Eddie Futch always said he could have been greater than Ali. If Riddick was say as disciplined as a Holyfield do you think he could have been a top ten or even a top 8 ATG at HW?
Bowe could've been top-5 with ease had he remained dedicated and focused, but, the early quick-cash got to his bank and suddenly he had other plans in life..... Bowe blew-it... MR.BILL
And if he fought Lewis, then POSSIBLY... But that's a big if. He only had the desire to fight for the championship, and not defend it.
Bowe was the best offensive Super Heavyweight of all time in my opinion. Certainly on the inside. That's enough said right there, really.
Bowe was excellent at his very best (HolyfieldI), but from that moment on, he just clocked in as World Heavyweight Champion, doing the minimum required and to be honest the lovable friendly Bowe, took a bit too much from his manager and become a bit of nasty bully. And as all bullies find out, if someone sticks up for themselves (Holyfield), you get found out. Bowe had the physical tools to of been awesome, but them mental issues, that first came known to the public in the 88 Olympics, ultimately undid Big Daddy.
I think he reached his absolute potential. He was fragile and lazy. The former promised a short career and was exacerbated by poor defense. The latter is as much in the make-up of a fighter as speed and power. Asking him not to be lazy would be like asking him not to be 6-5.
I think Riffick Bowe is underrated as it is. He's not top 5 by any means but he should be considered for the top 10 if not in it. From 1992 - 1995 I really like his chances against any heavyweight. Possibly as far as 1996. I think the low blows from Andrew Golota played a major roll in those fights. He has two wins over Evander Holyfield and wins over Tony Tubbs in 1991 who had not lost since losing to Mike Tyson in 1988. Bruce Seldon in 1991 who in 1995 would win the WBA version of the heavyweight championship. Pierre Coetzer in 1992 Coetzer was a top ratted contender at the time. He also has wins over Larry Donald in 1994. As well as Herbie Hide and Jorge Luis Gonzalez in 1995. All three were undefeated at the time. He is also a two time Heavyweight Champion. Winning the Undisputed Championship and latter the WBO Championship. That might not be the best resume but it is pretty good. What is the knock on Bowe? First and foremost no matter what you think the result would have been. I am of the minority on this one but from 1992-1995 Bowe would have beaten Lenox Lewis. The fact is Bowe ducked Lewis. There is no way around it. After beating Holyfield to become Champion he defended against Michael Dokes and Jesse Ferguson. Neather Dokes or Ferguson are names that are going to make for an impressive resume. All things considered Bowe gets underrated.
Bowe had all of the intangibles of a great fighter, with size to go along with it. His problem was his work ethic which was a problem from day 1. He came along at a time where he could have established himself as the greatest heavyweight in boxing history, if he defeated Lewis and Tyson after beating Holyfield. The potential and the talent were there, he just didnt recognize it or care.
Riddick Bowe was a very good heavyweight, he does not find his was into my top 10 but had he beaten Lewis and say Tyson then he would be a shoe in. I believe that Bowe would have beaten Lewis back in 93. And had Tyson and Bowe hooked up at that point in Mikes career he would have also been soundly beaten by Big Daddy. The Tyson that fought after his release from prison in 95 would not have had the stamina in my eyes to handle the kind on inside abuse to the head and body that Bowe would have administered to him. All that said in matchups of Prime Bowe vs Prime Lewis or Prime Tyson, I would favor Lewis and Tyson. No doubt about Bowe vs Prime Tyson for me, he and Lewis is a toss up to me its very close. Either could end the fight as they both had the power to take each other out. Lewis had more one punch power but Bowe threw the better combos and fought better on the inside. So again its close.. H2H there are fighters on my top 10 list that a Prime Bowe would push and maybe beat.
I do sometimes wonder what Bowe might have done had he hired Mackie Shilstone as his conditioning coach, or successfully completed boot camp at Parris Island and served an honorable full hitch in the USMC. He certainly had the raw ability, and Futch was an incredible asset. Sure, he may well have surpassed Max Baer and Buster Douglas as the biggest underachiever to hold the undisputed HW crown.
potential. the guy was an olympian and had evrything in place to acheive his potential. manager, funding, matchmaking, camps, house fighter advantage, you name it. he was a great fighter for one fight but so was douglas. douglas knocked out an ATG in a title fight and bowe did not.
Sorry Choklab but Douglas was not a great fighter against Tyson :-( - he was simply in there with a guy who wasn't there whatsoever - if Tyson had of been 5% there Douglas would've been out of there inside 2 rounds Riddick on the other hand was a very great fighter (IMO) on the night of Holyfield-Bowe I - it's no big deal not having him in your top 10 all time though - just because he doesn't crack the first 10 doesn't mean you don't think he's a great fighter - it just means there's been more than 10 great heavyweight champions - which there has - I have Riddick at 12 just in front of Holy at 13 and just behind Jersey Joe Walcott at 11 :yep
At one time I loved man. Huge fan of him and Lennox at the same time and dreamed of a reamatch from the Olympics. Then He threww a belt in the garbage to avoid a man who obviosuly terrified him. Can't defend a man after that. Then on top of it he lost the Holy rematch, which never should have happened. Add in all of the other disgraces before and after, the Ellijah Tillery riot, hitting a man when he was on the canvas (or was it after the bell?), the Golota fights, the Tubbs near loss- I just loss hope. Potential? Yes. All of the potential in the world. With a thimble full of character, he could ahve been somthing special.
Bowe is being seriously overrated here. The best fighter he ever beat was also an extremely inconsistent one who reversed the decision. Who again is the second best fighter he beat? And not be dq... I thought he was even having some trouble with Coetzer before he decided he must resort to low blows. And let's not mention the Tubbs bout, which I, not alone, thought he lost. Bowe is not even in my top 30.
I agree plus he also avoided every decent puncher of the era. McCall,Lewis,Mercer,Tyson,Moorer,Foreman,Morrison,Tua and Stewart are some of the bigger heavyweight punchers of the 90's and Bowe didn't fight any of them. Maybe his management knew something we didn't because it can't be just a coincidence that he didn't meet a single one of these guys. When he finally did fight a big,strong reasonably skilled fighter he got punched into retirement (DQ's not withstanding). He was too lazy and way too easy to hit to have ever been an ATG imo.