If both retired today who is ranked higher Riddick Bowe or Vitali K?

Vitali K 39-2 WBO and WBC champion

Riddick Bowe 43-1 undisputed champion and WBO champion

 

Bowe. He actually defeated an ATG in his prime. What has VK done? Ohhh, thats right, he stopped Arreola :yep:nut

 

Bowe has the beter resume and was linear and undisputed champ. Vitali on the other hand was also recognized as the man but was neither linear nor undisputed and had a great comeback.

I think Bowe should edge it. Neither is Top20 imho.

 

Vitali, Bowe has a short prime

 

I already feel as if Bowe is retired hasn't it been like 2 years since his comeback fight? in any case I feel Vitaly is head and shoulders above Bowe...

 

It is interesting considering how much praise Vitali gets and Bowe is simply brushed off as an overhyped guy with little skills who only beat an ATG because of the stylistic matchups, yet he only lost one fight in his entire career and currently has more fights than Vitali.

 

Vitali because he had the balls to get in the ring with Lennox, sorry couldnt resist.

Vitali is going up in my estimation, hes just so dominant, even if the competition isnt great, there are good fighters that just cant win a round against him. Bowes competition Holyfield aside was pathetic and worse than Vitalis. He arguably lost to Tubbs and got beat into retirement by a B Class fighter.

Vitali is horrible to watch, but hes so effective, hard to hit, and a very high workrate. Hes Monzonesque in what he does

Obviously Bowe has the 2 great Holyfield wins and hes better to watch

Depends what you go for really

 

Its pretty close. I think the difference is two fold. Vitali was a bit more active and consitant as champion, and does not have any controversial wins. Some felt ( not me ) that Bowe was lucky to defeat Tubbs. Bowe was lucky to Golota was a foul prone dirty fighter, otherwise he losses twice.

Bowe would not fight Lewis. Lewis would not re-match Vitali.

 

Yep, Vitali is very good but he just lacks the resume to be up there with the best or even with someone like Bowe. Even here in classic you will see people having Vitalin in their Top15. Ahead of guys like Wallcot, Schmeling, Langford, Wills, Bowe or even his brother. I just can't see something like that. Hell I think Sam McVey has arguments to rank higher - I said he has arguments not that I do so.
I admire both Klitschkos. I'm from Germany so I was able to follow their whole career from the very beginning. I like them. They are both very, very good fighters and great persons but they were unlucky to fight in a very weak era and so lack what made others great.

 

@ powerpuncher
Do you think getting in the ring with Holyfield two more times, especially after the intial war they went through, shows any lack of sack on Bowe's part?

 

I thought Bowe beat Tubbs as well, but people forget Tubbs was a pretty dam good fighter only losing to Spoon and Tyson at the time, and Bowe was still somewhat green and some 8 or 9 fights away from fighting for the title.
Comparably speaking, maybe the first time Vitali fought anyone on the skill level of Tubbs was when he lost his WBO title to Chris Byrd?

 

Vitali has said he is retiring this year. With that being said, he is probably going to fight two more at the the most. Haye and a bum or vice versa. I don't think that's enough to leapfrog Bowe in my opinion if he beats Haye and someone else.

 

Bowe.

His first win over a prime Holyfield is way better than losing on cuts to an old Lewis.

 

What fighters say and do are often different. Vitali might say he's retiring to lure Valuev to a fight now, and Haye to a fight later.

What amazes me is Vitali looked great vs. Arreola a few months ago, but had a bad style match up vs. Johnson who basically was in the ring to survive. In a few months span, the same guy who looked brilliant vs. Arreola, is not older? Not buying it. If the fight happenes, I predict Vitali will look great whack Valuev like a pineta until he gives in. I also think he will TKO Haye early as soon as he lands a solid punch.