He should not have eaten that last left hook. The first shot knocked him down. When you fly across the ring into the ropes and the ropes hold you up, that's a knock down. The ref should have first called a knockdown at this point. But that last hook should definitely never have happened. He was out on his feet with his hands at his sides for at least a second before Ruddock through the last hook. This is the kind of stuff that gets fighters talking funny.
Yeah the ref counting to ten was insane. He should be checking for Dokes pulse and heartbeat instead. Obviously he was out cold and in no way able to even hear the count.
Not only that, the ref Arthur Mercante Jr. should NEVER have allowed the last punch. Arms down. LOW. Head hanging, unresponsive. *Unacceptable* at any level not to step in. Arthur Mercante Jr. should have been banned from the sport and sued for harmful negligence.
After that fight the razor I thought was going to be the man he was a good offense fighter but his defense was shaky and Lennox shattered it all together but that last slug he got on Dokes could have killed him he was totally defenseless on his feet when dude just loaded up on that vaunted smash
Ali wouldn't have done that rest his soul he would have did the Lyle and Quarry thing I mean he could have slugged him to the body and got the same result but that's a sport that is cruel
Michael Dokes was blessed with speed, timing, and power. He would have been one of the greatest heavyweight champions to have ever step foot in the ring, if he would have left drugs alone.
He did have some great attributes,but not enough defensive skill to be one of the all time greats.His biggest flaw was not being able to move that massive head of his.Amazing speed and a good chin though.
Arm speed impressive but didn't have much power to be a heavyweight. I agree on the few defensive skills. Bowe could have been one of the best ever, not Dokes.
dude, it seems like throughout all sports a lot of talent got wasted over drugs in the 80s. What was up with that? I doubt we're doing any less drugs today as a society but we seem to have it more under control nowadays. But, yeah, Dokes looked awesome here before the knockout. It just goes to show that everyone claimed Tyson dominated a weak era that should be disregarded, just to goes to show how stupid that thinking is.
First the ref lets dokes take that last punch when he should have been rushing in to protect him and then he counts to ten over a guy who is totally motionless. Worst ref I have ever seen.
Arthur Mercante Jr. is a completely incompetent referee. The only reason he got any work was because of his father. Mercante Jr. should be barred from refereeing any fight.
@@keepinitrea It’s not Ruddock’s job to stop the fight, it’s the refs. He did what every other boxer does by not stopping the damage until he’s on the ground or the ref ends it. Boxers can’t afford to take that split second to see if their opponent is able to continue or is knocked out, which is why good refs are necessary since it’s their job to do this.
It's a formality but they still technically have to count. There have been fighters who went down like they were shot and then popped back up after a few seconds and kept fighting. If you wave it off early it's a no-no.
Commentator- This is the best prospect I’ve seen in years!! Ruddock 1986-1992 was a monster. His left hook uppercut smash is one of the best shots by a heavyweight in history.
Pretty much he was so frozen couldn't take a knee clinch or anything stuck on the turn buckle and the ref was there but no where to save him from really getting creamed out
That punch didn’t impress me though because Dokes was already dead when he hit him with that. It never should have been allowed to land. The referee should have been in there.
It was so obvious Dokes was unconscious, and with a near dead fighter in front of him, the idiot referee actually kept counting all the way up to 10... Unbelievable...
Couldn't have said it better. He continued counting while medics and cornermen were running to Dokes' aid. Fucking asshole should have had his license revoked on the spot.
Not only that, the ref Arthur Mercante Jr. should NEVER have allowed the last punch. Arms down. LOW. Head hanging, unresponsive. *Unacceptable* at any level not to step in. Arthur Mercante Jr. should have been banned from the sport and sued for harmful negligence.
I was at this fight and then somehow wound up on a flight to Las Vegas with Dokes aboard.I approached him and mentioned that I was in attendance for his last fight and his response was inaudible.A few blondes were waiting for him at the airport so he was in good hands
Lets get it straight. The whole KO took but 4 seconds. The ref didnt stand there while he took a beating. The fact he counted. OK. Maybe surgery shoulda started the moment Dokes hit the ground. Counting wont change anything at that point. BTW. Dokes was my coach in the NSP system. My friend. I miss this man. But the ref is not to blame for a split second type situation. Fighters fight. Win. Lose. Live. Die. RIP my friend. I will NEVER forget your laughter. Thank you for everything. Love "Bullet"...
I feel sad that the ref did respect dynamite to give him a count! My heart is very sad!! Though I can't remember if I saw this live, it reminded me of the holy field fight, does showed his courage and gifts but he was too small with a lion's heart to beat a heavyweight, he was always the smallest guy, he was a great heavyweight, I wish he would have stayed at lightheavy weight.
Seen as interview, you see what a really smart articulate and well-spoken guy this guy is for rugged brawling boxer but surely has a big heart and obviously cares very much about the people who care very much about him it was sad to see he got on that ride of drugs and alcohol but it was great to see that he got his life back together enough to give it one more shot and give it all he gave against Riddick Bowe but his time had passed and it is what it is and it was what it was. One can only hope his life has been good since that last fight or since his last fight in the fight game he did have a pretty good career God bless you Michael dokes
Arthur Mercante Jr has to be one of the worst referees in the history of the sport. How he could count 10 over a fighter who was clearly knocked out and needed immediate medical attention is beyond me. This isn't the only fight where Junior endangered a fighter by either letting a fight go on too long or by not attending to a boxer on the canvas in serious trouble in no condition to continue. His dad was old school too but in a day where we didn't know much about accumulation of punishment and brain injury in fighters but allowing Foreman to almost kill Frazier in their first fight because "Frazier was the champion and you have to give the champion the benefit of the doubt" was unforgiveable. Mercante Sr was a strange man. He's probably the most celebrated ref in the history of the sport but I read his autobiography and several incidents in and out of the ring he recalled in the book left me scratching my head wondering if he might just be a little retarded. Looks like the acorn didn't fall far from the tree.
MrCrystalcranium I agree. I believe Sr stopped 2nd fight between Frazier Ali 2nd round 1 minute early after Frazier was out on his feet. Allowed Frazier to recover.
That last punch was pretty fucked up. Dokes was only held up by the ropes after just the first left smash, then another one, then one of the most brutal punches on a defenseless man in boxing history.
I really don’t feel too sorry for dokes getting that beating. He beat the woman he was living with in South central Los Angeles regularly. It was karma coming back & biting him in the ass. How do I know this you may ask? I was a young deputy sheriff at the station where he was arrested.
Bryan M terrible ref his father Arthur mecantie sr. Was great but jr.NOT!!! My friend gorge kilid Jones killed scott Beethoven back in 1999 becuase he let the fight go on the fight should have been stopped in the 4th or 5th but he stopped it in the 10th becuase he got knocked out the kid died 3 days later but all refs fault
Agreed! It wasn't no Morrison/Mercer. People have no understanding how fast these things happen. As a ref, you can't do anything right. People cry BS or fix if it's stopped too soon. I personally would let the fight go too long than too short.
These so called professional ring announcers claim Ruddock only threw his right hand two or three times? What fight were they watching! Gil Clancy, get some glasses!
When you see Ruddock you always get the impression he should have achieved more. He had a great left uppercut lead. Didn't box smart a lot of the time though, like against Morrison when he should have won. Terrible, cowardly refereeing by the way.
He neglected his tools. Earlier in his career he had a great left jab which he used frequently along with his right hand. Watch his earlier fights such as the one he had with Weaver in '86 he is jabbing, and throwing combinations. After the Bonecrusher ko he basically became a one-handed fighter always looking to land the haymaker and it made him a one-dimensional fighter. A Ruddock who could of kept pumping a jab in Tyson's face would of had the potential to beat Tyson when they fought in '91.
By the time he faced Tyson, Ruddock became what Tyson had become. A fighter looking to land that one bomb. That hybrid left hook that Ruddock had could knock anyone out but he began to telegraph it and not set it up with a jab and a right hand.
In the Morrison fight, the ref gave Razor a standing 8 and a chance to recover/show him something. He would continue taking big shot after big shot, until stopping the fight after Morrison whiplashed his head back. The ref did his job, based on what he's taught to look for before stopping the fight.
1. Ref counting when they guy was completely comatose 2. Ruddock getting and taking a free swing while Doakes was out against the ropes. 3. Ruddock celebrating while guy was still not recovered.
Great piece, my man!!! I can add that i once read an interview with Dan Inosanto where he did mention that Bruce and Gene use to "pal around" with each other. So apparently they were friends.
What a laugh that Mike Tyson was “dodging” Ruddock. Mike Tyson destroyed Ruddock twice, knocked him down a total of four or five times and knocked him out in the first fight. Ruddock was never the same after the Tyson fights.
Ruddock was a unique puncher but lacked fitness and tactics. His long reach should have kept him at distance from his opponent. With more mobility he could have been a champ
@@byrongammonbyrongammon9937 Ruddock was standing at the end of the Tyson fight, Tired and hurt, but he remained competitive until the last round, even catching Tyson with good shots. Will be nice if you share us the medical report that suports the claim that he was that much less of a fighter after that.
@@antaresblazewar9083, Ruddock suffered a broken jaw midway through the match. If you doubt my assertion that Ruddock wasn’t affected by his fights with Tyson, so be it. But film doesn’t lie though. If you watch the Ruddock-Dokes fight, the Ruddock-Tyson fights and compare it with Ruddock’s matches vs Morrison and Lewis he’s not the same fighter. In the matches vs Dokes and Tyson, Ruddock behaves like a firecracker at the opening bell. Ruddock looks lethargic in comparison during his fights against Morrison and Lewis.
@@byrongammonbyrongammon9937 Yeah i agree that Ruddock was in his best shape ever in the Tyson fights.But the fact that Lewis was such a talent cannot be denyed. He would have beaten Ruddock anytime. He had all the tools. That does not mean that Ruddock was a bad fighter or anything, after all he was rank number 1 and was favorite to win the championship at one time.
@@antaresblazewar9083, Lennox Lewis was a big man. He was also a dirty fighter. Pushing down on opponents with his body weight. Look at the Lennox Lewis vs Levi Billups fight. The FIRST 13 seconds of the fight Lewis brings the top of his elbow down on the crown of Billups’ head, from 12-6, which is illegal in MMA. Why does a man with such height and weight advantages have to engage in such behavior? Despite his gifts one thing Lewis did not have was a chin. That’s evident by Lewis’ one-punch KO losses to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman. If Ruddock happened to catch Lewis with the left hook uppercut hybrid, the smash, he’d have fallen asleep before he hit the canvas. If Lewis turned pro at 19 like Tyson did he would have gotten his ass beat. Lewis turned pro at 24, remaining in the amateurs so he could beat up on children.
I'm not a big Holyfield fan at all, but he would stop Razor. Watch when Razor sets his feet in place for the shovel left hook "The smash", Holyfields far too good of a counter puncher to let that slide. I think Evander stops him within 6.
Poor Michael...as full of confidence and spirituality he was before this fight, it's tragic his life went to absolute shit after it. So sad. He was intelligent, articulate and creative...a deep man so rare in the sport. I am absolutely certain the last punch Arthur Mercante Jr allowed Ruddock to throw at an unconscious Dokes sitting on the bottom rope contributed immensely to the mental and physical decline seen in the fight with Bowe. Michael entered the ring to fight Bowe with a shuffling gait, a sure sign of pugilistica dementia along with a brain fried beyond healing from cocaine. The man interviewed before this fight was unrecognizable the night he beat his girlfriend almost to death in a cocaine fueled and raging frenzy 8 years later. I think his life started down that path due to the savage knockout he suffered this night at the hands of Ruddock and the incompetence of Arthur Mercante Jr. A true boxing tragedy.
The knockout took 4 seconds, can't blame the ref, nasty knockouts happen and especially in this era where they rarely stopped fights unless absolutely necessary..Fighters risk their lives, unfortunately this fighter couldn't fight the addiction that took his life away from him..
@@colinkillian9265 How do you explain AMJs inability to recognize Dokes was OUT and wasn't going to get up in a week, yet he counted him out and did nothing to help. Referees like Joe Cortez or Mils Lane immediately sense when a fighter needs assistance and not a lesson in how to count to 10. Mercante is a dolt.
He might not be recognized, but during this period Ruddock was sensational, Took a great shot, powerful athlete, tremendous knockout power, and hit at different angles. A distracted Tyson without Rooney beat him twice in outstanding bouts. And they say Tyson fought nobody
Donovan is really very hard boxer. Much respect for fight against Mike Tyson. Donovan didn't wait like Lennox Lewis for the right time, opportunity, chance, when Tyson weakens and loses his condition, though no doubt Mike Tyson was not the same Mike Tyson from the 80s. but Donovn dared, challenged, deserved recognition, respect
Probably because when Lewis got into the title picture Tyson was locked up. When he got out there was no way Don King was going to risk losing his cash cow again. Bruno, Seldon where easy paydays & only when they were sure Holyfield was shot was that fight made. They misread that big time. Tyson was great until King got a hold of him then it was all downhill. Sadly he never beat an opponent nowhere close to Lewis’s caliber
Unfortunately Ruddock fell in love with that left hybrid hook and he was easy pickings for Tyson and Lewis. Don't think he had much left when he faced Lewis but Ruddock and a good jab and a good overhand right but never used it after this fight
With the penultimate blow Michael Dokes had already let his guard down and was falling. The last blow was too much, it was unnecessary and very dangerous, which shows human evil on the part of the boxer (Alí did not do that with Foreman when he was falling, he saved the blow, but Ali was the best) and also shows the negligence of the boxer. referee. Both should have been sanctioned (referee and Ruddock). It reminds me of the same situation of the Ray Mercer vs. fight. Tommy Morrison.
Loved me some Dynamite Dokes. Drugs and weight didn't help him age well. Even though he "looks" fine at 240 here, he'd had been way better off at 225. His stamina and head movement were severly lacking at 240. As a younger fighter he could throw a blistering combination, then back it up. Here he's 1-2 punches at time. Ruddock's hook is masterful and devastating. Nice jab with it too, it's a shame he never learned to use it more consistently. RIP Dyanmite.
He was also a gourmet cook in his spare time too much healthy eating was also a problem he couldn't control his weight i saw this in a bio I once read on him thats how I knew this.
I hope that ref Arthur Mercante Jr. was banned from the sport. Any cretin could tell you that the fighter was defenseless. Arms down. LOW. Head hanging, unresponsive. **Unacceptable** at any level not to step in. I don't know if this fight's rules permitted a standing 8 but in _all my life_ I've never seen a more obvious case. And if no 8 permitted, STOP THE FIGHT. Dokes should have sued him and the commission for that.
Obviously, this is taking nothing away from Razor. But there's skill, there's stupidity, there's incompetence, and there's ban him forever from the sport. That ref. Arthur Mercante Jr.
That first shot was a really odd punch. It was kind of a jab/hook/uppercut and came at such a weird angle. Dokes just couldn’t process what was coming.
He interesting thing about Ruddock.is that he never got a title shot...I know he came close a couple times...he never fought for the heavyweight title...I'm talking the wba wbc,ibf.not the Canadian title
80"90"fight's are the real deal man.! If u watch then any time in this today's era in youtube..they just exploded with excitement..but if u see today's era fighters heavyweight my honest opinion all the fight's that happening in today's era are just full of crap and no explosive enough.and heavyweight already dead in today's era...but ..80"90..the best.
Dynamite Dokes was considered the 3rd best heavyweight at the time behind Tyson and Holyfield. To me this was Ruddock's championship fight since he lost those 19 rounds of war against Tyson. Interesting to see what would've happened had Holyfield defended against Ruddock instead of Bowe. I think Ruddock had a chance to take Evander's best shots but who knows.
That hybrid punch of Ruddocks is one of the most lethal I've ever seen. Rip Michael Dokes
The smash!
Clancey: "I think Ruddock is fighting the wrong fight"
Razor sends Dokes to another dimension
Clancey: " What a performance by Razor Ruddock!!!"
I think he was saying that because Ruddock was better at mid range cuz of his reach.
LMFAOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
He should not have eaten that last left hook. The first shot knocked him down. When you fly across the ring into the ropes and the ropes hold you up, that's a knock down. The ref should have first called a knockdown at this point. But that last hook should definitely never have happened. He was out on his feet with his hands at his sides for at least a second before Ruddock through the last hook. This is the kind of stuff that gets fighters talking funny.
These announcers are so biased.
Ruddock vs Tyson was a great fight I thought Ruddock was a champion who didn't get a title them uppercuts
Dokes in hospital and merchante still counting 1001 1002.
Dokes at the funeral home getting embalmed..ref...1003...1004...
@@nazur72 hi guitars or
In the hospital of his mind unconscious too I know huh
Yeah the ref counting to ten was insane. He should be checking for Dokes pulse and heartbeat instead. Obviously he was out cold and in no way able to even hear the count.
Yeah at the point you just wave in the doctor.
Not only that, the ref Arthur Mercante Jr. should NEVER have allowed the last punch. Arms down. LOW. Head hanging, unresponsive. *Unacceptable* at any level not to step in. Arthur Mercante Jr. should have been banned from the sport and sued for harmful negligence.
A ref without any common sense!
After that fight the razor I thought was going to be the man he was a good offense fighter but his defense was shaky and Lennox shattered it all together but that last slug he got on Dokes could have killed him he was totally defenseless on his feet when dude just loaded up on that vaunted smash
Ali wouldn't have done that rest his soul he would have did the Lyle and Quarry thing I mean he could have slugged him to the body and got the same result but that's a sport that is cruel
Michael Dokes was blessed with speed, timing, and power. He would have been one of the greatest heavyweight champions to have ever step foot in the ring, if he would have left drugs alone.
He did have some great attributes,but not enough defensive skill to be one of the all time greats.His biggest flaw was not being able to move that massive head of his.Amazing speed and a good chin though.
Arm speed impressive but didn't have much power to be a heavyweight. I agree on the few defensive skills. Bowe could have been one of the best ever, not Dokes.
How was he blessed with power? Doaks basically wasn't anything amazing
Bit of an exaggeration bruh. Excellent fighter on a good day though.
dude, it seems like throughout all sports a lot of talent got wasted over drugs in the 80s. What was up with that? I doubt we're doing any less drugs today as a society but we seem to have it more under control nowadays.
But, yeah, Dokes looked awesome here before the knockout. It just goes to show that everyone claimed Tyson dominated a weak era that should be disregarded, just to goes to show how stupid that thinking is.
First the ref lets dokes take that last punch when he should have been rushing in to protect him and then he counts to ten over a guy who is totally motionless. Worst ref I have ever seen.
True.
Agreed.
Whaaaaat, he was still breathin'
100%
The last two, maybe even 3 punches should’ve been cut off.
The type of punched Razor was, that could’ve been fatal.
I`ll never understand how Tyson could take that same punch from Razor without
even taking a knee. Unbelievable punch resistance from Mike.
Shows how slept on Lennox Lewis’s punch power was
his knees actually buckled a few times
Tyson actually had a good chin.
@@six3reggieThere’s no “actually” about it!! Tysons chin was solid! Anybody who beat him had to kill him in order to do so.
@@liamkeogh5135 yeah and buster sent him fumbling for his mouthpiece 🤣
Gil
Ruddock is fighting the wrong fight
Razor
Boom
Gil
Ruddock is the best prospect I've seen in years!!! What a performance!
LMAOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
One of the best knockouts of all time. Just a absolute beauty.
Dokes had a really strong chin, so this was a shocker for him to get knocked out cold like this
Why was the ref counting ? The guys practically dead!
One of the greatest knockouts I ever seen. Ref could of counted to 1 million dokes was not getting up.
idiot ref should have stopped it before last left and than actually counted him out while he was unconscious Sickening
EXACTLY!!!!! I don't know what the HECK he was waiting for man!!!??? That last shot could've been fatal.
Arthur Mercante Jr. is a completely incompetent referee. The only reason he got any work was because of his father. Mercante Jr. should be barred from refereeing any fight.
Dirty intentions! N not the ref alone to be blamed ruddock too should've stopped when he knew the guy was out .. smh
@@keepinitrea It’s not Ruddock’s job to stop the fight, it’s the refs. He did what every other boxer does by not stopping the damage until he’s on the ground or the ref ends it. Boxers can’t afford to take that split second to see if their opponent is able to continue or is knocked out, which is why good refs are necessary since it’s their job to do this.
That ref almost cost that man his life
"...7...8...9..(an hour later) ...2178...2179...2180" I don't think this ref knows what unconscious looks like
It's a formality but they still technically have to count. There have been fighters who went down like they were shot and then popped back up after a few seconds and kept fighting. If you wave it off early it's a no-no.
Commentator- This is the best prospect I’ve seen in years!! Ruddock 1986-1992 was a monster. His left hook uppercut smash is one of the best shots by a heavyweight in history.
He took about 2 punches when he was already out . He fell asleep on his feet .
Pretty much he was so frozen couldn't take a knee clinch or anything stuck on the turn buckle and the ref was there but no where to save him from really getting creamed out
That 3rd left hook by Ruddock would have knocked out a bullmoose....damn
fashizzle78 😃😁😁😃😃👍👍🥊🥊🥊🥊👍👍👍👍
That punch didn’t impress me though because Dokes was already dead when he hit him with that. It never should have been allowed to land. The referee should have been in there.
@@hammer3353 stop couch boxwr
It was so obvious Dokes was unconscious, and with a near dead fighter in front of him, the idiot referee actually kept counting all the way up to 10... Unbelievable...
Couldn't have said it better. He continued counting while medics and cornermen were running to Dokes' aid. Fucking asshole should have had his license revoked on the spot.
Stevie Wonder could have been a better ref.
Not only that, the ref Arthur Mercante Jr. should NEVER have allowed the last punch. Arms down. LOW. Head hanging, unresponsive. *Unacceptable* at any level not to step in. Arthur Mercante Jr. should have been banned from the sport and sued for harmful negligence.
Stupid Refree.
“Razor fighting the wrong fight! Moments later Razor wins devastating KO 😂
Dokes is lucky he wasn't killed by those punches
Reminds me of Mercer - Morrison. Brutal KO's both of them, lucky neither guy got killed.
@@rykehuss3435 Arturo Gatti's KO of Joey Gamache is still the most brutal I've ever seen. That Mercer-Morrison one is up there for sure!
Agreed. I was a kid watching this back then and I was like 😳
❤
Pre Prison IRON MIKE TYSON absorbed those same Powerful Punches from RAZOR RUDDUCK & never went down !!!
Facts....his chin absorbed that power into nothing
Tyson pre prison was something else. Post prison never the same.
@@tonyh8965 absolutely true !!
@@tonyh8965 Post Rooney was ne er the same. His defense was lost, his jabs, hand spedd, stamina, head movement.
Tyson did not get hit cleanly but a few times. He had great head movement and a strong chin,
Referee is a criminal for not stopping the fight before
Ruthless ref and ruthless Donovan.
Tag team duo
"Dokes is down and he maybe out!" Maybe? Maybe? Ya think???
I was at this fight and then somehow wound up on a flight to Las Vegas with Dokes aboard.I approached him and mentioned that I was in attendance for his last fight and his response was inaudible.A few blondes were waiting for him at the airport so he was in good hands
Lets get it straight. The whole KO took but 4 seconds. The ref didnt stand there while he took a beating.
The fact he counted. OK. Maybe surgery shoulda started the moment Dokes hit the ground. Counting wont change anything at that point.
BTW. Dokes was my coach in the NSP system. My friend. I miss this man. But the ref is not to blame for a split second type situation.
Fighters fight. Win. Lose. Live. Die.
RIP my friend. I will NEVER forget your laughter. Thank you for everything. Love "Bullet"...
Surgery? You boob. Lol. Go to the gym marshmallow.
I feel sad that the ref did respect dynamite to give him a count! My heart is very sad!! Though I can't remember if I saw this live, it reminded me of the holy field fight, does showed his courage and gifts but he was too small with a lion's heart to beat a heavyweight, he was always the smallest guy, he was a great heavyweight, I wish he would have stayed at lightheavy weight.
Seen as interview, you see what a really smart articulate and well-spoken guy this guy is for rugged brawling boxer but surely has a big heart and obviously cares very much about the people who care very much about him it was sad to see he got on that ride of drugs and alcohol but it was great to see that he got his life back together enough to give it one more shot and give it all he gave against Riddick Bowe but his time had passed and it is what it is and it was what it was. One can only hope his life has been good since that last fight or since his last fight in the fight game he did have a pretty good career God bless you Michael dokes
Arthur Mercante Jr has to be one of the worst referees in the history of the sport. How he could count 10 over a fighter who was clearly knocked out and needed immediate medical attention is beyond me. This isn't the only fight where Junior endangered a fighter by either letting a fight go on too long or by not attending to a boxer on the canvas in serious trouble in no condition to continue. His dad was old school too but in a day where we didn't know much about accumulation of punishment and brain injury in fighters but allowing Foreman to almost kill Frazier in their first fight because "Frazier was the champion and you have to give the champion the benefit of the doubt" was unforgiveable. Mercante Sr was a strange man. He's probably the most celebrated ref in the history of the sport but I read his autobiography and several incidents in and out of the ring he recalled in the book left me scratching my head wondering if he might just be a little retarded. Looks like the acorn didn't fall far from the tree.
MrCrystalcranium I agree. I believe Sr stopped 2nd fight between Frazier Ali 2nd round 1 minute early after Frazier was out on his feet. Allowed Frazier to recover.
@@cholopanama That was Tony Perez.
Don't know why the referee was counting. He was clearly knocked out.
29:19 is a PERFECT example which shows that MANY commentators don't know what they're talking about.
This was an awesome power shower by Ruddock. The scariest KO I ever saw.
Anytime someone gets knocked out and falls forward, it's scary. You know they're not getting up for a while.
You apparently never watched a Foreman fight.
Cooney vs Norton or Mercer vs Morrison.
Arturo Gatti vs Joey Gamache is the scariest I ever saw. 2nd would be Mercer vs Morrison
Ruddock was very overrated, Tyson in downhill complety destroyed him.
Dokes reminds me of Roy Jones Jr.. When he gets knocked out he really knows how to get knocked out lol
Is he dead?KOs u mean?
😂😂
💀💀💀😂
Funny thing is Ruddock had a real good right hand and a complete arsenal. It always drove me crazy that he didn’t use it to set up the smash.
the jab and 1-2 lands every-time he throws it ,he really did not have killer instinct.
That last punch was pretty fucked up. Dokes was only held up by the ropes after just the first left smash, then another one, then one of the most brutal punches on a defenseless man in boxing history.
I Believe Mike Tyson Paid Razor Ruddock back in Kindness.
I really don’t feel too sorry for dokes getting that beating. He beat the woman he was living with in South central Los Angeles regularly. It was karma coming back & biting him in the ass. How do I know this you may ask? I was a young deputy sheriff at the station where he was arrested.
That’s scary. Dokes is capable of knocking out heavyweights. And he’s beating a woman? What a joke....
Dokes was long gone at this point. RIP.
horrible ref
The irony is his father, Arthur Mercante, Sr., is arguably one of the best referees ever. Go figure.
Bryan M terrible ref his father Arthur mecantie sr. Was great but jr.NOT!!! My friend gorge kilid Jones killed scott Beethoven back in 1999 becuase he let the fight go on the fight should have been stopped in the 4th or 5th but he stopped it in the 10th becuase he got knocked out the kid died 3 days later but all refs fault
Bryan M you said it
@@1981lashlarue genius skips a genrration
It’s ridiculous to blame the ref for that. No ref would’ve jumped in between that second and third punch.
Come on guys. That last shot was a beauty. Good thing the ref didn't spoil it. That's what the crowd paid for.
Agreed! It wasn't no Morrison/Mercer. People have no understanding how fast these things happen. As a ref, you can't do anything right. People cry BS or fix if it's stopped too soon. I personally would let the fight go too long than too short.
These so called professional ring announcers claim Ruddock only threw his right hand two or three times? What fight were they watching! Gil Clancy, get some glasses!
One of the hardest shots ever delivered
When you see Ruddock you always get the impression he should have achieved more. He had a great left uppercut lead. Didn't box smart a lot of the time though, like against Morrison when he should have won. Terrible, cowardly refereeing by the way.
He neglected his tools. Earlier in his career he had a great left jab which he used frequently along with his right hand. Watch his earlier fights such as the one he had with Weaver in '86 he is jabbing, and throwing combinations. After the Bonecrusher ko he basically became a one-handed fighter always looking to land the haymaker and it made him a one-dimensional fighter. A Ruddock who could of kept pumping a jab in Tyson's face would of had the potential to beat Tyson when they fought in '91.
By the time he faced Tyson, Ruddock became what Tyson had become. A fighter looking to land that one bomb. That hybrid left hook that Ruddock had could knock anyone out but he began to telegraph it and not set it up with a jab and a right hand.
Not cowardly, incompetent.
In the Morrison fight, the ref gave Razor a standing 8 and a chance to recover/show him something. He would continue taking big shot after big shot, until stopping the fight after Morrison whiplashed his head back. The ref did his job, based on what he's taught to look for before stopping the fight.
Ah……the 80’s!!!
When boxers did shitloads of drugs and still kicked ass.
I miss the 80’s!
Why did the ref even bother to count? he should have just waved the fight off immediately🙅
He thought Dokes would rise from unconsciousness in time to beat the count
All time great left hook
Ruddock looked at the Ref like: You didn’t just see me kill this guy? Stop the fight, man. 😕
1. Ref counting when they guy was completely comatose
2. Ruddock getting and taking a free swing while Doakes was out against the ropes.
3. Ruddock celebrating while guy was still not recovered.
Kinda similar to Weaver vs Tate. The count going on too long, Weavers celebration after he face planted his opponent unconscious.
Great piece, my man!!! I can add that i once read an interview with Dan Inosanto where he did mention that Bruce and Gene use to "pal around" with each other. So apparently they were friends.
What a laugh that Mike Tyson was “dodging” Ruddock. Mike Tyson destroyed Ruddock twice, knocked him down a total of four or five times and knocked him out in the first fight. Ruddock was never the same after the Tyson fights.
Ruddock was a unique puncher but lacked fitness and tactics. His long reach should have kept him at distance from his opponent. With more mobility he could have been a champ
Jamaican pride....these was the days when boxing was boxing.
lewis was a true monster to handle ruddock the way he did
PLEASE!!!! Ruddock was never the same after he was deconstructed by Tyson.
@@byrongammonbyrongammon9937 Ruddock was standing at the end of the Tyson fight, Tired and hurt, but he remained competitive until the last round, even catching Tyson with good shots. Will be nice if you share us the medical report that suports the claim that he was that much less of a fighter after that.
@@antaresblazewar9083, Ruddock suffered a broken jaw midway through the match. If you doubt my assertion that Ruddock wasn’t affected by his fights with Tyson, so be it. But film doesn’t lie though. If you watch the Ruddock-Dokes fight, the Ruddock-Tyson fights and compare it with Ruddock’s matches vs Morrison and Lewis he’s not the same fighter. In the matches vs Dokes and Tyson, Ruddock behaves like a firecracker at the opening bell. Ruddock looks lethargic in comparison during his fights against Morrison and Lewis.
@@byrongammonbyrongammon9937 Yeah i agree that Ruddock was in his best shape ever in the Tyson fights.But the fact that Lewis was such a talent cannot be denyed. He would have beaten Ruddock anytime. He had all the tools. That does not mean that Ruddock was a bad fighter or anything, after all he was rank number 1 and was favorite to win the championship at one time.
@@antaresblazewar9083, Lennox Lewis was a big man. He was also a dirty fighter. Pushing down on opponents with his body weight. Look at the Lennox Lewis vs Levi Billups fight. The FIRST 13 seconds of the fight Lewis brings the top of his elbow down on the crown of Billups’ head, from 12-6, which is illegal in MMA. Why does a man with such height and weight advantages have to engage in such behavior? Despite his gifts one thing Lewis did not have was a chin. That’s evident by Lewis’ one-punch KO losses to Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman. If Ruddock happened to catch Lewis with the left hook uppercut hybrid, the smash, he’d have fallen asleep before he hit the canvas. If Lewis turned pro at 19 like Tyson did he would have gotten his ass beat. Lewis turned pro at 24, remaining in the amateurs so he could beat up on children.
logo in center of video doesnt go away. watch the fight somewhere else
Dokes had all the natural talent but none of the discipline...
I think he had a drug problem.
That left from the Hip is a thing of beauty, devastation.
How would Holyfield vs Ruddock turn out in 91 instead of Holyfield fighting Foreman?
I'm not a big Holyfield fan at all, but he would stop Razor. Watch when Razor sets his feet in place for the shovel left hook "The smash", Holyfields far too good of a counter puncher to let that slide. I think Evander stops him within 6.
Poor Michael...as full of confidence and spirituality he was before this fight, it's tragic his life went to absolute shit after it. So sad. He was intelligent, articulate and creative...a deep man so rare in the sport. I am absolutely certain the last punch Arthur Mercante Jr allowed Ruddock to throw at an unconscious Dokes sitting on the bottom rope contributed immensely to the mental and physical decline seen in the fight with Bowe. Michael entered the ring to fight Bowe with a shuffling gait, a sure sign of pugilistica dementia along with a brain fried beyond healing from cocaine. The man interviewed before this fight was unrecognizable the night he beat his girlfriend almost to death in a cocaine fueled and raging frenzy 8 years later. I think his life started down that path due to the savage knockout he suffered this night at the hands of Ruddock and the incompetence of Arthur Mercante Jr. A true boxing tragedy.
The knockout took 4 seconds, can't blame the ref, nasty knockouts happen and especially in this era where they rarely stopped fights unless absolutely necessary..Fighters risk their lives, unfortunately this fighter couldn't fight the addiction that took his life away from him..
@@colinkillian9265 How do you explain AMJs inability to recognize Dokes was OUT and wasn't going to get up in a week, yet he counted him out and did nothing to help. Referees like Joe Cortez or Mils Lane immediately sense when a fighter needs assistance and not a lesson in how to count to 10. Mercante is a dolt.
“Oh Gil…You haven’t a clue”
-Donovan Ruddock
He might not be recognized, but during this period Ruddock was sensational,
Took a great shot, powerful athlete, tremendous knockout power, and hit at different angles.
A distracted Tyson without Rooney beat him twice in outstanding bouts.
And they say Tyson fought nobody
Ruddock was Tysons best opponent
I believe he was better then Tucker, Douglas and perhaps Bruno as well
@@LUKERs1196 no doubt
RIP MR.Dokes
No way I'm watching a video with an ad pasted on the center of the screen. Other people have this fight video posted.
And to think what Lewis did to Ruddock!
I just witnessed a murder😐
Christopher Williams song was playing in Dokes' head: Don't Wake Me, I'm Dreaming
Gil Clancy puts his foot in his mouth a split second before the ko. Not surprised. He does these type things often.
then he kisses Razor's ass by saying he could be the next Champion"" LOl, Razor was fighting the wrong fight , very Dumb Clancy.
@@ferssio 😂😂
what's with the logo right in the middle of the screen?
Linda D it’s so annoying and people are doing this now more as advertising then to protect their claim. I hate it
Donovan is really very hard boxer. Much respect for fight against Mike Tyson. Donovan didn't wait like Lennox Lewis for the right time, opportunity, chance, when Tyson weakens and loses his condition, though no doubt Mike Tyson was not the same Mike Tyson from the 80s. but Donovn dared, challenged, deserved recognition, respect
Probably because when Lewis got into the title picture Tyson was locked up. When he got out there was no way Don King was going to risk losing his cash cow again. Bruno, Seldon where easy paydays & only when they were sure Holyfield was shot was that fight made. They misread that big time. Tyson was great until King got a hold of him then it was all downhill. Sadly he never beat an opponent nowhere close to Lewis’s caliber
Referee should've been suspended...
It was strange angle. Like part hook, part lead upper cut. He was out when it landed. The rest was gravy.
And just as the armchair expert(commentator) says Ruddock is fighting the wrong fight @29.20... Boom ! Razor had a fearsome hook
Joseph Robinson Ruddock and his camp called that punch “The Smash.”
Great underestimated boxer.. One of the great heavyweights of his time... Very fast punches in bunches...
Frightening! If a fighter face plants, there is no need to count 99% of the time.
Good win for Ruddock, but he went on to come to similar grief against Lennox Lewis.
Unfortunately Ruddock fell in love with that left hybrid hook and he was easy pickings for Tyson and Lewis. Don't think he had much left when he faced Lewis but Ruddock and a good jab and a good overhand right but never used it after this fight
He had the wrong trainer in Floyd Patterson when he fought Lewis Makin rudduck work with a jab should have let Razor work with what's worked for him
With the penultimate blow Michael Dokes had already let his guard down and was falling. The last blow was too much, it was unnecessary and very dangerous, which shows human evil on the part of the boxer (Alí did not do that with Foreman when he was falling, he saved the blow, but Ali was the best) and also shows the negligence of the boxer. referee. Both should have been sanctioned (referee and Ruddock). It reminds me of the same situation of the Ray Mercer vs. fight. Tommy Morrison.
We all saw what mike tyson did to razor ruddick twice!
Those wee good fights though.
Yeah, struggled like fuck.
Probably the only fighter to give prime Tyson a proper fight, Tyson reckoned his punches were the hardest he faced.
Yea Tysons eardrum busted and his rib broke
I thought Dokes was dead.
The ref thought he could beat the count while he was unconscious.
In hindsight, it was obvious why Ruddock was staying on the inside. He knew what he was looking to do.
Loved me some Dynamite Dokes. Drugs and weight didn't help him age well. Even though he "looks" fine at 240 here, he'd had been way better off at 225. His stamina and head movement were severly lacking at 240. As a younger fighter he could throw a blistering combination, then back it up. Here he's 1-2 punches at time. Ruddock's hook is masterful and devastating. Nice jab with it too, it's a shame he never learned to use it more consistently. RIP Dyanmite.
Ref was useless. Damn spectator
How did Razor win that! After all, we kept being told that he was fighting the wrong sort of fight!
If the ref wasn't out of position he could have stepped in . Dokes was out on his feet . Totally unnecessary punishment just like Mercer vs. Morrison.
The Smash
He was also a gourmet cook in his spare time too much healthy eating was also a problem he couldn't control his weight i saw this in a bio I once read on him thats how I knew this.
Saw all your fights. Dokes was bombarded by fkn missiles. Stay healthy. 🙏🏾🙏🏻
I hope that ref Arthur Mercante Jr. was banned from the sport. Any cretin could tell you that the fighter was defenseless. Arms down. LOW. Head hanging, unresponsive. **Unacceptable** at any level not to step in. I don't know if this fight's rules permitted a standing 8 but in _all my life_ I've never seen a more obvious case. And if no 8 permitted, STOP THE FIGHT. Dokes should have sued him and the commission for that.
Obviously, this is taking nothing away from Razor. But there's skill, there's stupidity, there's incompetence, and there's ban him forever from the sport. That ref. Arthur Mercante Jr.
That first shot was a really odd punch. It was kind of a jab/hook/uppercut and came at such a weird angle. Dokes just couldn’t process what was coming.
He was known to throw that hookercut
mike dokes was a fighter who could have been great
Dokes punches were fast an pretty but his power was always suspect.
Lousy referee. Should have been waved off IMMEDIATELY.
I met Dokes promoter Sterling McPherson. He had a 3 million guarantee to fight Mike Tyson and took this fight instead
His beating from big daddy Riddick Bowe was pretty epic too
It wasn't just ruddock that knocked him out but also his personal demons.
He interesting thing about Ruddock.is that he never got a title shot...I know he came close a couple times...he never fought for the heavyweight title...I'm talking the wba wbc,ibf.not the Canadian title
Arturo Gatti knocking out Joey Gamach was another really brutal knockout. If u never saw it, watch it!!!
Ref's counting to 10 was a monumentally stupid. I might be wrong, but it appears the 3rd hook wasn't quite a punch but something like a forearm?
Coetzee ruined Dokes 7 years before this.
Agreed that ass whoopen he took was almost as bad as tyson vs douglas
2:03
Ruddock's smash never kd the great Mighty!!!
RR was one of the most frustrating fighters of this era...Lazy? Unfocused? Seemed like he didn't know what his strengths were in the ring.
Commentators are watching a different contest!
This was an awesome knockout. I love it when the ref is absolutely clueless and lets a fighter get Parkinsons right before our eyes.
80"90"fight's are the real deal man.! If u watch then any time in this today's era in youtube..they just exploded with excitement..but if u see today's era fighters heavyweight my honest opinion all the fight's that happening in today's era are just full of crap and no explosive enough.and heavyweight already dead in today's era...but ..80"90..the best.
Dynamite Dokes was considered the 3rd best heavyweight at the time behind Tyson and Holyfield. To me this was Ruddock's championship fight since he lost those 19 rounds of war against Tyson. Interesting to see what would've happened had Holyfield defended against Ruddock instead of Bowe. I think Ruddock had a chance to take Evander's best shots but who knows.