Berbick was expected to lose to Tyson and Holmes too and that didn't pan out too well for him. Just because he sprung a couple of upsets doesn't mean we should start to think he'd suddenly beat all and sundry. Do you think he might spring one against the likes of a Marciano? Page and Bowe are both big men with two arms and two legs. They are quite different fighters tho. Yes, that's probably right. I wouldn't call it a crossroads fight. Berbick had just beat the #4 ranked heavyweight in the world. That;s not crossroads for me. Bowe was ordinary by the time he fought Golota. Suddenly he comes in at 250+. Even prior to the last victory over Holyfield he had started to slack it. He was missing that x factor to be a true great (determination and dedication more than anything) and wasn't cut out for longevity. At his best tho he was one helluva heavyweight. I can't see Berbick winning, he fits right into Bowe's wheelhouse. The best Bowe would be too much.
Riddick Bowe would have beaten Trevor Berbick up over the course of winning a decision. Berbick's toughness and spoiling, roughhouse style sees him to the final bell.
I wouldn’t go so far as ordinary. Holyfield did not ordinarily get knocked out around the time Bowe did that to him just one fight before the beating Golota gave him. Previous to this Bowe looked very good beating the unbeaten giant Cuban Luis Gonzalez. yes Riddick was a helluva fighter in one or two fights where he had physical advantages..but in physically untidy fights he could be quite ordinary. I remember bouts with Elijah Tillery, Pierre Coetzer, Herbie Hide And Mathis Junior right within his prime where he really was not performing like a great fighter at all. sloppy ordinary fare of Greg Page Level. And for that nobody should rule Berbick out against him
So you think that Bowe just wasn't that good and Golota was better? Eddie Futch is on record talking about when it all started to go wrong for Bowe among other things. Maybe he lacked insight into what was going on under his nose. Trying to minimize Bowe's victories over Holyfield to sheer physical advantages is quite frankly extraordinarily weak particularly given you are the one starting agenda laden threads on poundage differences not mattering. Sure Bowe had his struggles and sloppy moments. Numerous others did too. Holmes was dropped hard against Renaldo Snipes of all people and went life and death with Mike Weaver right at his peak. Joe Louis was dropped by multiple people and was being outpointed by a light heavyeight for 12 rounds. Marciano was dropped by a light heavyweight. I never see you take much notice of any of this, quite the opposite really. Never a dull moment with you chok.
I think Bowe was a good enough to beat Holyfield when he beat him. I don’t think he was as good as he had been when he lost to Holyfield I think Evander had declined when Bowe beat him in the rubber match...then he meets Golota who offered different stylistic issues. I think the physical advantages were a big part of it. Do you think Bowe ever would have beaten Evander if they were the same size? Evander was still looking for his first real fight with a world level modern heavyweight who was coming to win when Bowe beat him. You could say Riddick was the first one to come along, but it just as easily could have been Lewis. Bowe proved he was a level above old timers like Larry and George and the reluctant Douglas but it could easily have been Lewis proving he was a level above. Bowe got there first. And it was kind of similar for Bowe. Beating Evander only meant he could beat a great built up cruiserweight. Beating up on has beans like Furguson and Dokes was not proving he was ready for somebody like himself. He never fought Lewis. Then he winds up losing to the guy he beat (Holyfield). Lewis on the other hand beats Ruddock, Tucker and Bruno, albeit before McCall wiped him out. But those three represented a test against a man of similar ilk to himself. Bowe never got that until Golota came along. yeah Marciano was knocked down by a lightheavyweight. He probably was lucky to get a decision over Lastarza and Ted Lowrey. Holmes was decked by Snipes...and Louis was beaten by Schmeling. All fighters have weakness. And this includes Bowe and the rest of the super sized guys.
