I think the Holyfield fights (the first two) we saw Bowe close/at his prime. Had he trained more effectively he could have prolonged this prime period and imo would have had a much easier time with contenders like Golota. I always gave Lewis the edge in a potential fight but it really could have gone either way when Bowe was at his best. He could have gone down as a true great in his era alongside Lewis and Holyfield, instead he’s remembered as the guy who ducked Lewis and never quite fulfilled his potential.
A real shame to have someone with such talent just waste what should have been a great period of exciting fights in the 90’s In his prime very few fighters would be favoured over Bowe personally I’d put Lewis, Ali, Foreman and probably Holmes but Riddick would be a tough for all of these great fighters as well
Are you serious!!!! No 42 year old was ever gonna beat Evander. For reference Bowe threw about 300 more punches in his first couple of fight with Evander as Foreman did!!! Every time Holy threw a good counter against Bowe he just walked through it. Foreman got hurt, stunned, stopped in his tracks on a few occasions. Heck if Bowe got hurt consistently like Foreman did, Holyfield probably would’ve won on points! A 42 year old cannot do what a 25 year old can! Oh and Bowe would’ve given Foreman such a nasty pasting that they’d have banned 40 year olds from competing. Foreman knew this. Prime Bowe was miles better than comeback Foreman.
Whatever. Lewis got hit at will by Mercer’s jab. George Foreman by Alex Stewart’s. I don’t think Bowe was a top boxer at range like a Wlad, but he was good!
Sorry he wasn't good he always went inside and brawled giving up his height, Golota showed just how limited he was on the outside, i mean not Wilder limited but still... HTH atg I don't rate him due to his poor defense inability to fight outside.
I think this is the likeliest explanation and gets overlooked by his more obvious lack of discipline. He got knocked out 6 or 7 times in the amateurs. Jorge Luis Gonzales knocked him out badly a couple times. Evander Holyfield and Tyrell Biggs tortured a 17-18 year old Bowe in sparring and allegedly Ray Mercer beat Bowe from pillar to post in sparring at the US Olympic training facility before the 88 games. This could've contributed to promoters not wanting to sign him and his manager Rock Newman adroitly avoiding the big punchers in the HW division. The win over Holyfield in 92 maybe wasn't a promise of what was to come but rather the peak before the accumulated damage started taking its toll.
Well boxing is about playing to your strengths, so it suited Bowe to get inside and trade. And this idea that he couldn’t fight outside is a myth. He outpointed Tubbs off the jab, Donald off the jab, jabbed Holy nicely. I’ll give you that Bowe had lapses of concentration and wasn’t a top boxer at range like Wlad, but to suggest he couldn’t fight there is pure nonsense.
True boxing is about playing to your strengths and Bowe was very good inside for such a big man. But it doesn't alter the fact he wasn't that good on the outside, which when you are one of the tallest heavyweights of that era is telling, in regards to his limitations. Yeah he outpointed Tubbs, but that fight was very close and Tubbs was on the decline, though to be fair to Bowe he was pretty green. But he had height and reach over Tubbs and barely beat him. Even Wilder outboxed the smaller Stiverne, when you have every advantage to out box your smaller opponent from range it shouldn't be that big a struggle unless there are other factors like a small ring. Donald wasn't ever any good, career highlight of beating a 39 year old Witherspoon, lost to Kirk Johnson and even lost to a shot Holyfield. Plus he was very green when he fought Bowe, he hadn't even been a pro for 2 years when they fought. Out boxing an unproven prospect when you are an ex champ in their prime, should be expected. Bowe had almost every physical gift to be a good boxer from range but at best he was competent and relied heavily on his size advantage against smaller opponents to out box them. Fact is he didn't move his head enough, his jab was good but not great and he simply didn't move well which is why he so often gave up his height, partly out of choice but partly as he couldn't prevent opponents from taking it away. Which is probably why he ended up being so good on the inside, he had plenty of practice of smaller opponents getting inside as he couldn't maintain range and out of necessity learned to fight inside and use his size to be effective in close instead of at a distance.
But what you Bowe detractors ignore is that fighting inside is a genuine skill. A necessary skill. The Klitschko’s were 2 master boxers at range, but neither could fight in close. When Vitali stepped up against world class opposition, he was exposed as easy to hit. Murdered by a past prime champion. Uppercutted to pieces. Why? Because he couldn’t fight or defend himself in close. Wlad had to rely on his jab and grab, which would’ve seen him disqualified on a few occasions had he fought in the states. And your logic is silly. It doesn’t count when Bowe just about outboxed Tubbs from range because of his size advantages, but when he comfortably outbrawled Holyfield that doesn’t count because he should have used his size advantages??? It’s ridiculous. Is Bowe not allowed to play to his strengths? Donald was ok and he did actually beat the old Evander. I’m not saying he was anything special, but a disinterested Bowe beat him easily. He jabbed with him and looped some right hands from range, then ripped his body in close with hooks and uppercuts. That’s boxing skill. He outboxed his opponent! And he was only good from range because of his size advantages??? What the **** are you even saying at this point lol. Of course he was good from range because of his size. The Klitschko’s literally made careers out of that. Would they be any good if they were 5’10? **** no! Heck, Wlad and Vitali faced 3 skilled big men in their careers and were beaten a decisive 3-0. At range and inside! I agree Bowe was flawed. Not hard to hit with the jab, didn’t move his head and just looped the right hand. But line up Wlad’s 20 or so title opponents. Put them in with a 1992 Bowe. How many are beating him exactly? We both know nobody is. Wlad has a better style for longevity and if I was boxer I’d much rather fight like him than the hittable Bowe any day. But best for best I’m not convinced that Wlad was a better heavyweight. In fact, we both know that jab and grab would’ve ended badly against Bowe, the size, the uppercuts, fighting 3 minutes a round. Absolute no chance Wlad sees the final bell. Vitali, a replay of the Lewis fight, likely torn to pieces inside.
Bowe was extremely easy to hit and Wlad was a huge puncher also the bigger, stronger man something Bowe wasn't used to. Not hard to imagine Wlad taking him out. And no Bowe beating the likes of Povetkin, Thompson, etc is hardly a foregone conclusion. His entire reputation is based on beating Holyfield, what else did he do?