Bowe Can’t Wait to Fight Donald : Boxing: Former heavyweight champion punches his Saturday opponent at news conference.

In what was the best combination he has thrown in more than a year, former heavyweight champion Riddick Bowe rocked a Monday news conference at the Forum when he landed two solid punches to the face of Larry Donald, his opponent in Saturday night’s non-title fight at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

The altercation broke out as the fighters were fielding questions from reporters.

Standing shoulder to shoulder at a lectern in the Forum Club, Donald and Bowe were mumbling to each other in what appeared to be typical prefight hype.

Suddenly, though, Bowe surprised Donald with what he later called his “hook-cross” to Donald’s jaw.

Both punches, a left hook followed by a crossing right, landed flush on Donald’s face. The punches appeared to stun Donald, who did not retaliate. Later, he bled slightly from the mouth.

The fighters were quickly separated. Veteran fight observers said they had never seen such an incident at a news conference.

“A typical cowardly move by someone who’s desperate,” Robert Mittleman, one of Donald’s managers, screamed as Bowe was escorted out of the conference room. “You ain’t going to intimidate Larry. Bowe’s in for the beating of his life.”

Donald would not comment on the incident.

“I’ll do all my talking Saturday,” he said.

Janks Morton, Donald’s trainer, blasted Bowe’s manager, Rock Newman.

“That should’ve never happened,” Morton screamed at Newman. “You provoked it.”

Newman said the incident was unfortunate, adding, “You never know what’s going to happen when emotions run high.”

Bowe would not apologize.

“He was taunting me,” Bowe said. “I told you guys I’m ready to fight. He squared off at me, that’s why he got popped.”

If Donald did square off and face Bowe, no one else saw it.

Bowe said he had not struck Donald with full force.

“If I’d hit him like I wanted to, he’d be out,” he said. “He’d be at the hospital.”

Later, Bowe blamed the incident on the frustration that has plagued him since losing his heavyweight title to Evander Holyfield on Nov. 7, 1993. Hampered by injuries, Bowe has fought only once since, last Aug. 13 against Buster Mathis Jr. That fight was deemed “no contest” when the New Jersey Athletic Commission ruled a late hit by Bowe had been intentional.

Rich Rose, vice president of Caesars World, said Monday’s altercation probably would not lead to the cancellation of the fight.