Better All-Around Fighter: Primo Carnera or Riddick Bowe?

How? Because he is big. Mitch green lasted 10 rounds with Mike Tyson. Journeyman Mike Jameson lasted 5 i think. If they had become HW world champion they would be called a fraud as well

 

But these days, don't most heavyweights fight that many men over 220 ?
It doesn't prove that Carnera was "the best" or even "one of the best" SHWs against SHWs.

 

Riddick Bowe was a better fighter than Primo Carnera.

Whether or not he was a better "all around" fighter is open to interpretation.

 

no No, NO! NOT THE TRUTH!!! IT HUUUUURTSS!

 

Carnera was an amazing physical specimen.
If he was around today he probably wouldn't have to take up boxing to seek a fortune (which ironically ended up in the hands of his crooked handlers).
Modern professional wrestlers command massive money, and imagine how he'd look if they put him on the drugs those guys are using.
He'd have a shot at world strongest man too, with the right training and the anabolics.
If h dedicated himself completely to physique and strength with all the modern advantages and knowledge, he'd be absolutely incredible. He bareley even tapped into his potential in those areas.

 

Are we still talking boxing? Or do you mean in an MMA or street- fight kind of way?

 

No, I'm talking boxing.

"All around fighter" could mean a number of things in boxing.
Perhaps just analysing their abilities in different departments, or the same as "complete fighter". Who's the most complete of the two ? I don't know, it's open to interpretation.
As I mentioned earlier, Riddick Bowe seems to have had a very leaky defensive game, even against some small opponents. Maybe Carnera had a better balance between offense and defense for his style.

BUT ..... If "all around" means simply who is the better fighter, the more formidable guy, the one who'd win most fights head-to-head .... I say Riddick Bowe.

 

yes most "heavyweights"do fight that number of SHWs today and 99% of them their opponents are no better than the guys Carnera beat.

no but it means Carnera deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Any Superheavyweight sized guy.

Nobody can take that away from him.

The assumption has been that Carnera only got by because he was so much bigger than everyone else, that he could not compete with "modern sized guys" but he fought enough "modern sized guys" and had an easier time knocking them out than he has ever been given credit for it.

 

True, Carnera had more than just size.

 

Bowe was way more technically sound in the pocket.
Primo was way more technically sound out of the pocket.

Bowe has a much more classic technique.
Primo had a much more unorthodox technique.

They had similar styles in combos.
Primo hit harder, but they are pretty equal in overall punching. Maybe edge to Bowe.

They both won the lineal title and defended it twice.
They both had two solid defenses, maybe edge to Primo.

Bowe fought more big men.
Primo doubled him in KOs.

I have them rated right next to each other.
Which means I consider them extremely close as fighters. And both rank fairly high in terms of greatness.

Maybe some peoples here testosterone levels were super high when they watched Bowe fight, and feel some type of way? Idk.

 

This doesn't mean anything without context. It means absolutely NOTHING. Pep had twice as many knockouts as Ray Leonard. Maybe because Carnera had 57 more fights, you know? Bowe actually had a higher knockout percentage.

 

This thread cannot be serious .. Bowe would have massacred Carnera.

 

It doesn’t matter how good your jab is, if you elect to slug it out with much smaller fighters at close range.

You have forfeited your range advantage, and cannot be considered an effective out fighter, or a fighter who makes effective use of their reach advantage.

Carnera made better use of his jab simply by virtue of the fact that he fought on the outside.

 

You believe Carnera hit harder than Bowe?

 

Bowe was happy to fight at close range because he was the best in fighter of the SHy's