What Could Bowe Have Done, To Beat Tyson Or Lewis?

He’d have to shore up his defense for one. He couldn’t afford to take anywhere near as many shots from THOSE guys as he did from a lot of his other opponents. For Lewis the inside fighting game would be key. Smother Lennox and don’t let him have the comfort of range. For Tyson I’d say the opposite. Take advantage of the height and reach, though Bowe never really learned to be an outside fighter.

 

He might have tried fighting them.

Look, Bowe is overrated, period. His first win against Holy looks stellar, and no one can take it away, but there is a reason that his three best wins, Holy, Holy and Hide, are all against natural cruisers--he likes the natural weight advantage. Look what happened when he fought Golota...and mediocre guy who was the same size.

He wasn't going to get in there with Lewis, or even a Ruddock caliber big-boy.

 

He could start by putting the fork down

 

Stay in 1992. He beats both.

 

My view is thar after beating Holyfield for the title and knowing his issues with discipline he should have stayed in the gym. Kept his weight down and focused on improving.
Eddie Futch polished a diamond to cap off his career but I'm sure there was much he could still teach Bowe. The other thing he could have done is insist on fighting the best fighters.

 

Bowe would have beaten Tyson fairly easy. Tyson needs the early stoppage and Bowe was never stopped. Bowe is more capable of overpowering Tyson then Holyfield or Lennox was. Tyson would have never have taken that fight.

Bowe had a better chance against Lennox then anyone else in that era. But that doesn't mean Bowe wouldis win or should be favored.

Lennox won in amateurs but Bowe was 21 years old 220 pounds. Besides Bowe, Foreman and Moorer Lennox really did clear out the division. Bowe beat Seldon who Lennox did not. Seldon is just about the only guy in the 90s from the 5-25 range Lennox didn't beat. Seldon is just about the only guy in that range Bowe did.

Bowes resume is underrated but like Tysons its slanted towards the previous era. Pinklon, Tubbs, Jese Ferguson, Dokes, Biggs, Bert Cooper. These are fights to be used in comparisons with Tyson or even Holmes. Not Lennox. Lennox also beat Biggs and has some other wins like this. But Bowe left the scene 6 and a half years earlier then Lennox and Lennox in that time added a dozen top 25 wins, 10 title defenses and beat Holyfield and Golota. If Bowe was ahead in 95 their 3 shared fights with Golota swung the tides in Lennoxs favor and it never swung back.

If Lennox and Bowe fought 10 times Bowe should win at least 3. Lennox has a falliable chin and he was better then anyone that had previously tested it but Bowe sort of ceded this conversation to Lennox when he ended his career the way he did.

One thing I'll give Bowe over Lennox is he does better in H2Hs with other greats especially those with power. I think Lennox beats Tyson if they fought in their shared "primes" but I'm more certain Bowe would win. Bowe has a better chance of surviving the most dangerous HWs ever. But thats because whenever you compare Lennox to a great HW whose a puncher they are seen as having more then a punchers chance by default. So thats really not about Bowe.

 

Fought them...

 

Steward said he asked Futch why he didn't push for Bowe-Lennox and Futch told him he though Lenny would be too strong and technical for his fighter. I tried looking for the video but can't find it. So I don't think he can beat Lewis. Lewis has the jab, speed and power on Bowe.

I kind of think Tyson-Bowe is a 50-50, possibly leaning to Bowe post prison. If Bowe pushes Tyson back, it takes his punch away. I think it could be a Hagler Hearns type of war. 1 of Tyson's advantage is he made his height an advantage by getting into positions that gave him better leverage thaan his opponent.

 

He could but I would probably lean to them.

Best chance is the jab and workrate against Tyson and try land big on Lennox inside.

 

Hard to figure Bowe was dominated by Golota but then Golota looked so bad against Tyson and Lewis. Meanwhile Tyson was decisively beaten by Holyfield twice yet Bowe beat Holyfield 2 out of 3 and stopped him in 3rd fight. So hard to figure how good Bowe really was.
I think hes similar in size and ability to Lewis just not as good in any area. He could try to jab and fight from outside Lewis not used to fighting someone like this who is as big or bigger. Bowe also fought well for a big man inside. He might try that but Lewis might just tie him up as he did Tyson.
Against Tyson he could be in more trouble than he was against Holyfield cause Mike will be trying to get him out of there early with HR punch. He has to keep him on the end of the jab and hit him with rights with all his power to slow Tysons attack. Make it a war of attrition Tyson tended to weaken in late rounds.

 

I think there was a short timeframe when his odds woudl be optimized against both.