Does Riddick Bowe fit in amongst the top 20 ATG'S?

I agree with that. Patterson is more like top 25-30, just ahead of Riddick Bowe.

 

There seems to be 2 schools of thought on Bowe:-

A) A really talented fighter who only produced his best for a very short period (Holyfield) and who is a H2H problem for anyone in history.

B) An average fighter who was just a bad match-up for Holyfield and never proved anything beyond that trilogy. In addition to this he ducked Lewis as he knew would lose to him and WASN'T shot when getting outboxed by Golota (it was less than a year after he beat Holyfield).

Personally I'm in the 1st group, but not to the extent that I'd have him in my top 20.

 

overlooking your opponent and being out of shape does not equate to being a done fighter.

he knew what to expect the second time around showed up in shape and the result was the same.

 

Exactly. Many people forget that Bowe came into the second fight in great shape and he already knew what to expect.

 

I'm a bit in between those.

I DO think Holyfield was a good matchup for him, but at the same time, Holyfield beat him fair and square in the rematch. Whether Bowe was in shape or not, that's his own fault and goes AGAINST him. In the third match, Holyfield was having his way until his heart gave in and he could only throw 20 punches a round. Joe Cortez even said that he was an inch away from stopping the fight after the Bowe knockdown, but Holyfield didn't do anything. Rightfully so... look at the tape.. Bowe was out of there.

He wasn't completely "shot" when Golota destroyed him, but not in peak condition either. Again, it's his own fault he wasn't in shape. And it was only 4 years after his peak fight. Too little longetivity and a thin resume besides one great win. Top25, i'd say, maybe #20 at best.

 

That makes Golota top 15 right?

 

You contradicted yourself there amigo

 

This is revisionist history, and debatable. As is well known, Dempsey signed and wanted to fight Wills, Rikard and Kearns scuttled the fight. As for Greb, he was a middleweight who would have been destroyed by a prime Dempsey - basically another Johnson-Ketchell situation.

Dempsey has become sorely underrated by boxing fans in the 30 years I've been following the sport. When people who actually SAW him were still around, he routinely was ranked at the top - some even had him ahead of Joe Louis.

 

How so?

 

Your good post there was negated by the fact you had Bowe 3 places below Lewis as an all time heavy!!!

Looking at it now, even you can't think that's right can you!?!? Perhaps you think Lewis is so overrated that you underrate him to even the difference.

 

:goodgreat post

 

I'd put Riddick in the top 25 probably AT number 25.

 

Yeesh McGrain take out his big ole boxing brain ... and slaps someone around with it !

 

Top 100 for sure! lol