Prime Riddick Bowe vs Prime Wladimir Klitschko

Who you got and how?

Bowe by KO in the first 30 seconds. Bowe was a very athletic big man who would crack his glass jaw quick.

Bowe by 5th round KO. Easy nights work.

Wow, Bowe was that much better?

freakzilla wrote:Wow, Bowe was that much better?

Wladimir is in the weakest division to date.

I know that but wasn't Bowe too scared to even get in the ring with Lennox Lewis?

freakzilla wrote:I know that but wasn't Bowe too scared to even get in the ring with Lennox Lewis?

You can argue that, however if you observed the situation, you may come away with the same hypothesis I did. I think it was Rock Newmans bullshit that robbed us of one of the greatest HW matchups of the 20th century.

Rather than fight Lewis, Bowe threw the WBC belt in the garbage, somehow thinking this made him look like a rebel of sorts. To boxing fans, he looked like a man who was scared of Lennox Lewis. To make matters worse, Lewis knocked out Bowe in the Olympics. Wouldn't this have been the perfect revenge? Also, this was a "pre Manny Steward" Lewis. While Bowe had a complete arsenal, Lewis was rather limited at this time. His style was based on power and a jab. The BEST of Bowe would've defeated him via 12 round decision.

I realize Rock did a good job with Bowe's finances. Riddick had 27 million dollars waiting for him upon his release from prison. It wasn't too long before Bowe was in front of a thrift store selling what was left of his fortune to stay off the streets. So yes, he protected his fighter and made him a millionaire 27 times over and Rock should be credited for that. However, I think he was destructive in his athletic development. Riddick would've trained for Lennox Lewis.

Rock misunderstood his fighter. Sure, he had a motivational problem, though he would get up for the best fighters. This is a guy who you match up against the best and only the best. Then, it's easier to scare him into training.

Bowe is and always will be a bum. a guy that throws a belt in the trash rather than take that ass whoopin is a bum.

Ali wrote:

freakzilla wrote:Wow, Bowe was that much better?

Wladimir is in the weakest division to date.

and Holyfield was the only great fighter Bowe fought in his era

Holyfield made his heavyweight career off of beating an underachieving Bowe, an undersized and overrated Tyson and an overaged Foreman.

Yet all of Bowe's biggest wins were over Holyfield. Riddick Bowe is one of the most overrated heavies of all time.

I'd take Wlad over Bowe all day long.

Bowe drops him 8x en route to a 7th rd TKO

Wlad takes Bowe out in about the 9th or 10th.

Ok the reason I say Bowe would crush him so badly is this.
1. Bowe is 6'5 and has an 81 inch reach.
2. Bowe has a lot of power in both hands
3. Bowe for a big guy is much more athletic than Klit.
4. Bowe has a chin
5. Bowe can box much better than Klit.
If you take into account all this and add in Wlad's shitty chin this would be an easy short night for Bowe. Just because he ducked LL doesnt mean Wlad could beat him.

If you take absolute prime, I think Bowe is one of the scariest heavyweights of all time. His size and skill are phenomenal. He had a good chin. I finally watched the Bowe-Lewis Olympic fight and was shocked when I saw it. Bowe won the first round. Lewis was crushing him in the second round but it was an early stoppage too. People saying Lewis crushed Bowe are exaggerating.

I think the Bowe from the first Holyfield wins.

But how fair is it to take a fighter from one fight and measure him up against a guy whose whole career is being taken into account?

So basically, I have Bowe beating him, but only perfect Bowe. That version of Bowe I saw in like 4 fights total. So there's a huge chance that Bowe wouldn't show up.

ScottLevinson wrote:I think the Bowe from the first Holyfield wins.

But how fair is it to take a fighter from one fight and measure him up against a guy whose whole career is being taken into account?

So basically, I have Bowe beating him, but only perfect Bowe. That version of Bowe I saw in like 4 fights total. So there's a huge chance that Bowe wouldn't show up.

What would we consider Wlad's prime?

Him jabbing and clinching for 12 rds barely throwing the right hand?

I just dont think Wlad would be able to deal with a guy as big as him with that much skill

Good match-up that favors Bowe. By a LOT. Bowe was every bit as big as Wvlad and just as good (maybe a tad better) from the outside. He was more aggressive than Vlad and he had a better chin. Still, up to this point, its a pick em fight. The thing that makes a HHHUUUUGGGGEEE difference in this fight and a Bowe a big favorite, is the fact that Bowe was GOOD on the inside. he could flat out fight in close. Wvlad is clueless when the other guy is not at arms length. His offense consists of grabbing the other guy. Bowe would absolutely eat him ALIVE on the inside and stop Wvlad. Probably early in the fight too.

boxinglawyer wrote: Good match-up that favors Bowe. By a LOT. Bowe was every bit as big as Wvlad and just as good (maybe a tad better) from the outside. He was more aggressive than Vlad and he had a better chin. Still, up to this point, its a pick em fight. The thing that makes a HHHUUUUGGGGEEE difference in this fight and a Bowe a big favorite, is the fact that Bowe was GOOD on the inside. he could flat out fight in close. Wvlad is clueless when the other guy is not at arms length. His offense consists of grabbing the other guy. Bowe would absolutely eat him ALIVE on the inside and stop Wvlad. Probably early in the fight too.

The only question I have is whether Bowe is going to have trained properly and come in motivated. I think the money involved would be huge and as such we would get a decent version of Bowe. Bowe by KO on the inside when Wlad is trying to hold.

captainanddew wrote:

boxinglawyer wrote: Good match-up that favors Bowe. By a LOT. Bowe was every bit as big as Wvlad and just as good (maybe a tad better) from the outside. He was more aggressive than Vlad and he had a better chin. Still, up to this point, its a pick em fight. The thing that makes a HHHUUUUGGGGEEE difference in this fight and a Bowe a big favorite, is the fact that Bowe was GOOD on the inside. he could flat out fight in close. Wvlad is clueless when the other guy is not at arms length. His offense consists of grabbing the other guy. Bowe would absolutely eat him ALIVE on the inside and stop Wvlad. Probably early in the fight too.

The only question I have is whether Bowe is going to have trained properly and come in motivated. I think the money involved would be huge and as such we would get a decent version of Bowe. Bowe by KO on the inside when Wlad is trying to hold.

I really dont think this fight would make it past the first round. I think Bowe and George Foreman are Wlads worst possible opponents. Bowe has every single tool to take Wlad out quick.

I would think prime Bowe would be too much for Klit too. It's just that we're mythologizing Bowe here a bit. We're envisioning him in "best case scenario" mode and I only saw that particular Bowe a few times.

The Bowe from the first Holy fight beats Klit. Handily. How many times did we see that Bowe, though? I think we could take any top-100 all-time heavyweight and say they beat Klitschko, if we only judge them off their greatest-ever single performance, while matching it against what you think is "Typical Klitschko."

Are we talking the Riddick Bowe that has Rock Newman choking his opponents out? Because if that's the case, Bowe by Rock Newman choke out in 3.

ScottLevinson wrote:

I would think prime Bowe would be too much for Klit too. It's just that we're mythologizing Bowe here a bit. We're envisioning him in "best case scenario" mode and I only saw that particular Bowe a few times.

The Bowe from the first Holy fight beats Klit. Handily. How many times did we see that Bowe, though? I think we could take any top-100 all-time heavyweight and say they beat Klitschko, if we only judge them off their greatest-ever single performance, while matching it against what you think is "Typical Klitschko."

I think the version of Bowe against Zumbrun would beat Wlad. I am not trying to knock Wlad because I am a fan of his. He does everything you ask as a champ I just think Bowe is the perfect type of fighter to KO Klit with one punch.

ScottLevinson wrote:

I would think prime Bowe would be too much for Klit too. It's just that we're mythologizing Bowe here a bit. We're envisioning him in "best case scenario" mode and I only saw that particular Bowe a few times.

The Bowe from the first Holy fight beats Klit. Handily. How many times did we see that Bowe, though? I think we could take any top-100 all-time heavyweight and say they beat Klitschko, if we only judge them off their greatest-ever single performance, while matching it against what you think is "Typical Klitschko."

What's Wlad's best case scenario? The one who smashed Byrd twice???

Even then I'll take half ass Bowe over timid Wlad