We all know that boxing is a brutal sport. Fighters can die and be maimed in the ring. There have been several examples of this. A lot of fighters make public shows of their dislike of their opponents in preparation for fights. Some boxers actually do dislike their opponents. This is why a friendship between two fighters, who have competed against each other professionally, is really something to be celebrated.
Two-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Riddick “Big Daddy” Bowe and four-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion Evander “The Real Deal” Holyfield fought each other three times, including twice for world titles from 1992 – 1995 in one of the most fascinating rivalries in world heavyweight boxing, with Bowe winning two fights and Holyfield winning the other one. Their competition was all the more interesting, as they were friends from their amateur days.
Now that Bowe and Holyfield have retired, they are still good friends. You can see them on TRU SCHOOL SPORTS on YouTube, engaging in fun and playful banter in the gym, touching on subjects like their epic battles with each other in the ring, “Big Daddy’s” interest in fighting Anthony Joshua, Tyson Fury, or Deontay Wilder for $15 million, and even their marital behavior before fights. Each time you see Bowe and Holyfield talk to each other in these videos, you cannot help but be struck by the respect and affection they have for each other after all these years. Bowe calls Holyfield his “brother” and “Champ” during these conversations, while Holyfield calls “Bowe” his “best friend”. These videos are something to behold.
Although some heavyweight opponents do express a degree of respect for each other, this normally comes in the immediate aftermath of fights. The winner is always on a high and typically thanks his opponent for fighting him, praises him for being a tough opponent, and that is it! The fighters then go their separate ways, never to see each other again. There has never been and probably never will be anything remotely close to the great friendship between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield.
We do not expect to witness such a friendship. The cynics will say that fighters cannot be friends with their opponents, the argument being that how can you be friends with a person you potentially want to knock out? These commentators will then support their thinking on this subject by stating that heavyweight boxers, who are friends with each other, make a point of avoiding each other in the ring. We know for a fact that the Klitschkos never fought each other, even though they were competing professionally at the same time. They reportedly made a promise to their mother that they would never meet each other in the ring. But this is understandable, given that Vitali and Wladimir are brothers!
Sports, and not just boxing, are more competitive than ever these days, losing their human element. This is why a friendship like that between Riddick Bowe and Evander Holyfield is something to treasure. They are role models in the sporting world.
Let us hope that these two great warriors continue to engage in their good-natured verbal sparring for many more years to come!