The Bowe that beat Holly the first time stops Wlad by mid round KO or earlier. That Bowe is just too tough and too much of a head hunter for WK. That Bowe is a tough H2H for anyone. Great infighting--solid jab, good chin and good stamina--
I wouldn't say it's a reach to think that a guy with ATG power and enough skill and speed to deliver it would knock out a guy who willingly takes punishment to land his own shots and has leaky defense on the outside. That's not a style for longevity. If Wlad fought prime Bowe, my take is that, win or lose, that would probably be the last time we'd see "prime Bowe". Still, I don't want to sell Riddick short just because I'm frustrated we didn't see more of him. Him winning by knockout in a battle of attrition wouldn't surprise me, either.
Back in 91 Bowe would have been hyped and psyched and probably stopped Wlad with good speed and power... But around 97 , 98 or later He had lost that spark and been a more easy target for Wlad to dominate.. I just think he became a fat cat too soon..
Brewster wasn't close to Bowe, I don't think. Bowe has a legit case for top 5-10 head to head. Brewster comes in around 30-50, so it's not close to me. They are a long way apart. No way could Brewster ever beat Holyfield like Brewster did. Eddie Futch said Bowe had the most potential of any heavyweight he ever worked with. Enormous praise.
Oh no? atsch Bowe admitted after the fight that he was out on his feet in that fight at times. http://boxrec.com/media/index.php/Herbie_Hide_vs._Riddick_Bowe