“Without Him, I Wouldn’t Be Me”: Prince Naseem Hamed and Mike Tyson’s Childhood Friend Debates to Figure Out Who Would Have Won Between Lennox Lewis and Muhammad Ali

Without an iota of doubt, Francis Ngannou stole everyone’s heart on October 29. It’s been more than a week since the fight with Tyson Fury ended. But probably the image that endears and would still linger in the memories of millions of fans would have been the coming together of so many boxing legends- Larry Holmes represented the 70s golden generation, the stars of the 80s and 90s, and the legends of the modern era—Oscar De La Hoya, Manny Pacquiao, and Amir Khan, just to name a few.

It is obvious when the legends chat, they talk about the glories of the past. It is an undeniable fact that every discourse includes at least a passing reference to the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali. Fans love it when they come across an animated discussion between two legends. Riddick Bowe, who incidentally studied with Mike Tyson, joined Prince Naseem Hamed to discuss the ‘who will win’ debate. In this case, it is a fight between Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis, both in their prime.

Nostalgic debates: a hypothetical showdown between Muhammad Ali and Lennox Lewis

Talking about the Olympic finals between Lewis and Bowe, Prince Naseem Hamed shared how he had always been a fan and believed that if ever any boxer could cause problems for Lewis, it had to be him. However, he urged the American boxer to consider where ‘The Lion’ stood. Despite Oliver McCall and Hasim Rahman knocking him down, Lewis got up and knocked them both down during their fights.

Naseem Hamed said, “So one thing about Lennox for me is [that] I put him right. I can put Lennox in any era of any time in boxing and still think he’d beat anyone….I do because he’s amazing…”

But Bowe had different thoughts; he said, “I think Ali would have beat him…….” The former Featherweight champion took out his smartphone, probably showed a photo of Ali, and asked Bowe, “You mean this guy… this guy right here?” Nodding his head, ‘Bid Daddy’ replied, “Without him, I wouldn’t be here. I love that genius.” Naseem Hamed could have never disagreed. Bowe continued, “Without him, I wouldn’t be me.”

They fought in the Olympics, but Lennox Lewis and Riddick Bowe couldn’t take their rivalry to the professional level. It remains one of modern boxing’s greatest woes.

Two boxing icons

In a career that spanned slightly over a decade, Riddick Bowe became a world champion twice. Some of his most famous fights include the trilogy with Evander Holyfield. After the second Andrew Golota fight, ‘Big Daddy’ went on a break that lasted until 2004. He fought until 2005, then went inactive, and returned in 2008 for one last bout.

Read More: Arnold Schwarzenegger Reveals How His “Good Friend,” Muhammad Ali, “Got Out of Poverty” and Became a Boxing Legend: “I’ve Seen It Firsthand”

Bowe’s contemporary, Prince Naseem Hamed, on the other hand, had a short, albeit outstanding, and colorful career lasting a decade. He faced only one defeat. Losing the bout to Marco Antonio Barrera unanimously in 2001. A year later, he retired. This year, his son, Aadam Hamed, debuted professionally.

What’s your take? Do you also think a prime Muhammad Ali, would have defeated a prime, Lennox Lewis? Please share your views with us in the comments below.

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