If Riddick Bowe stayed in shape... Could he have been great?

Hell yes. He loved those cakes and cookies though. It wasn't mental it was his diet.

 

Bowe was one of those guys that seemed to think that all he had to do was show up and all would topple before him. People say that he had a lot of talent. Let's admit it for the sake of argument that he did. Talent and size only get you so far, and hours in the gym do the rest. He wasn't willing to do the hours.

One of my favourite boxers, Sanders, is unfortunately the same sort of case. Oozing with talent and yet pyssed it all away because he didn't like the gym and roadwork.

That's why I have such huge admiration for a guy like Marciano, who rolled a series of 1's when drawing up his character sheet, and yet managed to become an ATG anyway through insanely hard work.

So, to answer the OP's question.

Yes, Bowe could have been great if he'd had the dedication to grind away the hours. And despite my personal dislike for him, I have to admit that he had a pretty good career all in all, anyway. There's guys that have him in their top 10, so who knows what might have been.