The Same Larry Holmes who fought Mercer at 42 would not fight Hide & Donald ? Foreman probably would not fight them Holmes would if you paid him.
I agree. I think Bowe is a little underrated. He's presently my #16 all-time heavyweight, though that can and has shifted.
Larry Holmes fought Mercer who is a class above Donald and Hide They both fought Holifield and George fought Moorer - better than Donald or Hide
Bowe had a very good career. Not a top10 career. But a good one. Top20 or 30. It still remains that Holyfield is his only great win, and it was avenged on him. He also faded VERY fast, and his resume is thin in that it is woefully incomplete. You have the good journeyman, the prospects, the contenders, then the win over the great fighter and the beginning of the title reign. This is the first step to greatness, and alone deserves to be well regarded and it is. But he loses his title after defending it against the two journeyman to the man he took it from, looks poor overpowering the man in a third fight where his foe is in dubious condition, and then, taking on his most formidable foe other than Holyfield, despite winning by DQ, is trounced twice. He had good wins after losing his title, but he never was great again. Great for one or two nights does not an ATG make. It does make him a very good transitional champion, a talented fighter and a h2h handful. His career up through Holyfield 1 is why he's highly regarded. What happens after is extremely mediocre, keeps him from true greatness, and makes most of what he has potential, rather than results. Bowe is as much coulda as did.
He gets overlooked which is a shame.He was poorly managed and should have sorted it out.In 92/93 it looked like he was going to have a long and prosperous career,it would have been hard to imagine back then that Bowe would be a forgotten man come 2011. He should have fought Lewis in 93,he would have beaten Lewis back then.Had that happened it would have set his career on the right path. As it is apart from the Holy fights he has a pretty poor record.Dokes,Fergerson,Hide,Donald and then the Golota fights.It should have come to so much more.People overlook him rather than underrate him,I dont think his ability was ever in doubt its just that he never used it.When talking about Bowe its always what could have been.
he deserved to underatted with his lack of dedication. if he got his act together he would be up there with the best