Riddick Bowe vs Vitali Klitschko

Still don't see what you're basing Bowe's jab superiority vs skilled big men on. He ate jabs like candy and had a very poor command of distance even in his "prime".

 

Well how do you see Klitschko winning this... He dosent have enough power to knock him out... and i dont see him doing very well boxing cause i see Bowe doing good work on the inside as well

 

I see him winning a decision by keeping Bowe at bay with the jab, forcing him to come forward, catching him on the counter, tying him up on the inside, and grinding him down over the course of the twelve. Similar to the Arreola and Sanders fights but fought at a higher level. Bowe will have his chances of course, mostly from brawling on the inside, but he'll be taking horrendous punishment throughout, not enough to KO him maybe, but enough to badly stun or even drop him.

 

I just cant see that happening, i think Bowe could knock Vitali out, maybe just me, i would think hed win a decision though

 

Well Bowe couldn't KO Holyfield who was in his grill all night long so I'm not sure how he does in a much larger opponent in Vitali who knows how to keep on the outside and has very good punch avoidance reactions. Bowe's dangershots mostly came as uppercuts on the inside, shots which he'll have a difficult time landing on a much taller opponent. In order to land his overhands he'll have to be much sharper than he normally is, and fight with the sort of discipline that just didn't really come naturally to him. If he just tries to wade in and hope Vitali engaged in a close quarters brawl with him he's going to be slowly taken apart in a similar way to the first Golota fight.

 

I agree with Theron. Bowes defense was pretty poor, but Vitali isnt the hard puncher that hes made out to be IMO. Bowe outworks Vitali.


Actually Bowe pushes Vitalis **** back in.

 

Vitali stopped numerous contenders with his well-timed clean arm punches. He is a big man, and if you're coming in, you're hurting yourself.

 

I think tyson and bowe would both do a number on vitali.

 

He doesn't need to KO him to win. Prime Vit punches with enough consistency and heavy handedness to control matters on the outside and get Bowe fighting his fight. Bowe was tough and had the right sort of mentality to get to Vitali on the inside, but he's going to be soaking up ridiculous punishment to do so, and sooner or later the cumulative effect of that is going to catch up to him. Whether he'll have done enough damage himself at that point to "push Vitali's **** in" or take him on the cards I don't know, though I'm doubtful. Bowe's not been overly impressive in the past against skilled big men who can box.

Course, Bowe could end things early. But that's being pretty unrealistic I think.

 

I recently rewatched Lewis-Vitali & I hadnt previously noticed just how often Lewis was able to land his jab & Bowe's jab was just as good as Lewis'. Vitali's lean-back defence just isnt that effective against guys of similar size with a good wing span.

Lewis took Vitali into the trenches & dealt out a lot of punishment. Bowe was more aggressive, better on the inside & worked the body better than any other big heavyweight.

I cant see Vitali either stopping Bowe or being able to keep him at range long enough to outpoint him. I think Bowe would be able to jab his way in & then go to work on Vitali.

 

Bowe of '92 Vegas that took the crown from Holy was a very great fighter-----For One Fight / Night.... That Bowe could've hung tuff with any other champion or ex-champ at heavyweight...

V.K. is an all-time great fighter who's been nearly unbeatable his entire career...

I cannot really say who'd win this dream fight, but I'd lean toward V.K. based on his heart, soul, dedication and integrity that he brought to the biz for the last 10 years.....

MR.BILL:deal

 

Bowe ws a better fighter in all aspects than vitali apart from toughness/chin. Which vitali has a big advantage on him. Its a pick em but if it was coming up a peak bowe vs a peak vitali id tentatively go for bowe on pts.

 

Yes I agree. Vitali couldnt knockout a game Arreola. Yes Vitali did
"Tko" Arreola, but rewatch Bowe Golota 2, or maybe just take my word
for it very ugly fight. Bottom line Vitali isn't stopping Bowe. I believe
Bowe would outjab Vitali but if not Vitali is getting brutalized on the inside
with uppercuts and hooks. Looka at the monster body shots and uppercut
that Vitali ate against Lewis. Same thing happens against Bowe. You're
gonna need serious firepower to stop Bowe. Vitalis power is not on the
level of a Tyson, Foreman, Lewis etc even Wlad

 

Lewis did not jab or engage his attack in the same way as Bowe. Bowe's jab was mainly a keep away tool when he was taking a breather/recoup. It was sharp and crisp but mainly thrown with the upper body. It did not control distance except over very limited stretches of the fight because Bowe wasn't interested in fighting at anything other than close range; nor was it really used to open up fighters to combination attacks. When Bowe wanted to infight he'd generally just stand his ground and let his opponents come to him.

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Notice the way Bowe's leaning out as he jabs? Lewis did this as well, but he also had a much weightier full body jab which he'd step into when he wanted to close the distance/push opponents back/open them up to a right hand. It was this jab he was mainly using to beat up Vitali, together with a wide stance solid jab which he could pump out in multiples. I don't think he once used the type of snappy lean out jab that Bowe routinely used.

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Even at his age and level of conditioning Lennox was a much smarter and more versatile fighter than Bowe, whose deficiencies in fighting these types of fights were more than shown up the first time he fought Golota. Bowe's flat-footed, plodding forward, wait till you come to me approach would not give him the same sort of chances as Lennox.

 

You really need to watch more Bowe fights, I disagree with almost every point you've made there.