Sonny Liston vs Riddick Bowe Who Ranks higher

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Joeywill, Jul 15, 2023.


Who ranks higher

Poll closed Jul 22, 2023.
  1. Liston

    88.9%
  2. Bowe

    11.1%
  1. Joeywill

    Joeywill Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Sonny Liston vs Riddick Bowe Who Ranks higher
     
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  2. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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  3. Glass City Cobra

    Glass City Cobra H2H Burger King

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    Liston and it's not even debatable. He beat more contenders both before and after his prime. Liston steamrolled through the division beating most of the noteworthy names while patiently waiting for his title shot. Bowe's resume is incredibly top heavy with the Holyfield wins and not much else other than the okay victories over Gonzales, Hide, old Tubbs, etc. For a man with all that talent and size, Bowe had a fairly lackluster career and didn't even reach 80% of his full potential and he missed quite a few of the best men of his era.
     
  4. Greg Price99

    Greg Price99 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Liston #9 and Bowe #18 at HW, all time based on what each achieved in their respective eras, for me.
     
  5. RulesMakeItInteresting

    RulesMakeItInteresting Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Yep. I've got Sonny #11 and Bowe #16.
     
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  6. InMemoryofJakeLamotta

    InMemoryofJakeLamotta I have defeated the great Seamus Full Member

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    I say Liston because he beat many of the top heavyweight names of his era. Although, Bowe's win over a prime Holyfield is nothing to sneeze at, as prime Holyfield is arguably better H2H than anyone Liston beat. I would rate prime heavyweight Holyfield as a tougher opponent than Floyd Patterson H2H. But Liston consistently beat the top names of his era.
     
  7. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Liston.

    Bowe is a footnote at best.
     
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  8. The Cryptkeeper

    The Cryptkeeper Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Not sure it's fair to call Bowe a footnote but yeah, Liston was greater.
     
  9. ikrasevic

    ikrasevic Who is ready to suffer for Christ (the truth)? Full Member

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    ^This^
    And another reasons. Liston convincingly dominated both late fights with Patterson, while Bowe lost the rematch with Holyfield. Liston realistically should have become champion a few years earlier, and in such a scenario Johannson would not have been champion at all.
    Liston #11 Bowe #14
     
  10. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    A footnote AT BEST.
     
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  11. sauhund II

    sauhund II Boxing Addict Full Member

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    At least that foot note did not quit in the biggest fights of his career.
     
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  12. catchwtboxing

    catchwtboxing Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Liston beat all of the best of his era he could get his hands on. PattersonX2, WilliamsX2, Foley, Machon, Valdez...

    Bowe only beat Holyfield, missing out on fights with Lewis, Tyson, Foreman, Holmes, McCall, Mercer, Moorer, Morrison...

    They weren't all his fault, but some of them, most notably Lewis, were ducks.
     
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  13. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing

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    Yup he was only retired in his 20s by Andrew ****ing Golota.
     
  14. northpaw

    northpaw Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Riddick Bowe doesn't really rank all that high does he? Odd question
     
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  15. J.edwards_

    J.edwards_ Member banned Full Member

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    Who are these other ducks exactly lol?

    I’ve seen that Bowe Lewis video, signed to fight in 95 and then Lewis declining Bowe in 96 I heard… interesting.
     
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