Anthony Joshua vs Riddick Bowe

It’s a coinflip for me. I just favour Bowe but not with any real confidence.

 

Riddick Bowe was more completed in his boxing style.

His mental & his chin was also a lot better in the high level than AJ, his accurate uppercut and his hooks at mid range will make him very comfortable in a fantasy fight with AJ.


I'm going with Riddick Bowe by TKO in 8-9.

For me there is a difference of level here definetely.

 

True.

But Evander was great.

 

It’s nothing to do with nostagia.

It’s Bowe’s jab, inside game and confidence.

His pressure.

His aggression.

The stylistic match up would have favoured an early 90’s version of him.

AJ hasn’t done enough, nor has he got the style, in order to have been favoured.

 

Joshua didn't face many punchers himself. Old Wlad and Dubois are the only big hitters in his resume and Dubois beat him.

Moreover the era had many punchers
Wilder
Zhang
Wardley
Bakole

 

Bowe was getting demolished by Golota. If we are taking prime AJ he had as much confidence as Bowe. Bowe's pressure and aggression don't help him since he has terrible defense. I would wager that AJ can hit much harder than Golota. If Bowe gets too aggressive he will be knocked out. He was almost knocked down against Golota multiple times.

 

Dubois and Ruiz

 

Whyte had knockout power
As did Povetkin
Helenius too

 

I think Prime AJ is somewhere between Martin and Povetkin. We all know he didn't take Ruiz seriously.

 

No, Joshua was still in his prime against Usyk, in both fights. He didn't show any form of decline until the moment Dubois splattered him, and Dubois beats any version of aj. An aggressive power puncher about the same size as aj that isn't compromised with cement feet, he was never going to win that

 

I go with Bowe.

 

No fighter is perfect.

Every fighter has flaws/a tough stylistic opponent.

Bowe wasn’t unbeatable. But he was more skilled. More fluid.

His inside game was great.

He performed bad against Golota, but Golota was a capable fighter, and Bowe had diminished then, hence his retirement.

No, we can’t just say that Bowe’s aggression would have lead to him being knocked out.

You’re making a huge assumption that he could have taken what was in Bowe’s arsenal.

We’ve seen the Ruiz and Dubois fights.

AJ is very vulnerable under pressure, and even when he was young there were question marks about his stamina.

For me, AJ would have had a very realistic chance of winning, but Bowe would have been favoured due the stylistic match up.

I have no real issue with you picking Bowe.

The issue that I had with you, was that you claimed that anyone picking Bowe, is biased/nostalgic.

Now that is a completely unfair claim.

I suspect that most people would have favoured Bowe.

 

Yeah I would say AJ prime lasted till Uysk 2. Then he slipped off.

 

I thought Usyk 2 or Wlad performance were his best night's. V Usyk 2, he'd have likely beaten any other current heavyweight in my opinion. I do wonder if knowing that was his apex, the best he could be and it still wasn't enough impacted further on his undoubted mental fragility?

 

Well, his meltdown after the fight says it all. He was crushed. Second biggest meltdown I've seen in the ring.