Former world heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe will no longer be competing in an exhibition after being pulled from the October 2nd show.
Bowe was expecting to fight ex-basketball star Lamar Odom in a Celebrity Boxing bout that polarized on both sides of the coin.
A statement from the delusional organizers of the “show” failed to acknowledge any risk.
Video footage of Bowe trying to move around unsuccessfully did the rounds just hours before “Big Daddy” got removed.
Instead of viewing the clip and deciding it for themselves, they chose to blame Bowe’s management team for hiding the truth.
If they’d looked at what everyone else saw, though, they’d know full well this fight should never have gotten announced in the first place.
“All the Best to former Heavyweight champ Riddick Bowe. Due to the backlash and misleading from Bowe’s Management team about Bowes Health, Celebrity Boxing is moving forward.
“We are having Bowe part of the event but not as a Celebrity Boxer. Lamar Odom will take on another Celeb Oct 2,” they said.
Before Bowe got saved, The Association of Boxing Commissions commented through information released and posted by reporter Kevin Iole.
The Association of Boxing Commissions released a statement condemning the planned Lamar Odom- Riddick Bowe bout and others like them. pic.twitter.com/y7dAEeVQdq
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) September 17, 2021
Patrick Cunningham, the executive director of the Florida State Boxing Commission, also took criticism from Iole earlier in the week.
At least ABC President Michael Mazzulli made some sense. Mazzuli spoke out after witnessing Evander Holyfield battered by Vitor Belfort in 109 seconds.
“It makes for a hot topic just to talk about fighters’ age—Evander [Holyfield], [Mike] Tyson, Riddick Bowe. But age discrimination is not what the discussion should be about.
“The discussion should be about safety.”
Patrick Cunningham, the executive director of the Florida State Boxing Commission, must have no ethics or morals for allowing this. Allowing this "fight" to happen is abhorrent. It's beyond barbaric. https://t.co/fNwJDuQuNN
— Kevin Iole (@KevinI) September 18, 2021
RIDDICK BOWE – PPV FAD
This new fad is disturbing at best. Companies are forming in a bid to capitalize on the past fame and achievements of boxing legends.
If you campaigned on Pay Per View during the 1990s, you seem to be fair game these days – no matter how old you are.
But Holyfield is proof that merely staying in shape is not what it’s all about. Mobility and the ability to take a punch seriously diminishes over the age of 45.
Therefore, the likes of Holyfield, Bowe, and even Mike Tyson should be left alone to retire in peace.
Any organizers attempting to put on anything but a six two-minute round controlled sparring session should get banned from promoting events for life.
The views expressed in this article are opinions of Phil Jay.
