Better all round fighter Max Schmeling or Riddick Bowe?

Max

 

What does it even mean at this point? P4P? Then Max clearly. In terms of skills? Max again, Bowe was weak defensively. H2H? Then Riddick's size comes to party.

 

I don't think there is much in it,but I'd bet heavily on Bowe to beat Max.

 

I'd put it this way - Schmeling was better fighter overall but Bowe would probably beat him H2H due to his size advantage. Max didn't have experience of fighting much bigger elite fighters.

 

Skills wise, Schmeling.

H2H probably Bowe because of his size. That's a big chunk o' change.

 

Schmeling was definitely the better all round fighter, though Bowe might well beat him.

 

Schmeling was a better all round technician, and a more versatile fighter.

Schmeling was a defensive counter puncher, who could box and punch, albeit with a Eurocentric style.

Bowe was outstanding at doing a couple of things, but had significant holes in his game.

 

Likewise, I'd bet heavily on Bowe, but with only what I could afford to lose. Max causing an upset would be playing on my mind, until Bowe's hand was raised in victory.

 

h2h I would favor Bowe. Too big and modern, but Schmeling consistently fought better opposition than Bowe and deserves to be ranked higher historically. skill wise both had strengths and weaknesses that are well documented.

 

Can't add much to this thread. Max was the more skilled operator, but he wouldn't be considered a HW today so it's an unfair comparison.

Bowe really wasn't that great a HW. He couldn't fight on the outside with any degree of consistency, couldn't fight on the backfoot, had trouble closing mobile fighters down and always took a ton of punishment on the inside. He basically needed shorter fighters to come forward on him and use his superior size, strength and punch resistance to outduke them in the trenches. In that respect (and for a very limited period) he excelled, but it quickly took its toll, both on his career and on his health.

 

Nice analysis. Bowe often gets the kid glove treatment. His glossy record is deceiving.

 

He was pretty dirty as well. There were a bunch of fights where Bowe could easily have been DQ'd, like Mathis whom Bowe struck when he was already down (Roy Jones was DQ'd around the same time for the exact same thing) and Pier Coetzer, where Bowe landed about 1000 low blows. Or Elijah Tillery, which was somehow a DQ for Tillery even though Bowe started the exchange after the bell and Bowe's manager leapt over the ring apron to attack his opponent. That's why I didn't have much sympathy when Golota came around.

 

bingo. I'm always saying it, Bowe was dirty. You just named the 3 prime examples, Coetzer, Mathis, Tillery, not to mention often fight after the bell or even the cheap shots landed on Donald at the press conference. I had 0 pity for him after Golota, I clearly believe he wanted out of the the first bout and was lucky golota was a moron with no heart in the rematch and duplicated his performance.