BoxRec

Riddick bowe vs lennox lewis

lennox lewis easy.. and i underrate lewis.

Bowe would have been up for this. He'd have trained ahrd and would be a very tough opponent. I think Bowe had the better chin and I think he had the better jab, but he didn't always use it effectively. What I mean by that is that sometimes he flat out forgot to throw it.

Neither man liked a fast pace so I imagine this would be a cagey affair. I truly believe that this would have been Lewis' hardest fight. overall I go for Lennox by decision becasue I think he had a better repertoire of punches and a better defence. It would be close though.

Bowe in 90-92 would whip any version of Lennox.AFter 92, Bowe would lose to Lewis on late round stoppage or decision.

I agree with Nile. But one must wonder why DID Bowe duck Lewis? Lewis was beatable at the time. Was Bowe not up to the challenge? Did Bowe not want to put in the training he would have had to do, facing, arguably, his biggest challenge at that point?
Bowe had a tough time with Holyfield. But I think Holyfield's chin is a lot better than Lewis'.
One could draw a parallel of Bowe not taking the Lewis fight with Lewis retiring, and not having to face Vitali again.

wlvrne wrote:I agree with Nile. But one must wonder why DID Bowe duck Lewis? Lewis was beatable at the time. Was Bowe not up to the challenge? Did Bowe not want to put in the training he would have had to do, facing, arguably, his biggest challenge at that point?
Bowe had a tough time with Holyfield. But I think Holyfield's chin is a lot better than Lewis'.
One could draw a parallel of Bowe not taking the Lewis fight with Lewis retiring, and not having to face Vitali again.

He ducked Lewis because he and his management were a little better judge of talent than boxrec posters, and they realised that he probably couldn't beat Lewis.

I've watched their Olymic fight several times and to use it as a guide to how a 12rd pro fight would evolve is a little incorrect. Bowe was stopped in the Olympics because he took a couple of hard shots, not because Lennox overwhelmed him and KO' d him. Bowe was still very alert at the time of the stoppage, so an amateur comparison doesn't mirror the pro scene. Also if you watch the 1st round of the Olympics, Bowe almost had Lewis out of there. If they met in the early 90's I see Bowe taking he ponderous weak chinned Lewis out...Lewis would have no size advantage and Bowe was the better boxer, with more speed and very good stamina at his best. Lewis looked poor in drawing with a washed up Holyfield, yet Bowe handled a younger version of Holy a lot better

walshb wrote:I've watched their Olymic fight several times and to use it as a guide to how a 12rd pro fight would evolve is a little incorrect. Bowe was stopped in the Olympics because he took a couple of hard shots, not because Lennox overwhelmed him and KO' d him. Bowe was still very alert at the time of the stoppage, so an amateur comparison doesn't mirror the pro scene. Also if you watch the 1st round of the Olympics, Bowe almost had Lewis out of there. If they met in the early 90's I see Bowe taking he ponderous weak chinned Lewis out...Lewis would have no size advantage and Bowe was the better boxer, with more speed and very good stamina at his best. Lewis looked poor in drawing with a washed up Holyfield, yet Bowe handled a younger version of Holy a lot better

Obviously, Bowe and his brain trust didn't feel the same way or they certainly would have been clamoring for a showdown, rather than throwing a title belt in the trash.

I can't for the life of me remember where I read this, but at one point, Riddick Bowe said no to a fight with Lennox Lewis because LL's people wanted a 50-50 split, and Bowe's reply was "He don't get the same as me because he's not the champ and I'am". Or something like that.

I wouldn't use the Olympic bout as proof of LL's superiority. Bowe's sister had just been murdered and he went into the ring totally unfocused.

Seamus wrote:I can't for the life of me remember where I read this, but at one point, Riddick Bowe said no to a fight with Lennox Lewis because LL's people wanted a 50-50 split, and Bowe's reply was "He don't get the same as me because he's not the champ and I'am". Or something like that.

I wouldn't use the Olympic bout as proof of LL's superiority. Bowe's sister had just been murdered and he went into the ring totally unfocused.

I'm just using the fact that Bowe didn't seem to have any intention of fighting Lewis, even though he had lost to him in the amatuers, and most fighters want to avenge things like that. Plus, regardless of what people say, Bowe was VERY easy to hit, and Lewis was a very hard puncher.

If you look at his resume, other than Holyfield it's pretty weak. Biggs and Thomas were already in a quick decline, Seldon was coming off a KO loss to McCall, Tubbs nearly beat Bowe, and the rest of his pre title opponents were pretty ordinary. And other than Holyfield, his title defenses were also not exactly fearsome. Then he ran into Golota, who beat the piss out of him, but still managed to checkout before claiming victory. Put it all together, and you have a very good HW, but probably a notch below Lewis. And I think his management was very much aware of that fact.

lewis would have beaten bowe in 90,91,92 whenever you like.thats why he didn't fight him.nothing like lewis not fighting vitali again,as after a long career lennox probably realised he was slipping.what excuse did bowe have?he was in his prime,lennox was his most dangerous challenger.bowes whole resume is based on going 2-1 with holy.

I've never thought Bowe was what he's cracked up to be, he was very easy to hit and wasn't durable enough to take Lewis' punches

After seeing what Golota made of him, I can see you guy's line of reasoning. Until he did throw that belt in the trash, I thought Bowe would have fought all comers. But Lewis was erratic then; Bowe should have chanced it. Lewis wouldn't have smashed his gonads like Golota did.

This could have been a great fight. I think a lot of people put too much stock in things that really shouldn't mean that much. 1.Their Olympic fight was years before either had reached their best.
2. Bowe's peformance against Golota. Obviously Bowe wasn't at his best against the Foul Pole.

Lewis was a little bit better puncher, but Bowe could certainly punch hard enough to hurt Lewis. Bowe had the better jab and could fight better inside. Lewis was better defensively. They were about even in their ability to take a punch.

Their "resumes" are actually fairly even. Both beat a lot of "B" level opponents. Bowe looked bad against Golota, and Lewis got Ko'd by Rahman and McCall. Bowe did get a close decison over Tubbs, but Lewis got one over Mercer and (in the 2nd fight) one over an aging Holyfield that he didn't deserve.
Bowe's biggest victories were obviously a prime Holyfield, who was much better than the Holyfield that fought Lewis. In fact Bowe's wins over Holyfield (especially the first one) is more impressive than any of Lewis' wins.
Bowe's career record is 42-1, with the one loss a close decision to a prime Holyfield. That's pretty damn good.
Assuming that they are both at their best, Bowe would have atleast a 50-50 chance of winning.

This could have been a great fight. I think a lot of people put too much stock in things that really shouldn't mean that much. 1.Their Olympic fight was years before either had reached their best.
2. Bowe's peformance against Golota. Obviously Bowe wasn't at his best against the Foul Pole.

Lewis was a little bit better puncher, but Bowe could certainly punch hard enough to hurt Lewis. Bowe had the better jab and could fight better inside. Lewis was better defensively. They were about even in their ability to take a punch.

Their "resumes" are actually fairly even. Both beat a lot of "B" level opponents. Bowe looked bad against Golota, and Lewis got Ko'd by Rahman and McCall. Bowe did get a close decison over Tubbs, but Lewis got one over Mercer and (in the 2nd fight) one over an aging Holyfield that he didn't deserve.
Bowe's biggest victories were obviously a prime Holyfield, who was much better than the Holyfield that fought Lewis. In fact Bowe's wins over Holyfield (especially the first one) is more impressive than any of Lewis' wins.
Bowe's career record is 42-1, with the one loss a close decision to a prime Holyfield. That's pretty damn good.
Assuming that they are both at their best, Bowe would have atleast a 50-50 chance of winning.

so good you said it twice.lol.

I seem to do that a lot!

Any details as to what promted Bowe's descision to retire from the ring to join the military?

I like Lewis in that fight but againts the same Riddick Bowe that fought Evander Holyfield the first time out, I don't know

kick asner wrote:Any details as to what promted Bowe's descision to retire from the ring to join the military?

Perhaps the beatings he took from Golota?

Lennox Lewis is not Evander Holyfield. Holyfield had not long moved up from cruiser. Bowe DID NOT have a better jab than Lewis. Bowe neglected his jab even more than Lewis did. Bowe was so easy to hit. Lewis won't miss a guy that big as he showed throughout his career, until his last fight of course. Lewis loved fighting big men, Bowe did not. The big men don't usually play an inside game like Bowe liked to do and would punish him from the outside. Lewis is like the worst possible matchup for Riddick Bowe. Lewis is also the better athlete and I think Bowe knew that.

Lefthookhappy19 wrote:Lennox Lewis is not Evander Holyfield. Holyfield had not long moved up from cruiser. Bowe DID NOT have a better jab than Lewis. Bowe neglected his jab even more than Lewis did. Bowe was so easy to hit. Lewis won't miss a guy that big as he showed throughout his career, until his last fight of course. Lewis loved fighting big men, Bowe did not. The big men don't usually play an inside game like Bowe liked to do and would punish him from the outside. Lewis is like the worst possible matchup for Riddick Bowe. Lewis is also the better athlete and I think Bowe knew that.

So did his management. That's why Bowe never fought Lewis.

Lefthookhappy19 wrote:Lennox Lewis is not Evander Holyfield. Holyfield had not long moved up from cruiser. Bowe DID NOT have a better jab than Lewis. Bowe neglected his jab even more than Lewis did. Bowe was so easy to hit. Lewis won't miss a guy that big as he showed throughout his career, until his last fight of course. Lewis loved fighting big men, Bowe did not. The big men don't usually play an inside game like Bowe liked to do and would punish him from the outside. Lewis is like the worst possible matchup for Riddick Bowe. Lewis is also the better athlete and I think Bowe knew that.

I guess I have to disagree with some of these points.
First of all, when Bowe fought Holyfield, Holyfield hadn't just moved up from cruiserweight. He had been a heavyweight for more than 4 years (which is longer than he was a cruiser). He had been the undisputed champion for more than 2 years. This was Holyfield at his best and Bowe beat him.

Second, I don't know how anyone who saw both Bowe and Lewis fight think that Lewis had the better jab. Bowe's jab wasn't in the league of Ali or Holmes, but it was effective. Lewis usually just pawed with his jab and threw pitty patty punches with it.

Third, I don't see why Lewis would be considered a better athlete. Bowe was quicker, more mobile, and threw punches in combinations more often than Lewis did.

Ambling Alp wrote:I guess I have to disagree with some of these points.
First of all, when Bowe fought Holyfield, Holyfield hadn't just moved up from cruiserweight. He had been a heavyweight for more than 4 years (which is longer than he was a cruiser). He had been the undisputed champion for more than 2 years. This was Holyfield at his best and Bowe beat him.

Second, I don't know how anyone who saw both Bowe and Lewis fight think that Lewis had the better jab. Bowe's jab wasn't in the league of Ali or Holmes, but it was effective. Lewis usually just pawed with his jab and threw pitty patty punches with it.

Third, I don't see why Lewis would be considered a better athlete. Bowe was quicker, more mobile, and threw punches in combinations more often than Lewis did.

Of course, that's how you assess the two fighters, but it does nothing to explain the fact that Bowe and his management wanted nothing to do with fighting Lewis. Or any other legitimate contenders. Besides the 3 fights with Holyfield he had a very mediocre resume.

Of course winning 2 of 3 from Holy was a great accomplishment, it pretty much ended there. And there certainly wasn't much before the Holyfield fights.

The Great John L wrote:

Ambling Alp wrote:I guess I have to disagree with some of these points.
First of all, when Bowe fought Holyfield, Holyfield hadn't just moved up from cruiserweight. He had been a heavyweight for more than 4 years (which is longer than he was a cruiser). He had been the undisputed champion for more than 2 years. This was Holyfield at his best and Bowe beat him.

Second, I don't know how anyone who saw both Bowe and Lewis fight think that Lewis had the better jab. Bowe's jab wasn't in the league of Ali or Holmes, but it was effective. Lewis usually just pawed with his jab and threw pitty patty punches with it.

Third, I don't see why Lewis would be considered a better athlete. Bowe was quicker, more mobile, and threw punches in combinations more often than Lewis did.

Of course, that's how you assess the two fighters, but it does nothing to explain the fact that Bowe and his management wanted nothing to do with fighting Lewis. Or any other legitimate contenders. Besides the 3 fights with Holyfield he had a very mediocre resume.

Of course winning 2 of 3 from Holy was a great accomplishment, it pretty much ended there. And there certainly wasn't much before the Holyfield fights.

But these were though fights takeing lot out of Bowe... and he did lot better than Lewis with faded Holy. I think Lewis outpoints Bowe till he sooner or later would have blasted Lennox.

Of course, that's how you assess the two fighters, but it does nothing to explain the fact that Bowe and his management wanted nothing to do with fighting Lewis.

I'v heard lot of controversial versions of this ... the truth is noone really knows exactly who dodged who so you can't bring that up as a valid argument. [/code]