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

Evening Magoo my old friend :good

I know you think I'm purely hating on VITLAY with this one....bear in mind I was one of the only so-called haters that didn't pick Peter in VITLAYS comeback fight. I flat out don't like the guy I'll admit that but as a Lewis fan I'm not exactly in Bowes corner either, but I do appreciate how good a fighter he was in his prime, and I don't see anything from VITLAY that could overcome that. Just my opinion, it's not right or wrong because it'll never be proven one way or the other.

When VITLAY gets in a life or death war with an ATG and comes out victorious like Bowe did with Holyfield, then I'll consider it but pitty patting obese American heavies to death just doesn't shout greatness to me I'm afraid.

 

I know this sounds strange but people need to watch the Lewis - Vitali fight with the sound off. Lamply and Foremans commentary is woeful, start to finish.

I challange anyone here to watch that fight with the sound off, come back and tell me they watched the same fight.

Lewis hardly ever takes a backwards step and even when rocked is throwing, and landing, some heavy bombs of his own.

Try it, you'll be surprised.

 

Bingo. The same thing happened in the Byrd fight, Byrd wouldn't fall over and started coming on strong, so VITLAY quit. Shameful how the VITLAY fans still keep making excuses for that one but excuses are what the Klit fans do best I'm afraid :nut

 

It wasn't as one sided as the VITLAY fans would have you think, for sure. It's only round 1 that separates them, and in round 1 not much happened, it could have gone either way. 3-3 wouldn't have been unreasonable but guess what? It doesn't matter because Lewis beat the man down so bad he couldn't continue, and the scorecards were irrelevent :yep

 

The reality is, Vitali was in two fights that tested his stamina. He quit once and was absolutely mutilated in the other. It's easy to fight 12 rds against 10th rate club fighters but what we know for sure is, when the going gets tough, Vitali loses.

 

Thats a great avatar btw Fighting Weight ^ ^

Vitali had more gas in the tank IMO because he recovered about 30 secs after taking Lewis' best shot and started returning with interest and it was Lewis hanging on, at the end of the round Lewis just about broke the chair he fell on it so hard.

That was one of the worst cuts seen in the ring in modern times and Vitali fought hard the whole way so he proved his guts to me at least, I would cheer for Lewis any day against a Klit, Ive been a big fan since the early-mid 90s and he wasnt getting his dues from the US fans.
Ive been a nuthugger from way back

Anyway this Vit vs Lewis has been done many times before I expect and Bowe was an excellent fighter for a couple of years, but he wasnt great defensively and he took a lot of punishment from Holyfield which frankly I cant see VK doing, and Lewis didnt either (although more to due to Lewis's conservatism and Holy rocked him good in the 3rd)

Ive said enough on this and both guys could perhaps be ranked close, although it appeared to me beforehand that this was travesty that Bowe should be up with him. Bowe never fought anyone like VK who is hardly Jorge Luis Gonzalez, but I guess VK hasnt anyone with exactly Bowe's skillset

 

I really don't know where to start with that post. Watch the fight again, Lewis was hanging on? Really? Watch it again, VITLAY was the one hanging on, for dear life.

Please don't resort to the "Lewis sat down hard on his stool" **** either, it's embarrassing.

 

Yep, 100% accurate. I'm sure VITLAY will retire a very healthy man with few scars from his ring career and he'll have a wonderful percentage of rounds won and all that **** the Klit-ites like to claim, but as you say the fact is when he got into a real fight, he lost. The same can't be said of many other ATG heavies, and that's why he fails head to head against guys like Bowe, Lewis, Tyson, Holy, Ali, Frazier, Foreman etc etc etc.

 

Well, I guess that's fair.

To clarify my position, I once posted the very same criticisms that you often do, but after hearing them over and over again, I suppose I started feeling sorry for the guy.... I do credit Vitali and his brother for being in very good shape and beating many of the top contenders that are available ( though they are not much to speak of. )

Vitali does have a good chin, good punch, good conditioning, and reasonably good boxing skills... For whatever its worth, he's also an intelligent and well mannered guy.. These are rare traits at this day and age.... I wish him the best, even though I do miss the days of Larry Holmes, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, Riddick Bowe and a prime Holyfield......Ah the old days........

 

TBH I had enough of this debate, its been done a ton of times, I havent seen the fight for a few months but my memory was quite clear that despite VK taking that huge uppercut, he was bringing the fight to Lewis after he had recovered, Ill watch again later.

Having a cut that size will tend to fatigue you faster than usual :hey

 

Lewis won the fight, and won it fairly..... I won't argue against it... He fought as well as he could given the circumstances, and no one can argue differently with any degree of integrity... I have no problem with the outcome.... The better man prevailed......Period......

 

I mute the commentary as a matter of course, usually