Evander Holyfield thinks Riddick Bowe would have beaten Lennox Lewis. The former undisputed heavyweight champion shared his thoughts in a recent interview with Boxing Social.
Holyfield's opinion carries weight. He's one of only two fighters to capture undisputed championships in both cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. His career spans impressive victories over Carlos de Leon, James 'Buster' Douglas, George Foreman, and Larry Holmes.
"The Real Deal" faced both Bowe and Lewis in the ring. He and Bowe fought three times. Bowe won their first bout in 1992, taking Holyfield's undisputed heavyweight title. Holyfield got his revenge in 1993, reclaiming the WBA and IBF belts. Their final meeting in 1995 ended with Bowe stopping Holyfield for the first time in his career.
Holyfield's history with Lewis includes two fights. They first met in March 1999, battling to a draw. Lewis won their rematch eight months later.
When asked about a hypothetical matchup between Bowe and Lewis, Holyfield said:
"If they fought before got Emmanuel Steward, I think Riddick Bowe would've got him."
Holyfield's prediction hinges on the timing. He believes Bowe would have won if the fight happened before Lewis teamed up with the late-great trainer Emmanuel Steward in 1994.
The boxing world never got to see Bowe and Lewis face off, despite high expectations. Lewis became the WBC's number one challenger in 1992, but Bowe chose to give up the WBC title rather than defend it against Lewis.
Lewis's career took a turn after partnering with Steward. He suffered a shock upset loss to Oliver McCall in 1994 but bounced back. In 1997, Lewis knocked out McCall in the 5th round to claim the vacant WBC heavyweight title.
Holyfield's prediction adds an interesting "what if" to heavyweight boxing history. While we'll never know for sure how a Bowe-Lewis fight would have played out, Holyfield's experience in the ring with both men gives his opinion unique credibility.
You can watch Holyfield's full interview and hear his prediction on the Boxing Social YouTube channel.
