Cautious Bowe Pulls Out of Hollywood Park Bout

Taking extra caution because of a newly signed deal to fight Lennox Lewis later this year or early in 1995, former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe on Sunday shocked nobody by pulling out of his scheduled fight July 15 at Hollywood Park--his third consecutive cancellation.

Bowe, apparently cleared to resume training by a doctor Sunday, might not fight again until the undercard of Lewis’ next fight, a World Boxing Council title defense against Oliver McCall in London in late September, Bowe publicist Kelly Swanson said.

That would mean canceling all three of his scheduled summer bouts on HBO. The first was scheduled for June 11 against Buster Mathis Jr. and was scratched because of the back spasms. Mathis was then scheduled to fight Bowe at Hollywood Park.

Larry Donald was also slated to fight Bowe in one of the summer fights.

Last February, Bowe, who has not fought since losing his title to Evander Holyfield last November, canceled a fight against Francois Botha because of a cut over his right eye suffered in training.