Riddick Bowe, what if?

[ewenhay]

Seems Bowe added a lot of Lustre to Lewis's rep with the widely believed fiction that Bowe avoided him.

The fact that this is fiction doesn't seem to hold much sway with those who just want it to be true.

And if you use the belt going in the garbage can as your clear proof.....fine, it's a lazy man's detective work.

The story has more chapters, but some prefer to simply read the unfinished cliff notes, and make their assumptions out of convenience.


Besides why miss a chance to give Lewis more credit when it's so easily exploitable.

I do think Lewis beat K boy fair and square, but as Kalan has pointed out, that fight took a few turns that indicated the difficulty and the odd tactics that it took to get it done.


Best thing that ever happened to Lewis's reputation and career was Bowe throwing a belt into a trashcan. Ah well.....assumptions are what they are.

I disagree. I think Bowe's reputation suffered more than Lewis gained. I think he was ill advised. In hindsight they should have taken the Lewis fight. Who knows how it might have turned out at that point. Lewis was pre Steward and Bowe was just off a great performance against Holyfield. The fight could have changed the course of heavyweight history and created another great rivalry. I think both lost out, it's a fight that should have happened, same as Bowe v Tyson. we could and should have had a great rivalry in the Heavyweight division similar to the 4 kings a few years before.

[ewenhay]

Seems Bowe added a lot of Lustre to Lewis's rep with the widely believed fiction that Bowe avoided him.

The fact that this is fiction doesn't seem to hold much sway with those who just want it to be true.

And if you use the belt going in the garbage can as your clear proof.....fine, it's a lazy man's detective work.

The story has more chapters, but some prefer to simply read the unfinished cliff notes, and make their assumptions out of convenience.


Besides why miss a chance to give Lewis more credit when it's so easily exploitable.

I do think Lewis beat K boy fair and square, but as Kalan has pointed out, that fight took a few turns that indicated the difficulty and the odd tactics that it took to get it done.


Best thing that ever happened to Lewis's reputation and career was Bowe throwing a belt into a trashcan. Ah well.....assumptions are what they are.

I disagree. I think Bowe's reputation suffered more than Lewis gained. I think he was ill advised. In hindsight they should have taken the Lewis fight. Who knows how it might have turned out at that point. Lewis was pre Steward and Bowe was just off a great performance against Holyfield. The fight could have changed the course of heavyweight history and created another great rivalry. I think both lost out, it's a fight that should have happened, same as Bowe v Tyson. We could and should have had a great set of rivalries in the Heavyweight division similar to the 4 kings a few years before.

[drunkenpiper36]

Bowe would have had his head taken off by Lewis... Look at their respective fights against Golota... You couldn't miss Bowe with a punch.

Extremely slow and ponderous Michael Grant actually did better against Golota than Bowe did.

You can't really use the Golata comparison though. Had Bowe and Lewis met as scheduled, it would have been sometime in the spring of 1993, before Lewis had shored up his game with Emanuel Steward. Meanwhile Bowe was at his pinnacle, training the way he was supposed to, Still having Eddie Futch in his corner and hadn't taken too much punishment yet. By the time Bowe fought Golata in the late 90's he had lost Futch, wasn't training the way he should, had taken a lot of wear and tear due to his style and was facing a very dirty Golata besides. On the other hand, Lewis was a vastly improved fighter by the time HIS fight with Andrew came off.. Now its quite plausible that Lennox might have beaten Riddick had they met in 1993, but not based on your example...

[BoxBuzz]

You make sense......don't expect appreciation......but thanks for a very well researched contribution.

[Kalan]

That response is emotional not thoughtful.

[Kalan]

Bowe would have had his head taken off by Lewis... Look at their respective fights against Golota... You couldn't miss Bowe with a punch.

Extremely slow and ponderous Michael Grant actually did better against Golota than Bowe did.

You can't really use the Golata comparison though. Had Bowe and Lewis met as scheduled, it would have been sometime in the spring of 1993, before Lewis had shored up his game with Emanuel Steward. Meanwhile Bowe was at his pinnacle, training the way he was supposed to, Still having Eddie Futch in his corner and hadn't taken too much punishment yet. By the time Bowe fought Golata in the late 90's he had lost Futch, wasn't training the way he should, had taken a lot of wear and tear due to his style and was facing a very dirty Golata besides. On the other hand, Lewis was a vastly improved fighter by the time HIS fight with Andrew came off.. Now its quite plausible that Lennox might have beaten Riddick had they met in 1993, but not based on your example...

Bowe refused to face Lewis as "scheduled" ... He threw his Title Belt in the trash out of fear of getting smashed out by Lewis -- just like the very hittable Ruddock got punched out... Ruddock wasn't a bigger punching bag than Bowe, nor easier to hit... And Bowe was never at a pinnacle... His 2 wins over Holyfield came when Holy was A...at too low a weight (205) and extremely weak -- and B...he was unfit to fight anyone the night of their rubbermatch... Holyfield should have been in a hospital with his heart condition.. Outside of that Bowe fought no elite fighters at all.

[Bodyshot3]

The best thing ever happened to Bowe was throwing his belt into the bin rather than face Lewis, because he would have been easily KO'd like Rudduck was. Lewis might not yet have joined Steward, but he could still hit big static targets like Bowe.

Anyway it is a moot point because he and his scabby manager reneged on the terms of the mini tournament in which Holy, Bowe, Lewis ,and Rudduck ALL agreed the winners of the 2 fights would meet each other for the undisputed championship.

Anyone who believes Newmans offer wasn't a blatant duck of Lewis, willingly accepted by Bowe, is as big, or a bigger fool than them. 3.2 million to Lewis, and more than 28 million to Bowe. GTFOH.

Newman was a ghastly piece of pond-life, some of his moves would have made King blush.
Any "what if" revisionism about Riddick invariably looks better if you remove Newman from the equation.

[DrDuke]

Bowe's prime hasn't lasted for long, but when he was in prime, he was very dangerous. I'd say, he has begun to lose his shape after the 1st Holyfield fight, probably he lacked discipline. I guess, if Bowe was in a shape of the 1st Holyfield fight and he fought Lewis instead of throwing the WBC belt in the trash can, Bowe could even win Lewis. But Golota took much from Riddick. And Lewis was in his prime that time. So after Golota, if Riddick continued to box, I guess, he would lose to Lennox.

[Kalan]

Seems Bowe added a lot of Lustre to Lewis's rep with the widely believed fiction that Bowe avoided him.

The fact that this is fiction doesn't seem to hold much sway with those who just want it to be true.

And if you use the belt going in the garbage can as your clear proof.....fine, it's a lazy man's detective work.

The story has more chapters, but some prefer to simply read the unfinished cliff notes, and make their assumptions out of convenience.


Besides why miss a chance to give Lewis more credit when it's so easily exploitable.

I do think Lewis beat K boy fair and square, but as Kalan has pointed out, that fight took a few turns that indicated the difficulty and the odd tactics that it took to get it done.


Best thing that ever happened to Lewis's reputation and career was Bowe throwing a belt into a trashcan. Ah well.....assumptions are what they are.

You're traipsing through moonbeams again...kissing those fire flies and shadowboxing with the moon... a couple more snorts and you'll be fine...

Bowe ducked many punchers, not just the savage punching Lewis.. Bowe was wide open and would have been slaughtered.. You saw how easily Golota hit Bowe---even above the belt.. He hit him easier than he hit Grant.. You saw how easily Lewis hit Golota getting him OUT pronto.

As far as Vitali Klitschko goes, he was beating Lewis on all scorecards.. He almost knocked Lewis out in the 2nd round.. Even with blood streaming into his eye from a thumb strike and holding-n-hitting palm rake (inflicted in the first 20 seconds of the 3rd round by the first 2 rights Lewis threw in that round), and not being able to see punches coming, Vitali continued to outscore Lewis.. VK wins a Unanimous Technical Decision if there was an honest referee working that fight and it went to the scorecards.. That's what happens when fouls contribute to those cuts.