He didn't look like the Bowe of the first Holy (who still was too easy to hit, of course) but he ended up knocking the bejesus out of both Hide and Holy III. Granted, had just started his decline at the time. Bowe lands flush within six and AJ gives up after one too many barrages. No disrespect meant to AJ fans, it might be just me who has a serious problem with how AJ ended the first Ruiz fight. I lost respect for him (though I never thought he was too great to begin with, just my opinion).
AJ just hasn't proven his chin or heart imo. Off topic, but I think Wilder knocks him cold with one of the first flush punches. If Ruiz can make him quit....Andy Ruiz ain't Bowe.
Bowe no doubt about it. The Bowe of the first Holyfield fight knocks Joshua out, but not after getting hurt a few times along the way though. Bowe in 9 for me.
Prime (first Holy) Bowe would have caught and finished Hide quicker imo. The Hide/Bowe was in a state of decline. Even Rodrigues did waaay better at the time than he would have against Holy-Bowe I. Bowe had everything in the first Holy fight...except an unwillingness to get hit less. I'm guessing getting hit so much is why he went in decline so quickly (besides the verifiable laziness and lack of motivation after he won the title). I put the motivated Holy/Bowe I up against (and possibly beating) more than a couple of the ATGs above him, even in their prime. He just didn't see to care enough about his career to employ the defensive moves Futch had for him. I don't know if it was his Ali fixation or what, but at times he seemed to want to get hit. A very bizarre career, especially when one considers what (or what wasn't) motivating him after winning the lineal title. I still can't see Joshua beating Bowe. Ruiz made him quit, and Bowe was capable of punches that powerful. He also had a FAR better jab. Though Joshua can be an excellent puncher, I can't see him dropping or stopping Bowe, and I don't see him as good enough to use tactics like Holy did to (disputably) beat him in the second fight (I say disputably because I had Bowe ahead two points in that fight). Just my opinion.
You must mean Ruiz. No way Bowe gets beat by Andy. Bowe might get knocked down, but he had a far better jab and uppercut than AJ ever has. I'm biased, because I'm a big admirer of the early Bowe. But even I have him down to #15 on my ATG list of heavyweights, below Tyson, Lewis, Holy, and Liston. He just didn't do enough long enough.
I think it comes down to who can take it better and for that reason Bowe for me. Bowe was a big,strong heavyweight who had a good chin. Joshua is a big,strong heavyweight but I dont see him taking shots as well as Bowe. Add to the fact that nobody ever knocked Bowe out and truthfully Joshua is not really mobile you have a senario where a Bowe stoppage at some point is going to happen.
