from the start and Martin staggered repeatedly before the fight was stopped in the ninth throw as blood poured from a cut in Martin’s mouth. Ellis defeated Oscar Bonavena in the semifinals to win the vacant WBA title by majority decision over Jerry Quarry.
Martin came close to disappearing from the heavyweight scene when he lost a split decision to Roger Russell in November 1967. The year 1968 was a period of ups and downs for Martin. In April he went to Germany, where he defeated Karl Mildenberger three times and knocked him out in the seventh round.
The rollercoaster went down when he lost a majority decision to Henry Clark just twenty-two days after the Mildenberger fight, and then it went up again in May when he stopped Thad Spencer in nine rounds in one of the greatest heavyweight fights ever seen at the British ring. It was surprising to see two Americans on top of the Albert Hall show, but the fight will forever be remembered by those who saw it. Down went down the rollercoaster again when Martin was easily beaten on points by Oscar Bonavena in Buenos Aires in September.
Martin was dismissed as unpredictable and once again on the verge of being the favorite in the heavyweight division. But it was another uptick from the rollercoaster of 1968, when he faced Alvin “Blue” Lewis 19-1 in November and stopped Lewis in the ninth round in front of Lewis’ home fans. Lewis demanded a return and in February 1969, again in Detroit, Martin won by split decision. Martin retained Wendell Newton in October and made up for his 1967 loss to Roger Russell in November.
Martin’s fate was about to change. Since losing his second fight to Ali in 1965, Sonny Liston had won 14 straight fights, 13 by KO/TKO, and Martin was selected as winner number 15. They were to meet in Las Vegas on December 6, 1969. twelve rounds, and the inaugural title of the North American Boxing Federation is at stake. Liston had a 20-pound advantage over Martin and was three inches taller. The downside for Liston is that he’s a week away from his thirty-ninth birthday.
Yet Liston was still feared. Martin helped Liston prepare for fights with Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali, so he knew Liston well. He decided that if he could survive the early rounds, he would face the weakening Liston and have a chance to win. It didn’t look like Martin’s plan was going to work when Liston dropped him with a left hook overdue in the fourth round.
Martin survived the remaining 30 seconds and boxed in retreat, partly as part of his plan but also because of Liston’s hammer jab. Even on the retreat, Martin was finding the mark with his own jab and using his younger legs to set a faster pace than Liston wanted. After eight rounds of chasing the retreating Martin, Liston was ahead with three points on two cards and two points on the third, but Liston was tiring.
In the eighth round, Martin shook off a huge left hook and began to push Liston away with more punches. In the ninth, Martin missed Liston and then delivered a demanding cross to the head that stunned Liston. Martin landed lefts and rights and Liston fell face first onto the canvas, not moving for the 10 second count. This rollercoaster reached novel heights, with Martin earning the best win of his career and a shot at the world title.
But this is Leotis Martin and the roller coaster has taken one last cruel turn. Martin was diagnosed with retinal detachment and forced to retire. The injury was said to be from the Liston fights, but there was a mention that he was battling an injury from before the Liston fight. Eye surgery has advanced and a detached retina would not automatically be a reason for retirement today, but for Martin in 1969 it meant the end of his career.
During his boxing career from 1964, Martin worked full-time as a mechanic for a manufacturing company and continued this work until his retirement in 1995. In November of that year, he suffered a stroke caused by high blood pressure and complications of diabetes and died at the age of only 56.
Boxing History
Leotis Martin has beaten the fearsome heavyweight beast
Published
3 weeks agoon
November 29, 2024Name and surname: Leotis Martin
Born: March 10, 1939 Helena, Arkansas, USA
Died: November 20, 1995
Career: 1962–1969
Record: 36 fights, 31 wins (19 by KO/TKO), 5 defeats (2 by KO/TKO).
Division: heavyweight
Attitude: orthodox
Titles: NABF Heavyweight Champion
Major competitions
Goals scored over: Allan Harmon, Sonny Banks, Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila, Mariano Echevarria, Billy Daniels, Karl Mildenberger*, Thad Spencer, Alvin Lewis (twice), Roger Russell, Sonny Liston **
Lost to: Floyd McCoy, Jimmy Ellis**, Roger Russell, Henry Clark, Oscar Bonavena*
**Former/future world title version holder
*Unsuccessful challenger to the world title version
The boxing story of Leotis Martin
As an amateur, Martin had an outstanding record. In March 1960 at the Golden Gloves Tournament of Champions, he defeated future foe Jimmy Ellis in the 160-pound final and a month later. At the Intercity Golden Gloves (the predecessor of the National Golden Gloves), he won the 160-pound title. He also won the U.S. title in April 1960 again at 160 pounds (youthful Cassius Clay was the 178-pound champion that year), but lost in the semifinals of the U.S. Olympic trials in May. In 1961, he repeated his victory in the Intercity Golden Gloves, but lost in the semi-final of the 1961 national finals.
He moved to Philadelphia and was trained by Yank Durham, who also trained Joe Frazier. Martin had his first professional fight in Canada on January 26, 1962, against American Bobby Warthen, whom he defeated in the final of the Intercity Golden Gloves in 1960. He then crossed the border and scored three wins in Pennsylvania in 1962. In 1963, he won 9 -1 in ten fights and lost by upset KO to 14-14-1 Floyd McCoy.
He won five in a row, but one victory went to Sonny Banks. Banks, a ponderous puncher, knocked down Cassius Clay in the first round of their 1962 fight, only to be stopped in the fourth. On May 10, 1965, Banks was winning against Martin, who was badly shaken in the ninth throw, but delivered a counter right that sent Banks down, hitting his head on the canvas. Banks was taken from the ring on a stretcher. He never recovered and died three days later.
Martin returned to the ring with a victory in October 1965 and scored victories over Von Clay, Amos Johnson, Roberto Davila and Spaniard Mariano Echevarria. Victories over several underdogs pushed his record to 23-1 by June 1967. When Muhammad Ali refused to enlist in the U.S. Army, the WBA stripped him of his title and held a tournament to determine a fresh champion. Martin was selected to compete in the qualifiers, and in the quarterfinals he drew with Jimmy Ellis, his rival from his amateur days, when they lost 1-1 in two fights. It wouldn’t be a heavyweight fight at this point.
They both climbed on the weights. Martin weighed 160 pounds in his first fight and weighed 192 pounds in this fight. Ellis weighed just 157 pounds and was 194 ¼. Ellis won easily. He was too speedy for Martin from the start and Martin staggered repeatedly before the fight was stopped in the ninth throw as blood poured from a cut in Martin’s mouth. Ellis defeated Oscar Bonavena in the semifinals to win the vacant WBA title by majority decision over Jerry Quarry.
Martin came close to disappearing from the heavyweight scene when he lost a split decision to Roger Russell in November 1967. The year 1968 was a period of ups and downs for Martin. In April he went to Germany, where he defeated Karl Mildenberger three times and knocked him out in the seventh round.
The rollercoaster went down when he lost a majority decision to Henry Clark just twenty-two days after the Mildenberger fight, and then it went up again in May when he stopped Thad Spencer in nine rounds in one of the greatest heavyweight fights ever seen at the British ring. It was surprising to see two Americans on top of the Albert Hall show, but the fight will forever be remembered by those who saw it. Down went down the rollercoaster again when Martin was easily beaten on points by Oscar Bonavena in Buenos Aires in September.
Martin was dismissed as unpredictable and once again on the verge of being the favorite in the heavyweight division. But it was another uptick from the rollercoaster of 1968, when he faced Alvin “Blue” Lewis 19-1 in November and stopped Lewis in the ninth round in front of Lewis’ home fans. Lewis demanded a return and in February 1969, again in Detroit, Martin won by split decision. Martin retained Wendell Newton in October and made up for his 1967 loss to Roger Russell in November.
Martin’s fate was about to change. Since losing his second fight to Ali in 1965, Sonny Liston had won 14 straight fights, 13 by KO/TKO, and Martin was selected as winner number 15. They were to meet in Las Vegas on December 6, 1969. twelve rounds, and the inaugural title of the North American Boxing Federation is at stake. Liston had a 20-pound advantage over Martin and was three inches taller. The downside for Liston is that he’s a week away from his thirty-ninth birthday.
Yet Liston was still feared. Martin helped Liston prepare for fights with Floyd Patterson and Muhammad Ali, so he knew Liston well. He decided that if he could survive the early rounds, he would face the weakening Liston and have a chance to win. It didn’t look like Martin’s plan was going to work when Liston dropped him with a left hook slow in the fourth round.
Martin survived the remaining 30 seconds and boxed in retreat, partly as part of his plan but also because of Liston’s hammer jab. Even on the retreat, Martin was finding the mark with his own jab and using his younger legs to set a faster pace than Liston wanted. After eight rounds of chasing the retreating Martin, Liston was ahead with three points on two cards and two points on the third, but Liston was tiring.
In the eighth round, Martin shook off a huge left hook and began to push Liston away with more punches. In the ninth, Martin missed Liston and then delivered a demanding cross to the head that stunned Liston. Martin landed lefts and rights and Liston fell face first onto the canvas, not moving for the 10 second count. This rollercoaster reached fresh heights, with Martin earning the best win of his career and a shot at the world title.
But this is Leotis Martin and the roller coaster has taken one last cruel turn. Martin was diagnosed with retinal detachment and forced to retire. The injury was said to be from the Liston fights, but there was a mention that he was battling an injury from before the Liston fight. Eye surgery has advanced and a detached retina would not automatically be a reason for retirement today, but for Martin in 1969 it meant the end of his career.
During his boxing career from 1964, Martin worked full-time as a mechanic for a manufacturing company and continued this work until his retirement in 1995. In November of that year, he suffered a stroke caused by high blood pressure and complications of diabetes and died at the age of only 56.
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