This is the next in my blog series ‘Mythical Matchups’. The bout is between Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe. My imaginary bouts all take place at Caesar’s Palace Outdoor Arena Outdoor Arena in Las Vegas, with the great Mills Lane as the referee.
Lennox Lewis was born on September 2, 1965 in London, England. His family moved to Ontario, Canada when he was 12, and he became a great amateur boxer who represented Canada in the 1984 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He lost in the quarter-finals to Tyrell Biggs, but returned to the Olympics in 1988 in Seoul, Korea. He stopped Riddick Bowe in the second round to win the super-heavyweight gold, and finished his amateur career with a record of 85-9.
Lewis returned to England to begin his professional career, and signed with boxing promoter Frank Maloney. After early success, he signed with Main Events, and quickly continued to move up the rankings. In October of 1992, he knocked out Razor Ruddock in two rounds, and six weeks later was named the WBC heavyweight champion when Riddick Bowe refused to face him in a mandatory title defense after his victory over Evander Holyfield to capture the heavyweight crown on November 13th.
Lennox would lose his title in September of 1994 to Oliver McCall, but overcame that loss in February of 1997 to recapture the WBC belt. His only two losses were avenged by knockout wins, and he remained a dominant champion until 2003 by defeating all challengers. He defeated every big name in the division, including Evander Holyfield and Mike Tyson, and left a huge hole in the sport when he hung up the gloves for good in 2004.
Riddick Bowe was born on August 10, 1967 in Brooklyn, New York and raised as one of 13 children. He had a tremendous amateur career, winning various titles in many tournaments that culminated with a trip to the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul. Riddick would lose to Lennox Lewis in the finals, and return to the United States with no promoters interested in him, considering him ‘damaged goods’.
Rock Newman signed Bowe to a contract, and hired the great Eddie Futch to train him. With encouragement, Riddick started to blossom as a pro, and quickly moved up the rankings. After knocking out Pierre Coetzer in July of 1992, he signed to fight heavyweight champ Evander Holyfield on Friday, November 13, 1992 in Las Vegas.
In his finest performance as a professional, he dominated Holyfield, hurt him on numerous occasions, and became the Undisputed Heavyweight Champion of the World. Only a month later, he threw the WBC belt in the trash can, which splintered the title once again. He would lose his belt in a rematch with Holyfield in November of 1993, and never win a major championship again, only the lightly regarded WBO title. After two horrific beatings administered by Andrew Golota, Bowe retired in early 1997 at only 29 years old.
Both Lewis and Bowe were big punchers, and big draws at the box office. If the two actually met in the ring in their prime, to me it is an easy choice. Lewis by unanimous decision. I think deep down Bowe was afraid of Lewis, and that the loss in the Olympics scarred him emotionally. His promoter Rock Newman intentionally avoided the fight, and I believe Lewis was the better fighter on all counts. Lewis was stronger mentally, and in the end, beats Bowe before their fight even begins.
It’s my blog and my opinion, and if you disagree with me, it’s fine. It’s entertainment and fun, and it’s what is great about boxing history.
Both Lewis and Bowe are deserved members of the IBHOF in Canastota, New York, and helped make boxing during their respective era great. Unfortunately, American heavyweight boxing is dead today, and will never again be what it once was.
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