Which heavyweight champion avoided the most top contenders ?

I'm not saying Bowe was a good champion, because he wasn't. However there have been worse.

Fact. David Haye has not fought in the same class as Bowe at heavyweight.

David Haye. Worst heavyweight champ EVER!

 

Jack Dempsey.

He avoided Harry Wills and other black fighters.

 

Haye is an unfinished work so too early rank him (although he seems not to be much)..

I give Bowe credit for Holy. But cracksmokin' Bert Cooper? No, not much. Thomas had lost 3 of 4 coming into his meeting with Bowe, his last fight being a loss to the great Mike Hunter! And the next fight after Bowe took 8 to stop him, Tommy Morrison stopped him in 1. And speaking of Morrison? That is just laughable. Tommy Morrison was dangerous but Tim Morrison is the guy Bowe met... not so much. Maybe you are confused. Biggs was shot. Dokes was a ghost, absolutely shot beyond belief. Golota beat him both times except for his foul propensity, effectively ended Bowe's career with the beatings he delivered. Not even the most ardent Bowe fanatic would argue anything good came of those fights.

 

I did mention that most of these guys were past it. My point was that Bowe did fight ranked, big name fighters - even if they were shot and past it or even just plain rubbish, win, lose or stink the place out Bowe fought them.

David Haye has npt fought anything like the number of bums Bowe took on at heavyweight. And he won't because he's retiring before end of 2011.

Come 2012 and David Haye will officially have the weakest heavyweight reume of any heavyweight champion. Therefore....

David haye. Worst heavyweight champion EVER. (read this in the voice of comic book guy from Simpsons)

 

Haye stinks but theoretically he has time to correct that.

Bowe's story is written in stone.

Tommy Burns also faced a bunch of sparring partners.

 

Without reading any posts yet I'll say Jack Dempsey & Riddick Bowe.

Dempsey wouldn't fight the top black fighters of his day.

Riddick Bowe famously ducked Lennox Lewis but he also didn't fight most of the top Heavys period. Lewis, Moorer, Morrison, Rudduck, Tyson, etc. The list goes on.............

It's a shame too because with the exception of Lewis I think he would've beaten them all.

 

With the exception of Lewis, I think he could have beaten any one of them, but not all of them. Hindsight proved him to be fragile. A few more fights and he falls apart. A match with an iron-jawed Mercer would have hastened this decline quickly.

 

But if Evander Holifield had thrown a belt in the garbage rather than face a tough challenge, well, we would look to see if there is a pattern in his personal life as well - And Riddick 'Chicken' Bowe has a lifetime of professional and personal cowardice

 

I disagree - but only because I dont think Haye should really be recognised as a world champion

 

really? maybe in your dreams? morrison knocked bowe out in the training, they never fought. he faced the bum tony morrison, not tommy morrison

 

Ant body consider Corbett in light of my earlier post, he went FIVE years with no real defense and avoided a host of good contenders, Jackson, Goddard, Slavin, Maher and Fitz (for as long as he could). Nobody tops that surely?

 

As you well know, putting the belt in mothballs and going on theatrical tours/exhibitions was the norm in those days. Still, he took it to extremes and missed fighting a lot of good heavies.

 

My mistake! Wrong Morrison. Sorry Tommy!

Not suprised Tommy decked Bowe in training.I Never rated Bowe, he failed to deliver on his potential big time. Still he probably had enough to outgun David Haye.

David Haye. Worst Heavyweight Champion EVER!

 

I agree 100%. Bowe's style of taking 2 punches to land 1 isn't designed for longevity......................

 

Mike Weaver...

He almost never fought!