Ex-boxing champ Bowe calls out Leafs’ Carlyle

Riddick Bowe. (Sakchai Lalit/AP)

Former heavyweight boxing champion Riddick Bowe isn’t happy with the Toronto Maple Leafs and their recent struggles. Yes, you heard that correctly.

Bowe is a native of Brooklyn, N.Y., but has been a diehard Leafs fan for decades and on Thursday he called out Leafs coach Randy Carlyle on Twitter.

If you visit Bowe’s Twitter page, which features a Maple Leafs logo in the background, you’ll soon come to realize the passionate pugilist, who owns a home in Toronto, spends much of his tweeting about the team. He even frequently uses the hashtag #BoweLeafsBowe.

Like most Leafs fans, Bowe isn’t afraid to share his opinions about the team. According to his timeline, he is a big fan of Phil Kessel and says the team needs to cut captain Dion Phaneuf.

The Leafs are in a tight battle for the final two playoff spots in the East and must go on a hot streak in their remaining eight games if they wish to qualify for the post-season for a second straight year. A loss to the St. Louis Blues earlier this week didn’t help the Leafs’ cause… and it really upset Bowe.

The 46-year-old retired from pro boxing in 2008 with a record of 43-1, 1 NC. Bowe held the WBC, WBA and IBF heavyweight titles during his career and had two wins over Evander Holyfield.

The Leafs will look to avoid a seventh consecutive loss as they visit the Philadelphia Flyers Friday on Sportsnet Ontario with coverage starting at 7 p.m. EST.

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