Riddick Bowe’s third fight of 1991 was an easy knockout of Rodolfo Marin on June 28 at the Mirage Casino Hotel in Las Vegas. It was on the undercard of the rematch between Mike Tyson and Razor Ruddock, and it left me wanting to see him fight more.
Bowe returned to Atlantic City on July 23 at Harrah’s and stopped veteran Philip Brown in three. Riddick then knocked out top prospect Bruce Seldon in one on August 9 at Convention Hall in Atlantic City as well. On the list of the top rising heavyweights, at this point he was number one in my book.
Two ridiculous fights with a clown named Elijah Tillery were next, whose best offense was to kick Bowe. He was disqualified in the first of their bouts in one round for fouling, and was knocked out in four in the rematch three months later. I for one hoped to never that idiot fight again.
Riddick finished the year of 1991 7-0, and continued his winning ways on February 7, 1992 with a first round stoppage of Convoy Nelson back at Harrah’s in Atlantic City. Back out to Vegas in May saw him finish veteran Everett Martin on cuts in five. Talks of a title shot with Evander Holyfield were imminent, with only one more bout to win to set up the big one.
On July 18, 1992 Riddick ballooned up to 245 pounds, but did the job necessary by stopping rugged veteran Pierre Coezter in Las Vegas. Evander Holyfield had easily decisioned Larry Holmes in June as well, cementing a November 13th title bout between himself and Riddick. This pay-per-view card would be the first one with no closed circuit venues available, and had ended an era personally for me as a fight fan.
I went over my brother’s house on Friday, November 13, 1992, with both of us rooting hard for Evander. When he weighed in light at 205 lbs., I was more than concerned. I guess he figured to box the much bigger Bowe, and as the opening bell rang, my stomach was full of butterflies.
Holyfield tried to box in the opening round, but by round two, after Bowe hit him late, that strategy went out the window. He stood and traded with Riddick the rest of the bout, and for the most part, got the worst of it. He was dropped and hurt badly in the tenth and eleventh rounds, and despite his tremendous courage and will to fight back, Bowe was a clear winner at the end of the twelfth round.
Bowe was gracious in defeat, and Evander hinted of retirement in his locker room afterwards. I felt crappy on the drive home that night, but at least if Evander had to lost to anyone, at least it was to someone I genuinely liked. Riddick was the new champ, and what he did from this point on was his choice.
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