Former undisputed heavyweight champion Mike Tyson has revealed that Canadian Donovan “Razor” Ruddock delivered the hardest punches of his career, leaving the boxing legend feeling “numb” during their fights.
Tyson, who fought in the golden era of heavyweight boxing alongside legends like Lennox Lewis, Evander Holyfield, Larry Holmes, and James “Buster” Douglas, said Ruddock’s power stood out even among the elite. The two met in two gruelling encounters spanning a total of 19 rounds, with Ruddock’s heavy-handed style testing Tyson like few others could.
“He was heavy-handed. I remember feeling numb after some of those shots,” Tyson said, reflecting on the intensity of their bouts.
Despite knockout defeats to Douglas, Lewis, and Danny Williams later in his career, Tyson singled out Ruddock as the fighter whose punches truly made him feel the full force of an opponent’s power.
In a CNN interview, Tyson thought back on his previous rivals and remembered the strength in Ruddock’s gloves, saying, “Yes, Ray Ruddock… You’re referring to the moment you thought, ‘Whoa.’ It no longer hurts when you are struck. It’s simply numb. The bell is merely ringing, bong.”
Their battles remain celebrated as some of the most memorable heavyweight clashes of the 1990s, highlighting Ruddock’s reputation as one of the hardest hitters of the era.
