Ossyrules wrote:
Bowe is basically remembered for 2 reasons
Epic wars with Evander Holyfield
Binning the heavyweight world title
If a guy isn’t bothered about what he’s remembered for, sure
It's about money. Ya know? Prizefighting. He went for the bigger fight for the most money. Lewis would have done exactly the same thing, minus the trash can.
Yes minus the trash can that’s basically the point
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:
It's about money. Ya know? Prizefighting. He went for the bigger fight for the most money. Lewis would have done exactly the same thing, minus the trash can.
Yes minus the trash can that’s basically the point
SaadOffTheDeck wrote:
Why would you? I mean it's not a high point for his legacy but it didn't hurt his career any.
I think it did.
How so?
A fight, and a win, against Lewis - especially after they'd both thrilled within a two week period - could have cemented his legacy instead of being though about as Riddickulous Bowe.
Holyfield waltzed into the 92 fight thinking Bowe was the same novice pro he had sparred years before. He ended up in the emergency room.
Jorge Luis Gonzalez thought Bowe was still the shaky teen he had knocked about in the amateurs and wound up getting beaten half to death in the ring.
Bowe had sufficient hatred and fear of Lewis to train like a demon for a fight with him - all while the fistic wizard Eddie Futch would be studying the tapes and concocting the gameplan.
Lewis meanwhile would have his cheerleader Pepe Correra on hand to provide him with such useful technical instructions as: "Knock this bum out!" "You're the best, champ!" and "It's '88 all over again, baby!"
Lewis at that time was an arrogant and pompous oaf who thought himself invincible. He had fallen in love with his power after the Ruddock fight - always a portent of doom for a fighter. Boxing Monthly all but predicted his downfall vs Oliver McCall. He just did not have the right attitude, skills or chin to handle Riddick Bowe in 93 and he would have been knocked silly had the fight happened.
A fight, and a win, against Lewis - especially after they'd both thrilled within a two week period - could have cemented his legacy instead of being though about as Riddickulous Bowe.
I view him as a major underachiever.
Of course, legacy wise. I was responding to the act of throwing the belt in the trash. It made the duck more famous, but it was no different than if he just didn't fight him.
A fight, and a win, against Lewis - especially after they'd both thrilled within a two week period - could have cemented his legacy instead of being though about as Riddickulous Bowe.
I view him as a major underachiever.
Of course, legacy wise. I was responding to the act of throwing the belt in the trash. It made the duck more famous, but it was no different than if he just didn't fight him.
Also, Lewis ditched the WBA belt rather than fight Ruiz, the IBF rather than fight Byrd. He deferred the dangerous Tua mandatory so he could first milk the belts with two easy defences vs Grant and Botha. If they didn't have double standards...
In 1993 Bowe would KO Lewis
In 1995 it would be epic 50/50 fight
In 1996 Lewis would KO Bowe
In 2003 Lewis would murder Bowe
Prime for prime? I think it would be like in 1995 when Bowe was slightly past his peak while Lewis was slightly pre his one. Both would have had chances to win it.
I really liked Lewis' to beat Bowe at any time.... just think he was more natural athletic - bit quicker, more raw power etc.
However, I am a lot more compassionate than most about Bowe's treatment of Lewis.... I really don't think it was a case of Bowe not wanting Lewis, I thought it was more to do with the fact he upset Holyfield in a fight of a year and he knew that a rematch would earn him so much money - and Bowe quite rightly deserved an easy one between fight 1 and 2.
A fight, and a win, against Lewis - especially after they'd both thrilled within a two week period - could have cemented his legacy instead of being though about as Riddickulous Bowe.
I view him as a major underachiever.
Of course, legacy wise. I was responding to the act of throwing the belt in the trash. It made the duck more famous, but it was no different than if he just didn't fight him.
stujones wrote:I really liked Lewis' to beat Bowe at any time.... just think he was more natural athletic - bit quicker, more raw p
Same here, I think Bowe knew it too. I also think Lewis had more heart and that could well have been the deciding factor had they met in 93. Always felt that Bowe was a typical bully and that loss vs Lennox in Seoul was always in his mind, if Golota had had an ounce of composure he'd have stopped him too.
One thing. Holyfield while brave and super fit, fought exactly the fight Bowe needed him to.
If Evander hadn’t lost his temper in round two of their 1992 superfight, it’s possible Bowe would’ve been a heavyweight footnote.
Holyfield did crowd and push him back to his credit but in exchanging on the inside he pretty much asked for Riddick to dump his entire - and considerable - repertoire of inside punches...
After this fight, Bowe wouldn’t train himself down to a sensible weight. Having got the title he tried to win every fight easy - following blowout defenses of Dokes & Cooper he even tried to stop Holyfield in round one of their 1993 war...
I just think after putting on his masterpiece, he wasn’t willing and wasn’t quite able to go there again. He could be tough, and nasty, but he wasn’t very athletic- people were concerned he’d be dehydrated vs Holy I - and there was an element of “gentle giant” to him.
Not sure how well he’d done versus the careless but enormously strong, explosive and athletic Lewis of 1992...
Doesn’t matter though, Lewis found his calling, and Bowe waged one of the best rivalries ever versus Holyfield, 3 great fights out of 3...
Yes the Bowe/Holyfield trilogy was captivating stuff but I still get that nagging feeling that Bowe underachieved whereas Lewis had a more wholesome career. Lennox wasn't without his flaws but managed to easily avenge both his losses and hang them up on his own terms a very rich man. He also has the satisfaction of that Olympic gold and a huge stoppage win over Bowe in the amateur ranks gives him the head start in the inevitable post-career debate about who was the better man.
Taansend wrote:
A fight, and a win, against Lewis - especially after they'd both thrilled within a two week period - could have cemented his legacy instead of being though about as Riddickulous Bowe.
I view him as a major underachiever.
Of course, legacy wise. I was responding to the act of throwing the belt in the trash. It made the duck more famous, but it was no different than if he just didn't fight him.
Jackson328 wrote:Yes the Bowe/Holyfield trilogy was captivating stuff but I still get that nagging feeling that Bowe underachieved whereas Lewis had a more wholesome career. Lennox wasn't without his flaws but managed to easily avenge both his losses and hang them up on his own terms a very rich man. He also has the satisfaction of that Olympic gold and a huge stoppage win over Bowe in the amateur ranks gives him the head start in the inevitable post-career debate about who was the better man.
Gonzalez beat Bowe in the ams, Biggs beat Lewis in the ams, Tillman beat Tyson - twice! Lewis was a grown man fighting in his second Olympic games when he beat a teenage Bowe.
