Big Fights that passed us by

[gilgamesh]

A thread dedicated to big fights that could've happened, but for whatever reason didn't, and what you think would've happened HAD they went down.

We'll start with...

Wladimir Klitschko vs Lennox Lewis circa 2002 or early 2003 (in this scenario Wlad hadn't yet been chinned by Corrie)

[Seamus]

Roy Jones vs Dariusz Michalczewski and Mayweather vs Pacquiao some years earlier than it came off.

[gilgamesh]

I figure Mayweather vs Pacquiao would've played out relatively the same at any point, but Pac might've won another round or two, and probably would've been more aggressive. Still though it's hard for me to imagine Mayweather doesn't win a decision.

Roy Jones definitely would've beaten Michalczewski when that fight was being talked about. Mostly likely with a pretty lopsided UD.

I figure Lennox would've caught and KO'd Wlad around the 5th when that fight could've happened, but it's not out of the question that Wlad could've gotten the homerun shot in first. I gotta favor Lennox though.

I would've loved to have seen Tito vs Mosley sometime around 2000 or early 2001 (assuming that Tito postponed his trip to Middleweight, and stayed at 154 for one more fight)

[gilgamesh]

This one was on my Dream List for years, but unfortunately it never materialized.

I would've loved to have seen Rafael Marquez vs Jhonny Gonzalez at Bantamweight sometime around 2003 or 2004. That would've been awesome, and a FOTY candidate for sure

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Off the top of my head, the top 5 for me since I've been watching are, Duran/arguello, spinks/saad, Tito/Norris, hearns/hagler in 82, hearns/Leonard immediate rematch. Honorable mention holyfield/Ruddock.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Oh, and Ricardo Lopez moving up to get his ass whipped by carbajal or Johnson.

[gilgamesh]

Off the top of my head, the top 5 for me since I've been watching are, Duran/arguello, spinks/saad, Tito/Norris, hearns/hagler in 82, hearns/Leonard immediate rematch. Honorable mention holyfield/Ruddock.

Those would've been great. Who do you like in those fights?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Duran, spinks, Norris, I sooo want to take Tommy and he was the motor city cobra then, if the hesitant hagler that fought Duran shows up hearns decisions him, hearns and evander.

[Seamus]

Having to make weight could well have hurt Duran against Arguello. Probably the reason it didn't happen.

[ElJefe]

Marquez vs Morales - After Marquez' first fight with Pac and just before Morales finished off the trilogy with Barrera. Mid to late 2004. Would have completed the Barrera/Morales/Pac/Marquez round robin as well.

Tyson vs Bowe - Before Tyson went to prison in 1992. Think Bowe at his best would win by late stoppage.

Lewis vs Bowe - Instead of Bowe dropping the WBC belt. Can see any outcome here. At this time I slightly lean towards Bowe, a couple of years later and I'd say Lewis.

Jones Jr vs Eubank - Around 93/94. When Roy won the IBF super middleweight title and Eubank was the WBO champ.

Toney vs Benn - Any time in the early 90's at 160 or 168.

Jones/Benn and Toney/Eubank would also have been great fights, but went for Toney/Benn because the battle on the inside would have been incredible. Think the Americans take both of the Brits in these ones.

[giacomino]

Duran v Cervantez
Wilfredo Gomez v Danny Lopez would have been fun.
Wilfredo Gomez v Pedroza would have been the ultimate ball-buster

Jung-Koo Chang V Myung Woo Yuh, may have been the best reason ever to hate split titles. Two of the best South Korean fighters in history, in the same weight class, both longtime champions at the same time, never fought

[Seamus]

Yoko Gushiken vs Hilario Zapata
Jung Koo Chang vs Myung Woo Yuh
Myung Woo Yuh vs Humberto Gonzalez
Myung Woo Yuh vs Michael Carbajal
Horacio Accavallo vs Chartchai Chionoi
Yuri Arbachakov vs Mark Johnson
Khaosai Galaxy vs Jiro Watanabe
Khaosai Galaxy vs Santos Laciar
Khaosai Galaxy vs Sung Kil Moon
Wilfredo Gomez vs Sergio Palma
Ernesto Marcel vs Eder Jofre
Danny Lopez vs Eusebio Pedroza
Salvador Sanchez vs Eusebio Pedroza
Azumah Nelson vs Brian Mitchell
Antonio Cervantes vs Bruno Arcari
Carlos Palomino vs Pipino Cuevas
Tommy Hearns vs Mike McCallum
Michael Nunn vs Mike McCallum
Michael Nunn vs Julian Jackson
Julian Jackson vs Mike McCallum (MW)
Julian Jackson vs James Toney
Roy Jones Jr vs Gerald McClellan
Nigel Benn vs James Toney
James Toney vs Michael Nunn (SMW)
Michael Nunn vs Nigel Benn
Roy Jones Jr vs Nigel Benn
Victor Galindez vs John Conteh
Roy Jones Jr vs Dariusz Michalczewski
Fabrice Tiozzo vs Juan Carlos Gomez
Juan Carlos Gomez vs Vassiliy Jirov

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Having to make weight could well have hurt Duran against Arguello. Probably the reason it didn't happen.

It didn't happen because arguello lost to Fernandez.

[King Carlos]

Oh, and Ricardo Lopez moving up to get his ass whipped by carbajal or Johnson.

You honestly think he'd have lost to Carbajal?

[King Carlos]

Jung-Koo Chang V Myung Woo Yuh, may have been the best reason ever to hate split titles. Two of the best South Korean fighters in history, in the same weight class, both longtime champions at the same time, never fought

Wasn't even considered seriously in South Korea. Chang was thought to be of an entirely different class to Yuh. It's only us Westerners that make a fuss about it in hindsight.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Oh, and Ricardo Lopez moving up to get his ass whipped by carbajal or Johnson.

You honestly think he'd have lost to Carbajal?

Not certain or anything, but I'd pick carbajal.

[gilgamesh]

Marquez vs Morales - After Marquez' first fight with Pac and just before Morales finished off the trilogy with Barrera. Mid to late 2004. Would have completed the Barrera/Morales/Pac/Marquez round robin as well.

Tyson vs Bowe - Before Tyson went to prison in 1992. Think Bowe at his best would win by late stoppage.

Lewis vs Bowe - Instead of Bowe dropping the WBC belt. Can see any outcome here. At this time I slightly lean towards Bowe, a couple of years later and I'd say Lewis.

Jones Jr vs Eubank - Around 93/94. When Roy won the IBF super middleweight title and Eubank was the WBO champ.

Toney vs Benn - Any time in the early 90's at 160 or 168.

Jones/Benn and Toney/Eubank would also have been great fights, but went for Toney/Benn because the battle on the inside would have been incredible. Think the Americans take both of the Brits in these ones.

Great fights there

[Bricks]

Sugar Ray Leonard-Michael Nunn summer 1989

Naseem Hamed-Floyd Mayweather 2000

Donald Curry -Marvin Hagler spring 1986

Roberto Duran -Michael Nunn late 88

Nigel Benn-Herol Graham late 1990

[Rexob]

Marquez vs Morales - After Marquez' first fight with Pac and just before Morales finished off the trilogy with Barrera. Mid to late 2004. Would have completed the Barrera/Morales/Pac/Marquez round robin as well.

Tyson vs Bowe - Before Tyson went to prison in 1992. Think Bowe at his best would win by late stoppage.

Lewis vs Bowe - Instead of Bowe dropping the WBC belt. Can see any outcome here. At this time I slightly lean towards Bowe, a couple of years later and I'd say Lewis.

Jones Jr vs Eubank - Around 93/94. When Roy won the IBF super middleweight title and Eubank was the WBO champ.

Toney vs Benn - Any time in the early 90's at 160 or 168.

Jones/Benn and Toney/Eubank would also have been great fights, but went for Toney/Benn because the battle on the inside would have been incredible. Think the Americans take both of the Brits in these ones.

Loved to have seen Tyson vs Bowe

[Bodyshot3]

World class Brit domestic dust-ups....

Calzaghe v Froch - my two favourite fighters matched, Froch possibly finding a way to give the master a huge acid test.
Short window for the fight but surely a classic.

Hatton v Witter - different styles, attitudes and talent sets. Not much love lost either.

Bruno v Hide - fingers crossed for the big man from Wandsworth and a huge overhand right.

International fights......

Roy v Dariusz - still left hanging and the debate rumbles on for eternity, could DM have been the man to take-out Jones at his zenith?

Lennox v Vitali 2 - shame that Lennox was so sensible and aware of the passing of time. They could have given us a second modern classic.

Nelson v Mitchell - politics got in the way, two great fighters who should have settled matters in the ring.

[cfang]

In recent eras I guess they've all been mentioned. I'd love to have seen eubank and benn take on Jones and toney. The Brits would have been outsiders but they'd have been great fights.

In ye olden times. Sullivan vs Peter Jackson springs to mind. Can see Jackson winning that. Then there's ketchell vs Langford. They fought ofc but in a championship match I would put my house on Langford. Then there's wills and Dempsey. Will's ten year run is incredible but a well trained and motivated Dempsey would have stopped wills I think, after being behind.

Marciano vs Patterson would have been a cracking fight with rocky on the wane and Floyd young but fast could have been closer than you'd think.

[keithmoonhangover]

Roy Jones vs Dariusz Michalczewski

[keithmoonhangover]

Tyson vs Holyfield (prime for prime)
Lewis vs Bowe
Haye vs Fury
Bruno vs Mason
Ali (without the ban) vs Frazier as his challenger.
Tyson vs Douglas (Immediate rematch)
Douglas (fit and motivated) vs Holyfield.

[gilgamesh]

Tyson vs Holyfield (prime for prime)
Lewis vs Bowe
Haye vs Fury
Bruno vs Mason
Ali (without the ban) vs Frazier as his challenger.
Tyson vs Douglas (Immediate rematch)
Douglas (fit and motivated) vs Holyfield.

A Douglas vs Tyson immediate rematch would've indeed been interesting.

I wanted to see Fury beat Haye, but of course Haye pulled his usual shit, and pulled out of the fight.

[keithmoonhangover]

Tyson vs Holyfield (prime for prime)
Lewis vs Bowe
Haye vs Fury
Bruno vs Mason
Ali (without the ban) vs Frazier as his challenger.
Tyson vs Douglas (Immediate rematch)
Douglas (fit and motivated) vs Holyfield.

A Douglas vs Tyson immediate rematch would've indeed been interesting.

I wanted to see Fury beat Haye, but of course Haye pulled his usual poo, and pulled out of the fight.

He was injured mate. That's not sh1t.