If both retired today who is ranked higher Riddick Bowe or Vitali K?

Funny how Bowe would be the one that couldn't handle 'exchanging' with a big heavyweight. The only time I ever saw VITLAY 'exchanging' with a big heavyweight he was cut to pieces after 3 rounds and dead on his feet and a KO waiting to happen after 6 rounds. VITLAY looks great for 12 rounds against guys that he can dominate, but we've all seen what happens to him when he's in a real fight :yep

 

I agree with that, but it wasnt hard to make Golota quit (comparitively speaking) , you just had to give back as good as you got
I dont think prime Golota would beat up VK like that, hes not that different to Arreola, better jab maybe
It wasn't as one-sided as people make out, I got the feeling Golota fouled out because Bowe was hanging tough and had hurt him, after being dominated early

I dont agree that Byrd and Lewis made VK quit, the first I dont really hold against him, he was dominating the fight and it was perhaps a practical decision to withdraw and not stuff up his shoulder longer-term. It depends on your views wether a "quit" is a quit or if there mitigating circumstances sometimes. Its not like he quit because he was overwhelmed.
We know VK does not lack heart after seeing him vs Lewis, he was TKO'd , he was very far from quitting as he felt Lewis was about to go in the next round or two.
Im a huge Lewis fan but I cant disagree with him there.

 

I think it was just his caucasian sharp facial features that let him down there, he was showing a lot of heart in my opinion and I think finished the fight stronger than Lewis. When Lewis summoned up the energy for that hellacious uppercut and it didnt slow VK down for long, that was all he had left pretty much.
He won by stoppage fair and square but VK was fresher IMO

 

At one point, I would have ( and actually have ), tried to approach this kind of debate with some level of objectivity and an open mind. But, no matter what one does, there are always going to be those who favor one fighter so heavily and prejudicially over the other, that there is really no point.....

Here is my position.......

1. Was Vitali Klitschko a very good fighter?...... Yes..

2. Was Riddick Bowe a very good fighter?...... Yes..

3. Could Either man have beaten the other? ......Yes..

4. Would it have been competitive either way?....Yes...


Now, here are the kinds of responses that you get from others here.....

1. Would Vitali have beaten Riddick?....Yes, he'd beat the **** out of the man who Golata made a ***** of...,

Or

2. Would Riddick have beaten Vitali?... Sure, any man who pussed out against Chris Byrd, would be easy pickings for Bowe.

There is no balance here anymore....

 

Yeah there is, I havent read the whole thread, but its full of good points IMO, some are just put forth more dogmatically than others which I guess does not read well. Maybe Im a bit guilty of that this time.
Its better to let the argument speak for itself rather than being hypo about it which is where this forum is so great, that and the knowledge and old-timers lurking around.

 

True,

I guess, I'm just getting irritated with the more negative ones..

 

Good post.

I believe whichever way you see them, on a ATG HW list they'd only be a couple of places apart.

 

Nope: just what will probably happen, which is all we can know with these things.

So net fights in fight Golota showed that kind of movement: 2.

Net fights in which Vitali showed that kind of movement: 0.

Overall, I'd say the difference is demonstrable.

 

Would you say that stamina was a weakness for Bowe?

 

Would you rank boxer A above boxer B if you thought that boxer B would beat boxer A?

Personally, I like to rank either head-to-head or on achievements. I don't like using multiple criteria, because it opens the door for too much inconsistency. I think there is a good argument for Vitali being above Bowe on achievements, but I strongly feel Bowe would have beaten Vitali had they met in the primes.

So if you're not talking about who would beat who, I agree with you; if you're talking about who would beat the larger range of boxer, I disagree. I think that few heavyweights in history would be a match for a prime Bowe, and as good a prime Vitali was, he's not on the list.

 

delete sorry

 

Nope, but it wasn't a strength. I do consider VK for a big man exceptionally fit and both have good chins (VK slightly better IMO) and Bowe wasnt a defensive genius so I would expect VK to be the stronger in the later rounds.

 

Thanks...

I appreciate the fact that I am not the only person who sees this..

 

I know I'm a VITLAY hater and all that but Lewis won round 6 on all 3 judges cards and had VITLAY staggering around the ring like a drunk for the last 30 seconds of that round, I really fail to see how anyone can say VITLAY finished the fight stronger than Lewis because it's obvious he didn't. Chances are that VITLAY would have been out of there in the next 2 rounds, no way was he going to stop Lewis - he'd hit Lewis with everything but the kitchen sink and all he did was **** him off.

I've never denied he showed heart in that fight, but he knew the game was up after round 6 and the fake hissy fit once it was stopped was pathetic in my opinion.