If last Saturday wasn’t bad enough, boxing appears to be ready to outdo itself when former undisputed heavyweight king Riddick Bowe meets former NBA star and reality TV character Lamar Odom in an ‘exhibition fight’.
We are just a week out from another former heavyweight king Evander Holyfield – who engaged in one of the sport’s greatest trilogies with Bowe himself – returned to the ring at the age of 58. He was battered to defeat inside a round by former MMA star Vitor Belfort to howls of derision from fight fans.
Now these grim novelty boxing stakes have been lowered yet further as ‘Big Daddy’ Bowe, now aged 54, appears set to lock horns with Odom, as well as being a world champion Los Angeles Laker was once married to a certain Khloe Kardashian.
Health concerns for Bowe and Odom
Bowe (43-1) has not fought since 2008 and has only had three fights in the last 25 years since his last one in the big time against Pole Andrew Golota back in 1996. The 41-year-old Odom meanwhile has no boxing experience that we are aware of.
If you already thought this was nuts, then add in the fact Odom almost died after a near-fatal overdose back in 2015. Per reports, he suffered 12 seizures and six strokes and his heart stopped twice. Meanwhile the state of Bowe’s health has been a topic of major concern for years.
Not surprisingly all right-thinking fight fans are raging about the thought of this fight, and respected boxing executive and promoter Lou DiBella was at the forefront of the howls of protest.
DiBella furious
Speaking on Twitter, he said: “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 boing. This is a humain train-wreck waiting to happen.”
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 #boxing. This is a human train-wreck waiting to happen. WTF! pic.twitter.com/s8oUWk5RrQ
— Lou DiBella (@loudibella) September 18, 2021
Bowe vs Odom is apparently set to take place on October 2 at the James L Knight Center in Miami, Florida. It is being billed as “Official Celebrity Boxing” – whatever that means, and will reportedly air on FITE TV at a cost of $29.99.
Also on the bill is Paulie Malignaggi in a fight with TikTok sensation ‘Corey B’.
