Riddick Bowe's Power - Top 20 All Time?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Russell, Sep 30, 2008.


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  1. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    Might sound strange at first, but hear me out.

    Riddick Bowe was a superheavyweight with a lethal combination of attributes. He had solid power to begin with, he had fast hands, and he threw almost every punch with bad, bad intentions. Bowe was in no shape or form the teddy bear he was manufacturerd to be at times.

    Almost exactly a year after Riddick Bowe stopped Evander Holyfield in their third fight Holyfield would go on to take Tyson's best for 14 combined rounds. This was the only time Holyfield would ever be stopped anywhere near his prime before he was completely shot.

    Bowe's entire career is littered with 1 and 2 round stoppages, some against extremely experienced and durable opponents.

    He blew out Dokes in 1.

    Ferguson brutally in 2. The only fighter to do it faster? Frank Bruno.

    Everett Martin was extremely tough. A poor man's James Toney. He was rarely stopped yet Bowe managed it in 5.

    So does Bowe hit hard enough to make it into the tail end of a top 20 HW list, power wise?
     
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    #1
  2. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

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    I can understand the general gist of what you're trying to say, however it should be noted that Holyfield was in terrible shape for that fight, and was reported to be suffering from hepatitus B. It also took an accumulation of many punches in a very fast paced fight, before Bowe finally prevailed. Dokes was shot and so was Ferguson.

    That said, I do think that Bowe possesed very good cumulative power. I wouldn't say that he's a big hitter in the one punch category, but yes he may quite possibly be a top 20 or 30 guy.


    ****One other thing****

    Everett Martin does not even qualify as being a poor man's Toney.. Let's not insult James that way...
     
    mr. magoo, Sep 30, 2008
    mr. magoo, Sep 30, 2008
    #2
  3. janitor

    janitor VIP Member

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    Impossible to say.

    Like with every other parameter of Bowe the data set is inconclusive.
     
    janitor, Sep 30, 2008
    janitor, Sep 30, 2008
    #3
  4. Sonny Carson

    Sonny Carson Well-Known Member Full Member

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    I thought his overhand right was pretty devestating. It knocked alot of guy's out. He had Holyfield badly hurt by an uppercut in the 10th round of there first fight.
     
    Sonny Carson, Sep 30, 2008
    Sonny Carson, Sep 30, 2008
    #4
  5. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    A unbelievably poor mans James Toney might be more apt. There are a lot of similarities.

    Both are/were middleweights or super middleweights that put on ridiculous amounts of weight.

    Both tangled with heavyweights successfully, to different degrees anyway.

    Both were defensively skilled. Very much so.

    Both had great chins.

    Good enough for you?
     
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    #5
  6. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    I'm not too impressed with Bowe's power. Most of his knockouts depended on an accumulation of punches.


    He's an excellent all-round puncher because of his high punch output, aggressiveness, willingness to mix it up, combinations, and size, but a big one-punch hitter he was not. So, i wouldn't rank his power top20 of all time.
     
    ChrisPontius, Sep 30, 2008
    ChrisPontius, Sep 30, 2008
    #6
  7. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    Not for me.
     
    McGrain, Sep 30, 2008
    McGrain, Sep 30, 2008
    #7
  8. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    I was thinking more of a composite ranking. Not sheer raw power and nothing but.

    I think combining all the attributes that you mentioned he might make a composite top 20.
     
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    #8
  9. ChrisPontius

    ChrisPontius March 8th, 1971 Full Member

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    Then you might have a case.

    It is a bit hard to say, though. Outside of Holyfield and Golota, he fought few live ranked contenders. Was Gonzales ranked? Hide was a nice stoppage, Donald went the distance although he has an iron chin. The fact that he couldn't stop Golota should count somewhat against him, since Tyson and Lewis did it with ease. He was past his best, but let's not forget that in his last fight before that, he stopped Holyfield, and Tyson wasn't exactly at his peak when he fought the man, either.

    Still, the fact that he stopped many over-the-hill fighters quick is impressive.


    What would your top20, in no order, roughly look like? That might give a better idea of whether he belongs or not.
     
    ChrisPontius, Sep 30, 2008
    ChrisPontius, Sep 30, 2008
    #9
  10. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    I don't have a list to be honest. I was thinking in very general terms. It certainly seems like he might belong on the ass end of a top 20 if I did make one.
     
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    #10
  11. tommy the hat

    tommy the hat Active Member Full Member

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    Make a list later. Go through every champion from John L Sullivan to the present and compare their power to Bowe's. If you can come up with 20 guys, then he isn't top 20. Don't forget to include guys like Ernie Shavers and David Tua, who had awesome power but were never champion.
     
    tommy the hat, Sep 30, 2008
    tommy the hat, Sep 30, 2008
    #11
  12. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. Full Member

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    Among the 50 best punchers for sure. Top 20? Not likely.
     
    Mendoza, Sep 30, 2008
    Mendoza, Sep 30, 2008
    #12
  13. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker

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    Just playing around, in no order ...

    Sullivan
    Jeffries
    Dempsey
    Baer
    Louis
    Marciano
    Johannsson
    Liston
    Frazier
    Foreman
    Tyson
    Shavers
    Lyle
    Lewis
    Cooney
    Firpo
    Wills
    Langford
    Williams
    Willard
    Bowe
     
    he grant, Sep 30, 2008
    he grant, Sep 30, 2008
    #13
  14. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

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    I don't think Firpo belongs there.

    Jeffries is debatable. I think his punch might be slightly overrated. He definitely wasn't a Foreman level hitter.
     
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    Russell, Sep 30, 2008
    #14
  15. SuzieQ49

    SuzieQ49 The Manager Full Member

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    My Buddy Riddick Bowe is a beast. not many could deal with him. His power is very good. top 20 sure.
     
    SuzieQ49, Sep 30, 2008
    SuzieQ49, Sep 30, 2008
    #15
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