Personally I’d be surprised but not shocked. Ike certainly looked the real deal going off the Tua and Byrd fights though Frazier is a higher class fighter than either man in my view and deserves clear favouritism. My opinion is that because Ike’s career was prematurely terminated a lot of his reputation is based on pure speculation. I used the Golota comparison earlier because he looked as impressive as hell in the first Bowe fight and built a big reputation after it before Lewis showed him up. Ike could’ve been the same but he also might’ve been as good as advertised. We simply don’t and will never know how good he was and therein lies the tragedy of Ike Ibeabuchi’s boxing career.
Golota looked good against a Bowe who had "gone back," considerably . Ike looked good against two ranked heavyweights who were nearing their prime.
Had Bowe gone back or did that fight put him back? His previous fights were all wins. He’d just knocked out Herbie Hide, knocked out unbeaten Luis Gonzalez and knocked out Evander Holyfield. Imagine Bowe also retired before facing Golota? Nobody would think he had declined. Michael Grant looked good too until Lewis cracked him. You can’t tell. What if Rex Layne retired before meeting Marciano? He’d already beat future champ Walcott.
Bowe scaled 240lbs for the last Holyfield fight and 252lbs for Golota.He hadn't trained seriously and Eddie Futch then walked away from him because of his lack of dedication,its well documented. Bowe hadn't "just knocked out ," Gonzalez and Hide, those fights happened over a year earlier.More spin!
Your double standards are mesmerizing. Year after year you tell us Frazier was past it when he fought Foreman in an effort to minimize Foreman in any way you can but Bowe gets zero leeway whatsoever. Guess what? Frazier had never been beaten either and was just 3 fights off beating Ali. He also stopped highly ranked contenders after being beaten by Foreman.
yes but it is not so similar when you research it deeper. Actually I back George to beat Ibeabuchi. I have defended him in that thread. if Bowe retired before he could fight Golota I don’t think anybody can say Bowe was in a decline. If Frazier retired before he fought Foreman I think the necessary lower opponent selection of Daniels and Stander would show joe needed nursing along at that point. It was well documented that Frazier might need to retire after the first Ali fight. He was never the same. would you really say Frazier’s opponents of Daniels and Stander where as high quality as Holyfield, Hide and Gonzalez? yes, Frazier stopped shop worn guys like Quarry and Ellis going over old ground another time over. But He didn’t stop Bugner who was new. It’s one thing beating up guys as tired as you are. Another kettle of fish beating up the new kids on the block. Hide, Gonzalez and Larry Donald were new kids on the block. Bowe was knocking them out.
Bowes previous bouts were Holyfield and Gonzalez. He fought Gonzalez in June 95 , Holyfield in November 95 then Golota in July 96. That’s three fights in 11 months isn’t it?
Hide and Gonzalez ,who are the two you specifically referred to as, " just before," below "He’d just knocked out Herbie Hide, knocked out unbeaten Luis Gonzalez .". Were over a year previously. Hide 15 months before and Gonzalez 13 months before. You just can't help yourself can you.
15 months for Hide is not exactly a life time away is it! 18 months since beating unbeaten Donald. 15 months since knocking out Unbeaten Hide. 13 months since knocking out unbeaten Gonzalez. 8 months since knocking out the great Holyfield! So yes. Good going wasn’t it? 4 Great wins inside 18 months. He’d beat all of them just before. When did Bowe put together a better run than that?
Bottomline it isn't, "just before".Now I'm out, going round and round in circles with you trying to wriggle out of every obvious truth with puerile spin is not my idea of entertainment.