Evander Holyfield admits that even at his best, he couldn't beat Riddick Bowe in his prime. The former undisputed champion at cruiserweight and heavyweight made this surprising confession years after their famous trilogy.
Holyfield, known as "The Real Deal," had a stellar 57-fight career. He became the first undisputed champion in two weight classes and notched up impressive wins over George Foreman, Larry Holmes, and Mike Tyson. He also fought Lennox Lewis twice.
But it's Bowe who Holyfield rates as the best fighter he ever shared a ring with. The two knew each other well, having been sparring partners in the past. Their rivalry in the ring started with Bowe winning a unanimous decision. Holyfield struggled with Bowe's size and strength in that first encounter.
A year later, Holyfield got his revenge with a majority decision win. The judges scored it 114-114, 115-114, and 115-113, though some fans felt a draw would have been fair. The fight got interrupted by the infamous 'fan man' incident, and Bowe wasn't in the same shape as their first bout.
Their final meeting in 1995 saw Bowe become the first man to stop Holyfield, winning by TKO in the 8th round.
Years after their battles, in a joint interview with Tru School Sports, Holyfield praised Bowe's prime form:
"You were a different character then [in your prime]. You would of bust everybody up."
Bowe, nicknamed "Big Daddy," hailed from Brooklyn and racked up an impressive 43 wins and just 1 loss in his career. He became a two-time champion but missed out on potential big fights with Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson.
His trainer, Eddie Futch, thought Bowe had more potential than any fighter he'd ever seen. But Bowe's weakness was that he didn't take the sport as seriously as he could have. He famously binned his WBC belt rather than face Lennox Lewis.
Despite not maximizing his potential, Bowe's raw talent and ability left a lasting impression on one of the greatest heavyweights of all time in Holyfield.
