Former heavyweight world champion Riddick Bowe has shared the ring with some elite names in the sport.
‘Big Daddy’ has only tasted defeat once in his career, as Evander Holyfield defeated Bowe in a fight where a hand-glider crashed into the ring in Las Vegas.
However, Bowe had already gotten the better of one of the greatest heavyweights of all time Holyfield the previous year. It was perhaps the most impressive win of his career, before retiring with a record of 43-1.
Unlike a lot of top talents in boxing, Bowe was able to end his career on a high. To round out an impressive, and often bizarre, professional journey, Bowe went on an impressive win streak.
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Riddick Bowe ended his career on a nine-fight win streak
Bowe’s first and only career defeat came in his 1993 rematch with Holyfield. However, he would continue to fight for 15 years after the title fight, never losing again.
Following the Hoylfield loss, Bowe would however fail to get back into the win column. Facing Buster Mathis Jr. in Atlantic City in 1994, the bout ended in a no-contest.
Despite the result against Mathis Jr., Bowe would return to winning ways against Larry Donald (16-0) later that year. Winning via unanimous decision, ‘Big Daddy’ had a dominant performance.
Bowe would continue to fight consistently throughout the remainder of the 1990s. This included knockout wins over Herbie Hide and Jorge Luis Gonzalez to win and retain the WBO World Heavyweight title. These wins came before facing heavyweight rival Holyfield for a third time.
There was no title on the line when the pair met, however, Bowe would get revenge on Holyfield and win their fight series with two victories to one. Despite being knocked down himself, Bowe would finish Holyfield in the 10th round in Las Vegas.
Bowe would round out his run in the 1990s with a brace of wins over Andrew Golota in 1996.
However, both wins would bizarrely come by disqualification as Golota was considered to be guilty of continual low blows in back-to-back fights.
The fight series with Golota would mark Bowe’s second and third wins via disqualification. In 1991, Elijah Tillery was disqualified for kicking Bowe in an in-ring altercation.
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Riddick Bowe returned to boxing in 2004 for three fights
Bowe’s second fight against Golota would be his final appearance of the 20th century. It wouldn’t be until over seven years later that Bowe would return in 2004.
Getting back in the ring at 37 years old, he faced Marcus Rode, whom he defeated via second-round TKO.
The following year, Bowe would take on Billy Zumbrun, where he would once again be victorious. This time, Bowe would earn a split-decision victory.
In his final-ever career outing, Bowe would once again make somewhat of a comeback. Fighting Gene Pukall in 2008, ‘Big Daddy’ would meet the German in his home country.
Again, Rowe would earn a victory on the judge’s scorecards, earning a knockdown in the process.
From disqualifications, to being kicked in the ring, to having a bout interrupted by a hand-glider, Bowe has plenty of memorable moments from his boxing career.