16.03.05 – Riddick Bowe took on Evander Holyfield three times, winning twice. He took on former heavyweight champions Tony Tubbs and Bruce Seldon. He compiled a 41-1 record with 33 KOs. Then Bowe took off. He left boxing for eight years. Now the former heavyweight champion is back in the ring and gearing up for another shot at a championship..
Bowe’s second fight since his return from hiatus is against Billy Zumbrun as part of a tremendous fight night on BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD in conjunction with Goossen Tutor Promotions. Also on the card for the fights from Pechanga Hotel and Casino in Temecula, CA, is Olympic Gold Medalist Andre Ward, who is coming off a victory in the last BDSSP fight night and is looking to pave the way for his own pro title fight. The BEST DAMN HEAVYWEIGHT FIGHT PERIOD airs on Thurs., April 7 at 8:00 PM local.
This two-hour event is FSN’s fourth live boxing special since September 2004. The first three live bouts featured some of the biggest names in boxing, such as James “Lights Out” Toney, Rydell Booker, Michael Moorer and Vassiliy Jirov, who is also on the April 7 card. Each event has proved to be a ratings success for BDSSP. In fact, the Toney-Booker fight on Sept. 23, 2004 is the most-watched primetime episode in the history of BDSSP, and all three prior boxing events rank in the show’s top five.
“We are thrilled to have former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe and a fresh face like Andre Ward fight on BEST DAMN SPORTS SHOW PERIOD,” said George Greenberg, FSN’s Executive Vice President of Programming and Production. “Our live monthly boxing package in conjunction with promoter Dan Goossen has developed into a solid franchise for BDSSP that consistently delivers big audiences.”
After winning the silver medal in the 1988 Olympics, Bowe took on all comers early in his pro career, defeating numerous heavyweight champions and top contenders, earning him a 1992 shot at then undisputed heavyweight champion Holyfield. The spectacular fight went 12 rounds and Bowe was crowned champion by unanimous decision. The fight was voted the 1992 Fight of the Year. Training under the tutelage of Jimmy Adams, Bowe is planning on quickly climbing the ranks back to a title shot. Bowe steps in the ring for a 10-round heavyweight fight against Billy Zumbrun (18-5-1), who hails from Ogden, Utah.
Ward (2-0, 1 KO), a 20-year-old Oakland native, first made a name for himself in Athens at the 2004 Olympic Games where he became the only boxer from the United States to win a gold medal, capturing the top spot in the light heavyweight division. Weeks later, the southpaw fighter won his first professional fight by knockout, and went 2-0 defeating a then undefeated Kenny Kost Feb. 5 on BDSSP. Ward takes on up-and-coming Anthony Pietrantonio (5-0, 4 KOs) from Sharon, PA in a six round middleweight bout.
BDSSP’s Chris Rose and John Salley host the event, alongside guest analyst James “Lights Out” Toney. The trio previews the fight then hands it off to FSN’s veteran boxing announcer Barry Tompkins to call the fight. Plus FSN’s Jay Glazer will conduct pre-and post-fight in-ring interviews with the fighters.
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