Riddick Bowe released early from prison for good conduct

Jet, June 7, 2004

Former heavy-weight champion Riddick Bowe was recently released from prison in Hagerstown, MD, after he served 18 months for kidnapping his first wife and their children in 1998. He was sentenced to a medium-security prison in January 2003 for abducting his estranged wife, Judy, and their five children from her home near Charlotte, NC.

The 36-year-old boxer's formal release date is June 8, but federal inmates with good conduct credits can be freed early to serve the rest of their sentences at halfway houses or on home confinement.

Bowe, of Fort Washington, had a 40-1 career boxing record. He was the undisputed heavyweight champion after he beat Evander Holyfield in 1992, then lost the crown to Holyfield the next year.

He last fought in 1996 and has said he plans to return to the ring after his release.

In June 2003, Bowe was acquitted of assault charges in Maryland after his current wife and three other alleged victims failed to appear in court.