Things you would have liked to have seen in boxing?

[forcefraser]

Chuck Gardner to have beaten Bruno and gone on to bigger Things

Benn v Toney in their prime

[jamesmcdonnell]

Hatton v Witter - what really would have happened?
Hagler v Leonard over 15 and in a standard size ring.
Michael Watson to not drop his guard against Eubank as the ref waves the action on.
A non alcohol impaired Ricky Hatton. What sort of career would he have had?
Mayweather V SRL - if only.
Leonard v Duran II if Roberto hadn't ballooned to near 200 lbs.
Shane Mosley v Kostya Tszyu at 140.
Calzaghe v Prime RJJ
If Roy had moved to cruiser after beating Ruiz.

[milpool]

Chuck Gardner to have beaten Bruno and gone on to bigger Things

[johnswan1]

So it wouldn't have mattered whether he was guilty of rape or not, you'd have preferred to see him acquitted just so he could continue to box?

Correct.

[johnswan1]

Hatton v Witter - what really would have happened?
Hagler v Leonard over 15 and in a standard size ring.
Michael Watson to not drop his guard against Eubank as the ref waves the action on.
A non alcohol impaired Ricky Hatton. What sort of career would he have had?
Mayweather V SRL - if only.
Leonard v Duran II if Roberto hadn't ballooned to near 200 lbs.
Shane Mosley v Kostya Tszyu at 140.
Calzaghe v Prime RJJ
If Roy had moved to cruiser after beating Ruiz.

Great list.

1. Junior by one punch KO, or Junior quitting on his stool after Ricky takes everything out of him.
2. Hagler by decision or late stoppage.
3. Watson wins the fight and probably a world title after that.
4. Perhaps a slightly longer career, but he didn't have stamina issues as it was and there wasn't much more for him to achieve. He didn't have the size to be a top Welter.
5. Wow. Leonard wins by decision or stoppage. Flashier combinations from Leonard would win rounds.
6. Leonard by decision.
7. Amazing match up. I would probably favor Mosley by KO. Mosley had a great chin and Kostya didn't take well to taking punishment. Mosley would break his heart just as Philips and Hatton did.
8. Jones Jr by decision.
9. Don't think he would ever have been the same fight again at any weight after having bulked up to heavy. He may have had an extra couple of years of dominance before tasting defeat but it wouldn't have added much to his legacy. History will be kind to Roy, I expect the Tarver defeat will be largely ignored given it came after he had already reached the pinnacle of his career becoming (alphabet) heavyweight champ. There was nothing for him to achieve below heavyweight after he won that title.

What I would like to see:

1. A proper and universally accepted ranking system with process for automatically determining match ups.
2. I'm ok with four titles. Beltholders to fight at least one ranked contender and one other beltholder every year.
3. Judging panel to haul judge on front of panel to explain his reasoning when he scores a round the opposite way to the other two judges. For close rounds this wouldn't be so much of a problem, but for particularly bad scoring a judge should be suspended/demoted. Only the best should be judging the biggest fights. Also consider scoring a single card where two judges scoring in favor of one fighter can overrule the other.
4. At least one annual mega event touring different cities of the world packed with championship fights from multiple weights. 17 different weight divisions. Imagine three events per year consisting of 5+ championship bouts from different weights with no. 1 vs no. 2. PPV and shared earnings to fighters. Gives all fighters in all divisions motivation to get top ranking as all fighters get rewarded and showcased.

Example - based on Boxrec rankings, I'm aware the heavy one of these have already taken place)

MEGA EVENT 1
Heavy - Klitchko v Povetkin
Cruiser - Drozd v Huck
Light Heavy - Kovalev v Stevenson
Super Middle - Ward v Degale
Middle - Golovkin v Cotto

Imagine how big boxing could become.

[semtexreilly]

I'd have loved to see george foreman v ernie shavers,duran v arguello,herol win a world title and Joe calzague put a young Carl froch to the sword

[Crease]

McGuigan vs Nelson - late 1985.

[jamesmcdonnell]

Hatton v Witter - what really would have happened?
Hagler v Leonard over 15 and in a standard size ring.
Michael Watson to not drop his guard against Eubank as the ref waves the action on.
A non alcohol impaired Ricky Hatton. What sort of career would he have had?
Mayweather V SRL - if only.
Leonard v Duran II if Roberto hadn't ballooned to near 200 lbs.
Shane Mosley v Kostya Tszyu at 140.
Calzaghe v Prime RJJ
If Roy had moved to cruiser after beating Ruiz.

Great list.

1. Junior by one punch KO, or Junior quitting on his stool after Ricky takes everything out of him.
2. Hagler by decision or late stoppage.
3. Watson wins the fight and probably a world title after that.
4. Perhaps a slightly longer career, but he didn't have stamina issues as it was and there wasn't much more for him to achieve. He didn't have the size to be a top Welter.
5. Wow. Leonard wins by decision or stoppage. Flashier combinations from Leonard would win rounds.
6. Leonard by decision.
7. Amazing match up. I would probably favor Mosley by KO. Mosley had a great chin and Kostya didn't take well to taking punishment. Mosley would break his heart just as Philips and Hatton did.
8. Jones Jr by decision.
9. Don't think he would ever have been the same fight again at any weight after having bulked up to heavy. He may have had an extra couple of years of dominance before tasting defeat but it wouldn't have added much to his legacy. History will be kind to Roy, I expect the Tarver defeat will be largely ignored given it came after he had already reached the pinnacle of his career becoming (alphabet) heavyweight champ. There was nothing for him to achieve below heavyweight after he won that title.

What I would like to see:

1. A proper and universally accepted ranking system with process for automatically determining match ups.
2. I'm ok with four titles. Beltholders to fight at least one ranked contender and one other beltholder every year.
3. Judging panel to haul judge on front of panel to explain his reasoning when he scores a round the opposite way to the other two judges. For close rounds this wouldn't be so much of a problem, but for particularly bad scoring a judge should be suspended/demoted. Only the best should be judging the biggest fights. Also consider scoring a single card where two judges scoring in favor of one fighter can overrule the other.
4. At least one annual mega event touring different cities of the world packed with championship fights from multiple weights. 17 different weight divisions. Imagine three events per year consisting of 5+ championship bouts from different weights with no. 1 vs no. 2. PPV and shared earnings to fighters. Gives all fighters in all divisions motivation to get top ranking as all fighters get rewarded and showcased.

Example - based on Boxrec rankings, I'm aware the heavy one of these have already taken place)

MEGA EVENT 1
Heavy - Klitchko v Povetkin
Cruiser - Drozd v Huck
Light Heavy - Kovalev v Stevenson
Super Middle - Ward v Degale
Middle - Golovkin v Cotto

Imagine how big boxing could become.

Also a good list.

I agree with most of your responses - I think that Leonard might still have pulled it off, but it would have been one hell of a different fight, and Leonard would have been required to tough it out down the stretch.

I also think that RJJ would have been fine at the old 190 limit, he only just weighed over 200 for the Ruiz fight remember, he'd have been able to shed that no trouble in a couple of months - the starvation diet he did to get down to 175 for the tarver fight, seemingly did permanent damage to his system.

Watson I think would have gone on to have been the best of the lot of the UK super middles. He was by far the best all rounder of the lot, and was an absolute beast to boot - but for one misunderstanding - things would have been so different.

The megaevent is a good idea - if you remove promoters from boxing, and have one governing body.

[ThereByTheGrace]

Less weight classes and one champion per weight class.

One governing body, no promoters.

If you refuse to fight the top ranked fighter for any reason automatic suspension for a year.

This (not sure about suspension part tho).

Well maybe change it to if any fighter refuses to fight anyone for any reason they get suspended for a year. Takes away people ducking!

[Ricky_]

Less weight classes and one champion per weight class.

One governing body, no promoters.

If you refuse to fight the top ranked fighter for any reason automatic suspension for a year.

This (not sure about suspension part tho).

Well maybe change it to if any fighter refuses to fight anyone for any reason they get suspended for a year. Takes away people ducking!

Fighters gotta make a living though, and some are clever enough to know maybe they ain't ready yet. Everyone would love to see Joshua face Wlad for instance and gien the division is so thin it's not crazy to think that he's not too far away from being in the running, and, is probably the biggest draw out there, but a sensible coach would make sure he goes through the proper levels first. It's not so much ducking, more humility.

[rpms]

McGuigan vs Nelson - late 1985.

Oooh no-That fills me with dread for Barry almost as much as it did when first proposed in the mid-eighties !

[bruthead]

In recent years: May-Pac in 2009/2010 and Haye-Vitali in 2012.

[ThereByTheGrace]

I see your point Ricky fair enough!

[Stuarty]

Brodie winning a world title. Those 2 bouts with Chi really took it out of him.

I think he would of had a good chance of beating Harrison in his prime.

I doubt it to be honest. Harrison on his game was a beast. I wish he'd have lived up to his full potential. I'd have taken a prime Harrison over Chi every day of the week.

[Stuarty]

I was always gutted Ryan Rhodes never won a world title for some reason. Always had a soft spot for him. I think an Alex Arthur who stuck with a good trainer and actually listened would have been a force as he was a very talented guy. Lovely to watch when he was on song. It still irks me to this day the way Naz went out! With a whimper!

[witherspoon]

I've got to add my voice to those who would have wanted to see Herol Graham take a belt.

I would like to have seen Riddick Bowe beat Lewis in the early '90's, and lose a 3-4 fight series over 10 years that would have enhanced both mens legacies.

I wish Pernell had been given the decision against De La Hoya.

I would like to have seen Naazim Richards in Cotto's corner the first time he fought Margarito.

Somebody said 'Holmes to land that uppercut before Tyson knocked him out'. I wonder, if Holmes had held Tyson off long enough to shake off the rust, how would that fight have panned out??? We saw what Holmes was still capable of years later and Tyson was doing some serious whining to Kevin Rooney between rounds before he found Holmes' temple with that right hand.

[Crease]

Oooh no-That fills me with dread for Barry almost as much as it did when first proposed in the mid-eighties !

Nelson would have been the clear favourite, but Barry was in smashing form back then... I think it would've been a good competitive fight.

[Sklar]

Bowe to have stayed disciplined and to have fought Lewis and Tyson.

[jamesmcdonnell]

I've got to add my voice to those who would have wanted to see Herol Graham take a belt.

I would like to have seen Riddick Bowe beat Lewis in the early '90's, and lose a 3-4 fight series over 10 years that would have enhanced both mens legacies.

I wish Pernell had been given the decision against De La Hoya.

I would like to have seen Naazim Richards in Cotto's corner the first time he fought Margarito.

Somebody said 'Holmes to land that uppercut before Tyson knocked him out'. I wonder, if Holmes had held Tyson off long enough to shake off the rust, how would that fight have panned out??? We saw what Holmes was still capable of years later and Tyson was doing some serious whining to Kevin Rooney between rounds before he found Holmes' temple with that right hand.

Yes, if only Holmes had a few fights before taking Tyson on.

[davie]

Naseem to have fought on.

I've no idea how he would have fared against some of the top names but at that time and shortly after, you had Barrera, Morales, Pacquiao, Marques all pass through the feather weight division. Even Floyd was only one division up at the time

Would have been interesting to see the mess he'd have made of Scott Harrison

[jamesmcdonnell]

Naseem to have fought on.

I've no idea how he would have fared against some of the top names but at that time and shortly after, you had Barrera, Morales, Pacquiao, Marques all pass through the feather weight division. Even Floyd was only one division up at the time

Would have been interesting to see the mess he'd have made of Scott Harrison

The end of his career was a huge disappointment - but it showed how mentally fragile he really was, behind all of that posturing and bullshit, his ego was paper-thin - and all it took was one humbling at the hands of barrera to destroy him as a fighter.

Hugely entertaining fighter in his day, but a slightly disappointing career in hindsight.

[Loftgroov]

Eubank, Benn, Watson, RJJ, Toney, McClellen - a round robin Super Six

[jamesmcdonnell]

Eubank, Benn, Watson, RJJ, Toney, McClellen - a round robin Super Six

That would really have been something, what a tournament - RJJ would have won it without a shadow of a doubt, but there would have been some incredible fights - Eubank v Toney would have been great, so would Watson v McClellan. McClellan v Toney.

[Terminator666]

Ali v Foreman 2
Tyson v Foreman
Mayweather v Alvarez at 154 pounds
Leonard v Lalonde with Lalonde at 175 for one weight division title
Mayweather v GGG

[reggaereggae]

Joe Bugner Snr vs Joe Bugner Jnr.

They were both active at the same time at one point.

Chuck Gardner vs Gerrie Coetzee