Vitali all the live-long day. Bowe's career was manufactured to keep him away from punchers. He never fought a first class one, and when he did fight guys with power- Holy, Golota, Hide- he struggled. A huge, hard-punching, iron-chinned guy with skills like Vitati would have murdered him.
I love Bowe. Bowe was a great inside fighter and could box at range but Vitali is another monster all together. Vitali too active, too tough and would take Bowe out late.
Vitali stops him late. Bowe was good against fighters that came to him, but Vitali with his height, range, lateral movement, would keep Bowe on the outside for long periods. Bowe didn't have quick enough feet to do what Lewis did and cut the distance and get close enough to land, he'd have his moments but they wouldn't be enough and Vitali is too tough and sets too high a work rate.
Vitali beats Bowe but Bowe would beat Wladimir. Vitali's ability to lean back and throw thudding punches on the back foot from strange angles, especially the uppercuts, would work in his favour against Bowe who would no doubt fight fire with fire and come forward. If Vitali doesn't stop Bowe, he would outpoint him convincingly.
Vitali. Bowe was not hard to find, and Vitali was great at finding holes and varying his punch angles. Vitali was also good at punching on the move. Vitali keeps landing semi hard punches, the damage accumulates, and think he stops Bowe in the later rounds.
Funny how different opinions are in different spots of the world. We had this poll in a german boxing forum about 1-2 years ago. Even if we all know VK is very popular here, it was about 80-20 or 70-30 in favour for Bowe. V. Klitschko´s abilites are well known, but it seems to me like especially the Britons (United Kingdom) underrate a 1992 Bowe from the Holyfield fight very much. I dont know but i guess many members here are from the UK, and you dont like Bowe because what did happen with the Lewis situation. Say thank you to that Rock Newman guy, he was mostly responsible for all of what did happen back in the day. V. Klitschko fought only two guys in his whole career which are at least 6´5´´ (196cm), Lewis and Timo Hoffmann who is 6´7.5´´ (202 cm; even 1 cm taller as VK himself). V. Klitschko got hit pretty good from both guys, and with all respect but Timo Hoffmann is NOT Riddick Bowe! My fellow German maybe has a better chin as the American, but that s all. VKs defense with this leaning backwards didnt work so good against big guys, only against smaller ones. Even a 6´4´´ (194cm) C. "Sniper" Sanders was able to land good shots on him. Bowe has a very good chin, but even a greater heart and recover ability. He was down against Holyfield and multiple times against Golota, but he never quit and came back. Maybe V. Klitschko would drop him once with a little bit luck, but sooner or later Bowe would land heavy shots which would cut his face. And this would lead to a TKO win for Bowe. Hoffmann could have beaten V. Klitschko by TKO, but his punches were simply too weak, he could not cut or hurt him. Bowe counters too good. Any time V. Klitschko would land good shots, Bowe would go after him, and he definately has the size and reach to connect with him enough to hurt his weak skin. A point win for the Ukrainian is possible too, but a TKO for the American imo more likely. Even Eddie Futch stated when Bowe was 100% motivated, he was the most talented American HW he ever trained. And in 1992 vs Holyfield we saw that Bowe one time. And this Bowe would hit V. Klitschko too often and cut his face too bad.
I think Bowe is being undersold here big time. I'm a big fan of both fighters, but I think Bowe by a close/clear UD or late stoppage either on cuts or accumulation. Make no doubt about it, Vitali was a badass mothereffing monster and great fighter, the epitome of a warrior, and they are two of the greatest H2H heavyweights of all time, but Riddick Bowe at his absolute best just had another gear compared to Vitali. Great thread/hypothetical.
Bowe would win. I don't think Vitali would take him out or out point Bowe. Bowe wins by UD or cuts. That said I think Bowe is a chicken sh*t that ducked Lewis.
