Why did TYSON-BOWE around 95 never happened?

[Chepppaaa]

style wise it would have been one of the greatest heavyweight match ups ever. 2 action packed boxers, with power in both hands, what more can you ask for.

[Syntax Error]

Rock Newman?

He was terrified of putting Bowe in with Lewis, so he was never going to push for his charge to fight Tyson.

Also, Bowe & Tyson were friends & probably weren't on each others radars at that point.

Tyson was busy re-establishing his credentials & by the time Tyson had climbed back to the top, Bowe was shot & slurring his words.

[Chepppaaa]

Rock Newman?

He was terrified of putting Bowe in with Lewis, so he was never going to push for his charge to fight Tyson.

Also, Bowe & Tyson were friends & probably weren't on each others radars at that point.

Tyson was bust re-establishing his credentials & by the time Tyson had climbed back to the top, Bowe was shot & slurring his words.

thanx for the answer

[Lackeos]

Tyson just got out of prison in mid-95 and was still shaking off the rust. He was doing the natural ramping-up phase, and he was graduating to respectable contenders like Frank Bruno in early 1996. He wasn't gunning to fight an elite like Holyfield, Lewis, or Bowe until late 1996. Mike Tyson did, in fact, fight an elite opponent in late 1996, it just wasn't Bowe. Tyson then gunned for the rematch, but in the wake of his rematch, he got his boxing license revoked. Meanwhile, Bowe was pretty much prematurely retiring in late 1996 due to too many hard fights and punches to the nuts. So by 1997, Tyson - Bowe could not happen. Prior to late 1996, it couldn't happen. Late 1996, it could happen, but Tyson - Holyfield happened instead, which was equally meritorious.

[Kalan]

Tyson was a bully and not the bravest boxer... He didn't want to fight Bowe.. Mercer.. Tua.. McCall.. or the Klitschko's.. Tyson wasn't thrilled about fighting Holyfield or Lewis -- but there was no way Mike could avoid fighting them -- unless he wanted to be as overtly cowardly as Bowe who couldn't gracefully avoid Lewis... Bowe just said "I'm not fighting Lennox Lewis" and threw his title belt in the trash.. Tyson was exposed in the Buster Douglas fight. Holyfield and Lewis saw the Douglas fight but they didn't have to know they could beat Mike... Tyson fought very courageously against Douglas and tried to win - but the handwriting was on the wall... If you were very big, tall, fast, strong, smart, and skilled you could beat Mike Tyson with ease.

A fighter many people insist Tyson DUCKED, but he DIDN'T, is George Foreman.. Foreman was big, tall, strong, and smart - but he wasn't fast or skilled.. Mike had the speed to beat George.. It would have been like his Ruddock, Smith, and Bruno fights.. Mike was too fast for those guys... Foreman ruled out some of the same opponents Tyson nixed... I.e. Mercer, McCall, Tua, Bowe, and Lewis.. George fought challengers like Crawford Grimsley and Axel Schulz.. When they asked him about Bowe, Mercer, and Lewis he said.. "We need to give some of these young guys a chance."

[Jaywheel]

[birdman77]

Umm....not too sure about Tyson not ducking Foreman. He didn't really care to jump in the ring with ole country ass George...I can promise you that much. Not that he wouldn't have won.....I'm sure they'd had to make George stop because his face could have been a massacre if the right Tyson would have shown up. Tyson did respect Foreman from Cus D'Amato days, though, so that may have been SOME of the reason Big Ass George and Tyson never met.

Regarding Bowe, it was just unfortunate timing. I honestly don't think the Bowe that had troubles with Golota would have been a major threat to Tyson in those days. I honestly think Tyson's prime died shortly after he got beat the first time....and let's be honest --> he got beat comprehensively while still 23-24 years old, correct? True champs find a way to win or at least make it to the bell even on their bad days (see Holyfield - Lewis, Klitschko - Lewis, Holmes - Holyfield, etc...)

[Lancenix]

Tyson never wanted Bowe as he lost to everyone who was decent in his career. Especially big guys. This would have been the same. Tyson is pretty much a farce at this point of 95 in his career. He was done.

[gilgamesh]

Because Tyson didn't want the fight I'm sure, and Don King didn't want it for him.

[Kalan]

Tyson didn't really care to jump in the ring with ole country ass George...)

Country ass is SLOW... Tyson was FAST... Too fast for Country Asses Frank Bruno.. Donavan Ruddock.. James Smith... and Alex Stewart... Foreman fought Alex Stewart a year AFTER Tyson stopped him in a few seconds... George hit Stewart with every punch for the distance. Couldn't stop him.

The guys who battered Tyson were great BIG, TALL, FAST, STRONG, AND SKILLED guys such as Buster Douglas and Lennox Lewis... Among the Heavyweights BOTH Tyson and Foreman DUCKED were Bowe.. Lewis.. Mercer.. McCall.. and Tua... A reporter asked why he fought challengers Crawford Grimsley and Axel Schulz instead of Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis... George stuck his tongue in his cheek and said, "I think it's important that these young guys get a shot."

[Klee Gluckman]

When did Tyson duck the Klit brothers they weren't relevant until this century when Tyson was shot. Tyson did not duck Bowe. Bowe was busy getting beaten by Golota in 1996. Bowe 1992 beats Tyson not sure about a 1996 version, seemed shot to me. As for Tyson ducking Wlad and Vitali what to you think the earliest time they could of fought.

[drunkenpiper36]

Tyson didn't see his first comeback fight until August of 1995, by which point Bowe and Holyfield had already signed for their rubber match..And Tyson wasn't going to face an elite opponent in his first few bouts back. By the time he had accumulated 3-4 tuneup bouts and even acquired a title, the focus was on Tyson vs Holyfield as it had been in the waiting for nearly 7 years. Bowe then fought Golota which more or less ended his career. Mike Tyson and Riddick Bowe never had their careers in alignment for each other.

[Cutman Scabbers]

Tyson was a bully and not the bravest boxer... He didn't want to fight Bowe.. Mercer.. Tua.. McCall.. or the Klitschko's.. Tyson wasn't thrilled about fighting Holyfield or Lewis -- but there was no way Mike could avoid fighting them -- unless he wanted to be as overtly cowardly as Bowe who couldn't gracefully avoid Lewis... Bowe just said "I'm not fighting Lennox Lewis" and threw his title belt in the trash.. Tyson was exposed in the Buster Douglas fight. Holyfield and Lewis saw the Douglas fight but they didn't have to know they could beat Mike... Tyson fought very courageously against Douglas and tried to win - but the handwriting was on the wall... If you were very big, tall, fast, strong, smart, and skilled you could beat Mike Tyson with ease.

A fighter many people insist Tyson DUCKED, but he DIDN'T, is George Foreman.. Foreman was big, tall, strong, and smart - but he wasn't fast or skilled.. Mike had the speed to beat George.. It would have been like his Ruddock, Smith, and Bruno fights.. Mike was too fast for those guys... Foreman ruled out some of the same opponents Tyson nixed... I.e. Mercer, McCall, Tua, Bowe, and Lewis.. George fought challengers like Crawford Grimsley and Axel Schulz.. When they asked him about Bowe, Mercer, and Lewis he said.. "We need to give some of these young guys a chance."

He was skilled.

[Kalan]

[He was skilled.

*Speaking for Foreman

NO he wasn't... Not the way a real good boxer is skilled. Douglas, Holyfield, and Lewis were real good boxers at their best.

[Cutman Scabbers]

[He was skilled.

*Speaking for Foreman

NO he wasn't... Not the way a real good boxer is skilled. Douglas, Holyfield, and Lewis were real good boxers at their best.

I disagree. Foreman II was incredibly skilled!

[Klee Gluckman]

Tyson never ducked Bowe. He tried to fight him 1n 1991.

Rock Newman said Bowe wasn't ready.

Realistically if Post Prison fought any of the Bowe's that fought Holyfield he would get badly beaten at this point.

A pre-prison Tyson v Bowe is a great fight.

A post prison Tyson v Prime Bowe, Tyson gets destroyed.

In 1996 two fighters both shot with no timing interesting.

This is a tough one because Bowe got to fight Holyfield at his peak. Tyson had to settle for Tubbs, Holmes and Spinks.

Post prison Tyson has no stamina. Anyone who gets to the 8 round beats him, and Bowe would do that no worries.

Both Bowe and Tyson left so many unanswered questions.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

Tyson never ducked Bowe. He tried to fight him 1n 1991.

Rock Newman said Bowe wasn't ready.

Realistically if Post Prison fought any of the Bowe's that fought Holyfield he would get badly beaten at this point.

A pre-prison Tyson v Bowe is a great fight.

A post prison Tyson v Prime Bowe, Tyson gets destroyed.

In 1996 two fighters both shot with no timing interesting.

This is a tough one because Bowe got to fight Holyfield at his peak. Tyson had to settle for Tubbs, Holmes and Spinks.

Post prison Tyson has no stamina. Anyone who gets to the 8 round beats him, and Bowe would do that no worries.

Both Bowe and Tyson left so many unanswered questions.

- Big Dummy weren't around for prime Tyson any more than Lewis or Field was. They became friendly ExFelons after finding they came from the same disastrous neighborhood and agreed to never fight each other.

Now Tyson is doing better than ever with Big Dummy broken down and Broke.

[PRINCEKOOL]

I don't think the fight was ever really talked about, or being promoted heavily 'the fights which were associated with Mike Tyson, that needed to happen were? Against Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield'.

Note: Riddick Bowe was a great fighter, I liked his style 'but in my opinion? He would have been beaten by any version of Mike Tyson'.

People within the boxing community, like to talk about the primes and peaks of fighters 'but in reality, a fighters conditioning is constantly altering on a fight by fight basis'.

Mike Tyson even after his first loss vs. Buster Douglas 'a fight were he fought extremely courageously, but was not in the best of condition. After this fight I personally think he produced some great performances vs. Alex Stewart, and Donovan Razor Ruddock I & II'.

I have also always believed that Mike Tyson's form vs. Frank Bruno II was superior to his form vs. Evander Holyfield I 'this is clear to see, just in his body movements and how hyper sharp his skills appeared'.

To conclude: Riddick Bowe although he was a super heavyweight fighter 'his entire game, was inside game. And yes he did have a good jab, but? Crucially I don't think he had the movement to apply the specific tactics to really nullify Mike Tyson'.

It would have been a violent fight while it lasted 'but a very similar fight in terms of the action, to Donavon Razor Ruddock vs. Mike Tyson I & II'.

Riddick Bowe was skill for skill a better boxer than Donovan Razor Ruddock 'but I think Ruddock hit with more punching power' etc.

[Eolaithe]

style wise it would have been one of the greatest heavyweight match ups ever. 2 action packed boxers, with power in both hands, what more can you ask for.

Tyson went to prison from 1992 to 1995 and needed a couple of tune-up's.

Rock Newman routinely kept Bowe away from fighters associated with rival promoters, such as instructing Bowe to dump his WBC heavyweight title belt into a trash can to avoid the Lewis bout.

Tyson and Bowe were handcuffed to competing premium cable giants (i.e. Tyson signed an exclusive pay-per-view deal with Showtime; whereas Bowe was aligned with HBO).

And in the 1990s, joint network pay-per-view broadcasts were virtually non-existent. It only ever happened twice: Lewis-Tyson; and Mayweather-Pacquiao.

By 1996, Riddick Bowe was totally shot, whereas Mike Tyson had much bigger fish to fry, such as the Holyfield bouts.