I know you don't like this kind of conjecture, but imo Holy never beat Bowe. I didn't see any kind of consummate win in that 2nd fight (in fact, I have Bowe ahead by two). Holy worked very hard and Bowe was out of shape, but even forgetting the benefit of a doubt normally accorded a champion I feel Bowe did more than enough to win. I'd be surprised if anyone felt Holyfield aced that second fight, at best it was close (which I agree with, however still with Bowe decidedly ahead). A not terrible, however inaccurate, decision. Just me.
Well you are entitled to that opinion. Holyfields win was certainly not a domination and was spoilt with the fan man incident. Bowe won the series anyway, so he comes out on top overall I accept that much. It’s just for Bowe to be as good as Holyfield he has to be wiping the floor with him each time and he never did. because Bowe is in reality the next size up. A different species of heavyweight to Evander. It’s like Joey Maxim winning a series against Robinson. Nobody should think he’s better than Robinson. He’s just the better light-heavyweight. And if Robinson was to win a bout against him, that is against Maxim. Seems like Bowe is the only guy who gets kudos for this. Bowe should have been doing to Evander what Frazier did to Bob Foster. Or what Tyson did to Spinks. I still think, even then, Larry Holmes was a better heavyweight than the Bowe that Evander fought. So I believe Micheal Spinks deserves a chance against Bowe, a guy whose record is defined by just one other guy he he had to fight over a series. who he had every possible physical advantage over.
Spinks would never be lured into a slugfest with Bowe as Evander was. Spinks had a superior boxing brain and would know he’d have little chance of staying with Bowe if he laid inside with him and got hit with the uppercut and that looping/clubbing overhand right. His defense was much better than Holyfield’s. I’m using Holyfield as he like Spinks was the smaller man who had some success and some failure vs Bowe. Michael knew exactly how to fight at the weight, he knew his strengths and his limitations. Bowe is a big strong guy. But he’s also a bit of a heavy footed plodder. He never threw the right hand strait it was always looping and winging over the top. He’s not fast like Tyson nor does he have that one punch power. Cornering Spinks would be much more difficult for Bowe. And landing that looping big right behind his jab will be challenging as well as Spinks keeps a great high guard and takes his opponents jab away with very effective head movement and head faints. His feints were extremely effective vs Holmes. Tony Tubbs who is known to be a bit “Chinny” and susceptible to being stopped early on occasion had no problems boxing well against Bowe and never being hurt (other than briefly in round 1) Many think he deserved the decision over Bowe and this was a Tubbs who’d seen his best days already. Once again Spinks because of the demo job Tyson did on him always get underrated in these h2h matchups. His awkwardness, his speed, his amazing conditioning and his very high boxing IQ give Spinks a good chance against Bowe who isn’t particularly fast or graceful in there. Bowe was most successful vs Holy when Evander laid inside with him. When Holy used movement effectively Bowe was a step behind him. Bowe had a good jab, Holmes had a better jab Spinks just took it away. I love how Holmes was so shot vs Spinks but later on an even older Holmes jabbed unbeaten Ray Mercer’s head off and bothered Champion Evander Holyfield with his jab as well. Spinks’s defense is being massively underrated here. Unless Bowe hurts him badly and clubs him outa there early I think Spinks will outbox, out think and out point Bowe. Spinks by Decision.
Imo the most of cruisers who became HWs champions are a bit overrated. Except Holy. Waiting to see Usyk...
Spinks would never be lured into a slug fest with Bowe. No, he'd just get knocked out like he did Tyson...maybe a few rounds later. All respect to everyone here, but the idea of 1992 Bowe getting beat by, say, a 1986 -1988 Spinks is entertaining to me. NOTHING Spinks ever did points the way to his victory. Michael was not an ATG heavy, Bowe was (despite the fact that the latter ranks in the top 20...Spinks ain't ANYwhere near even there).
If Bowe had never fought an older past his prime Tony Tubbs you would probably say that it would be “entertaining” to think that Tubbs could beat Riddick Bowe yet Riddick Bowe never put a dent in Tony and many thought he beat Bowe, yet a year later Lionel Butler Starched Tubbs with one punch in one round!!! What Tyson did to Spinks would not be what Bowe could do to Spinks. Just like what Tyson did to Tubbs was not what Bowe did to Tubbs. ‘88 Tyson was a monster!! Tell me who Riddick Bowe fought that reminds you of Michael Spinks, let’s debate this a little bit. Listen I’m not saying Riddick Bowe couldn’t knock him out, he absolutely could I’m just saying Bowe was a heavy footed, slow plodder, who looped all his punches, that’s not the best recipe to beat an awkward, fast, highly conditioned mover like Spinks. Yes Bowe can knock him out, but how many times is Bowe going to hit him flush with those looping punches is my question.
I think Bowe wins a competitive decision. You are right, Bowe always throws the overhand and not the straight right hand.That is why I think this goes to a decision. However, Bowe had a good jab, and was a superior infighter to Holmes. Spinks excelled on the Inside against Larry.
I didn't mean what I wrote above facetiously in the least. So I find it entertaining...big deal. Ain't hurtin' anybody and if someone feels it is, they need to find a new hobby. All Bowe has to do is land flush once. A well-past-his prime Holmes....every time he landed flush on Spinks (at least three times in the first fight, and I counted seven in the second) Spinks was hurt. Bowe hit a lot harder than Larry and, in the 1992 version, wasn't far away from his speed. More succinctly, if Holmes landed flush on Spinks then Bowe would. Herbie Hide wasn't entirely different from Spinks (he hit harder than Michael though, no doubt), also Holyfield wasn't altogether different (though of course Holy was about ten times the fighter Hide woulld ever be, and ten times the heavyweight Spinks was). It would be yet another example of a good big man beating a good little man. Spinks goes out a bit like Herbie Hide...running around until Bowe starts landing. Then the canvas-bouncing begins. To be honest and I do mean this with respect and regard, I'm surprised you didn't think of Holy when you mentioned heavies like Spinks. Far from a carbon copy, the two shared certain idiosyncracies in forms. Watch the two and you'll see what I mean.
Because Spinks wasn't as good as Holyfield. Holyfield didn't struggle with Foreman Holmes Dokes Bean Douglas Stewart Oquendo Mercer What's Spink's status at heavyweight based on ? Two razor thin decisions against an old Holmes.A washed up Cooney, and a never was Tangstaad! In shape Bowe stops Spinks without too much difficulty.
I agree with so much of this but... Holy did struggle with Larry in the first part of the fight. Larry both caught him with rights coming in and (at least early on) seemed to be expertly defending himself on a level that really underscored his superior ring experience. Larry only lost the fight due to old age...Holy started kicking in in the middle rounds and Larry mysteriously backed off in the later rounds (something similar actually happened when he challenged McCall). Foreman gave him less trouble, but Holy was unmistakably in a fight. He's told umpteen interviewers that George caught him in the tenth round with a shot that had him asking his corner if all his teeth were knocked out. But then, it could be argued that Holy, like Larry after his Ali fight, typically struggled with opponents he was expected to solidly beat.
So you obviously rate Bowe’s power much better than I do. Who did Bowe one punch KO?? Since you claim he only needs to land 1 punch. You obviously think Spinks is very fragile. I also would love for you to watch both Holmes - Spinks fights again. Both fights are fun watches I never for one second thought Larry was about to stop Spinks, when he’d stun Spinks Spinks is so awkward the way he dances and walks away every time he’s in trouble is strategic not out of sheer desperation, he just does some funky things in there, The guy literally looked like he was dying between rounds every round and would come out and give it to Larry for three minutes. I do not think there is much of a gap between Holmes and Bowe in the power department. And I believe Holmes is a more accurate puncher even at his more advanced age, he definitely throws a Strait right hand and that punch is effective against Michael’s high guard and it’s a punch that Riddick doesn’t throw. Spinks is nothing like Hide or Holyfield. I’d argue Spinks isn’t really like anyone. I’d buy your argument that Holmes was a completely shot fighter against Michael if he hadn’t fought well at an even much more advanced age against top competition when given the chance. Were his Best days behind him, sure, was he shot absolutely not. Listen no one knows how these fights would turn out it’s all conjecture. I’m never emotionally involved here so never take offense to anything I say and feel free to fire away with the best you got this is all just fun for a guy sitting in his office killing time. TGIF and happy Friday the 13th!!!!
