Heavyweight great Riddick Bowe gave a shock answer when asked to name the biggest puncher he ever shared a ring with.
‘Big Daddy’ is widely considered to be one of the greatest heavyweights of his generation, winning a version of the world championship on two occasions during his professional career.
Bowe suffered just one defeat during his tenure, defeating the likes of Bruce Seldon, Michael Dokes, Andrew Golota and Herbie Hide prior to his initial retirement from boxing in 1996.
Perhaps the best victory of his career came in November 1992 when he defeated countryman Evander Holyfield to capture the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles, although ‘The Real Deal’ would get his revenge in their rematch just under one year later.
Despite his memorable trilogy with Holyfield, Bowe actually credits two-time WBO heavyweight champion Herbie Hide with being the hardest puncher he ever faced in a feature with The Ring Magazine.
“You’re not going to believe this [but] I would have to say Herbie Hide. … He hit me and I thought, “Oh s—. I can’t allow this guy to hit me again because I don’t know what I’ll see next.” Initially I was trying to box him and he was real fast. I said I can’t box him because he got me beat, so I fought him.”
Bowe stopped Hide in the sixth round of their 1995 showdown to capture the WBO world heavyweight title at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas to kickstart his second reign as heavyweight champion.
