A very unimpressive showing for Riddick Bowe, from what I can remember. I saw that fight live sometime between 94-96? Anyway, Bowe deserved the decision, but it was a rather flat performance. Donald landed a big shot towards the end of the fight, on the face of a slightly swelling Bowe, and Riddick's response was to clown as if to say " look at what the cute little cub did. " Additionally, the conduct of Bowe prior to the match was both appauling and disgraceful.
A very ordinary fight from memory. Donald fought with self preservation very high on his agenda and therefore Bowe dictated most of the fight. A pity really because if ever someone deserved a beating it was Bowe with his gutless sucker punch of Donald prior to the fight. At least he got his come-uppence against Andrew Golota,which was fitting for the lazy,talent wasting ***** he was.
Bowe liked Larry a lot and during the build up to the fight found himself in a place he didn't like being... He was finding it hard to get motivated to fight a man he didn't have some kind demonic grudge with. Bowe tried to stir up an imaginary problem at the weigh in rules meeting, when he came close to Larry for head to head photos he began to chat with him.. words were exchanged and before anyone could do anything Bowe open handed Larry knocking him over ( one of his most tasteless, and classless moves i ever saw from him ) apart from smashing Mathis jr while he was on one knee.. but thats another story.. This was what Bowe had to do to get himself ready to box Larry??? It certainly didn't show, At Caesars pavillion in Las Vegas , Bowe was dire, he was Ill conditioned and slow.. allowed the fast moving Donald the luxury of looking like he was competetive at times, when he honestly didn't belong in the same town at the time.. Horrible fight to watch.. He then apologized for punching Larry and stated at the press conference , we are friends again now.. (they really never weren't friends, Bowe just caused a stupid scene) Donald was so realxed and laid back he just seemed to smile it off.. Larry showed a lot more class that night.. Bowe looked and boxed like a tin of dog meat..........
It showed that good footwork was going to be a problem for Bowe. He could not cut off the ring very well against this guy and the second half of the fight, looked ponderous chasing him. And donald really didn't do much for the fight himself. It was his first big fight and lots of pressure which he had never experienced. So we got a Larry Donald with his B game and a Bowe not being able to do anything with a silver platter in front of him. Always wondered if the Donald version that showed up for the Valuev fight could have made it an even bigger non-combatitve bout........shudder to think about it
