Evander Holyfield has shared his thoughts on how a fight between heavyweight rivals Riddick Bowe and Lennox Lewis might have played out. The former undisputed champion at both cruiserweight and heavyweight weighed in on this hypothetical matchup that never materialized in the ring.
Holyfield's opinion carries weight. He fought both Bowe and Lewis during his career, giving him unique insight into their strengths and weaknesses. His trilogy with Bowe saw him lose the first fight on points, win the rematch, and then lose the third by 8th round TKO. Against Lewis, Holyfield fought to a controversial split decision draw in their first bout, before losing a unanimous decision in the rematch.
The potential Bowe vs Lewis fight never happened because Bowe vacated his WBC belt instead of facing Lewis. This decision left fans wondering how these two heavyweight titans would have matched up.
Holyfield, in a recent interview, offered his take on the hypothetical bout:
"If they fought before got Emmanuel Steward, I think Riddick Bowe would've got him."
Holyfield's opinion suggests that the timing of the fight could have been crucial. He believes Bowe would have had the edge before Lewis started working with renowned trainer Emanuel Steward.
Bowe, nicknamed "Big Daddy," had notable wins against Tony Tubbs and Herbie Hide. His career highlight came in the form of an 8th round TKO win over Holyfield in their third fight.
Lewis, on the other hand, boasted victories over Mike Tyson and Vitali Klitschko. His partnership with Steward later in his career proved to be a game-changer, according to Holyfield's assessment.
While Holyfield favors Bowe in this hypothetical early matchup, Lewis has made his own feelings clear about whether Bowe ducked him during their careers. However, the specifics of Lewis's opinion weren't provided in the available information.
The Bowe vs Lewis matchup remains one of boxing's great "what ifs," leaving fans to speculate on how these two heavyweight legends would have fared against each other in their primes.
