Report: Riddick Bowe Won't Fight Lamar Odom After Evander Holyfield's Performance

Joseph Zucker @@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVSeptember 22, 2021

Harry How/Getty Images

Promoters have removed Riddick Bowe from his Oct. 2 fight against former NBA star Lamar Odom, according to TMZ Sports.

TMZ Sports reported Celebrity Boxing founder Damon Feldman made the decision after watching Evander Holyfield's one-sided loss to Vitor Belfort. The 58-year-old Holyfield mounted almost no offense en route to a first-round TKO.

That Bowe vs. Odom was sanctioned at all was condemned by many who questioned whether the former heavyweight champion was fit to compete.

Kevin Iole @KevinI
If Lamar Odom versus Riddick Bowe is an approvable fight in the eyes of Florida combat sports regulators, I struggle to imagine what they would say no to. This is nauseating if they allow this

Lou DiBella @loudibella
No. Just NO!!!! This is barbaric and beyond dangerous. The fact that no regulatory body has already put the kibosh on this is shocking and unacceptable. This isn’t sport. This isn’t <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/boxing?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#boxing</a>. This is a human train-wreck waiting to happen. WTF! <a href="https://t.co/s8oUWk5RrQ">pic.twitter.com/s8oUWk5RrQ</a>

The concern grew after footage from one of Bowe's training sessions surfaced.

The 54-year-old's last fight of any kind was a Muay Thai encounter with Yevgeniy Golovin in 2013. His last foray in a boxing ring was 2008. As far back as 2000, lawyers for Bowe argued in court he had suffered brain damage that caused him to plead guilty in 1998 to a charge of domestic violence.

TMZ Sports reported Bowe will remained involved in next month's pay-per-view as a referee for Paulie Malignaggi's exhibition against Corey B.

Videos you might like

🚨 SPORTS NEWS ➡️ YOUR INBOX