This is a really tough one 2 call... I voted for Vitali and I am a huge Bowe guy.. I just think that Vitali is going to pose Riddick all kinds of problems that he rarely had to deal with in his prime years. Bowe at his best was in the trenches against the much smaller Holyfield. I also remember Bowe in a war with a shot Tyrell Biggs and I am convinced that he should have lost a decision to Tony Tubbs.. Holyfield, Biggs and Tubbs are all very very different fighters then VK I realize but just drawing on some past Bowe struggles.. I don't really count the Golota fights since I think Bowe was past it at this point, but he did show amazing heart and guts in the 2nd fight! So in this fight I see Vitali playing the counter puncher and Bowe the aggressor Bowe has the better jab and is the better inside fighter, but I think that Vitali is the heavier puncher and has the better chin and stamina.. I see the fight being a war similar to Lewis-Klitschko.. I think that Vitali will stop Bowe late in the fight the fight might also mirror Sanders-Klitschko a bit with Bowe being much more in the fight though.. I just see VK being the stronger fighter late and winning by a TKO in round 10
This would be a real collision at some point. Bowe is a much better boxer in a technical sense, not that he's a wonderful technician, but even his jab alone qualifies as him as a superior technician to Vtali, who is one of the worst technicians to be successful ever. What Vitali has that is great though is ring presence, he can really dominate the centre of a ring, and if you fall into the trap that is allowing him to dictate the pace, then he usually smashes your face in. That's why i don't pick him here, because it's hard to dominate centre ring in an authoritative way against prime Bowe. Holyfield fought it out with him with success in their second fight, but he's like a million times faster than Vitali and has accuracy with his combos of a great standard. Gruellin fight, i like Bowe's skills when they get close and his jab at range, the fight won't be at range much though imo.
I personally think that Bowe loses when he has to trade with someone he doesnt have a 40lb advantage over. He made a career out of avoided the biggest punchers
Between the ears, Bowe bothers me. But his technical superiority is too much and that old man with the thick glasses makes the difference here for me.
It amazes me how overrated Vitali is. Do you people not realize that he LOST to a washed up, semi-retired, unmotivated Lewis? How the hell is gonna handle the 92 Bowe? Its amazing how he beats bums like Sanders, Williams, Johnson, and Asseola, and it fools people into thinking he's some great. The 92 Bowe beats the ****in **** outta Vitali! Look what old man Lewis did to Vitali with uppercuts. And ANYBODY who thinks that the 03 Lewis was as good as the 92 Bowe is fooling themselves.
God bless you my child. I was about to give up completely, then sanity entered the thread. 1992 Riddick Bowe would most definately **** any version of VITLAY up.
Bowe. He has the presence, strength, and technical skills to keep Vitali from setting the pace and dominating the center of the ring which he likes to do as teeto mentioned. He can force it into an inside fight, where he wins. I'm thinking he probably stops Vitali at some point too, if we are talking an '03 Vitali.
why do you say that? Because he traded with a highly regarded holyfield? Maybe bowe didn't face the best competetion, but he proved what he was made of in the holyfield fight. Bowe TKO8 Klitschko
And you think VITLAY has a great defense? Seriously....the way VITLAY gets talked about on here sometimes is ridiculous, Bowe didn't face the best competition there was at the time he fought but his competition is still head and shoulders above VITLAYS. Bowe KO9, every day of the week. Oh and that poor as **** version of Lewis would have KO'd VITLAY too had the doctor not saved his career :deal
