Fights that didn't happen?

[SaadOffTheDeck]

Calzaghe was close to fighting Dawson after Jones. That would have been really good.

[Ossyrules]

For me Froch retiring when DeGale was number one contender was slightly different to Calzaghe. Froch went out by knocking out a guy in a fight everyone wanted and that guy had beaten DeGale. Calzaghe beat a shot Roy Jones in a horrible fight that nobody wanted.

Thing is, instead of the Jones fight, the one that got away for Joe wasn't Froch; it was Kelly Pavlik. He was seen as an absolute monster at the time; battered Miranda, stopped Taylor, beat him in a rematch after moving up in weight. Joe really could have ended up getting the credit that went to Hopkins.

I agree with you but the fight pavlik got instead was Hopkins, and I think in retrospect we probably didn’t miss out on anything too bad

[dirk2686]

Also, Floyd vs any of Margarito, Williams, Cotto or Mosley in the three years after he beat Judah. 147 was on fire at that time. You have to give him the De La Hoya fight but it was very disappointing that we got Hatton, Marquez and Baldomir instead of the above who were all at the top of their game.

Mosley and Cotto were game but clearly past their best when it happened; Marg and Williams obviously never will.

[dirk2686]

For me Froch retiring when DeGale was number one contender was slightly different to Calzaghe. Froch went out by knocking out a guy in a fight everyone wanted and that guy had beaten DeGale. Calzaghe beat a shot Roy Jones in a horrible fight that nobody wanted.

Thing is, instead of the Jones fight, the one that got away for Joe wasn't Froch; it was Kelly Pavlik. He was seen as an absolute monster at the time; battered Miranda, stopped Taylor, beat him in a rematch after moving up in weight. Joe really could have ended up getting the credit that went to Hopkins.

I agree with you but the fight pavlik got instead was Hopkins, and I think in retrospect we probably didn’t miss out on anything too bad

I know but I think it would have added some badly needed credibility to Calzaghe's record.

He spent a career fighting for recognition and being fed on a diet of horrible WBO defences against nobodies. Finally got the breakout fight against Lacy, and little did we know he only had five fights left, three of which (Bika, Manfredo and Jones) were awful.

Pavlik was a serious name at the time. Would have been so much better than Jones. I remember at the time people saying in time all we'll remember is Joe beat Roy Jones Jnr; it's not happened. Everyone still knows it was a shadow of Roy.

[Ossyrules]

For me Froch retiring when DeGale was number one contender was slightly different to Calzaghe. Froch went out by knocking out a guy in a fight everyone wanted and that guy had beaten DeGale. Calzaghe beat a shot Roy Jones in a horrible fight that nobody wanted.

Thing is, instead of the Jones fight, the one that got away for Joe wasn't Froch; it was Kelly Pavlik. He was seen as an absolute monster at the time; battered Miranda, stopped Taylor, beat him in a rematch after moving up in weight. Joe really could have ended up getting the credit that went to Hopkins.

I agree with you but the fight pavlik got instead was Hopkins, and I think in retrospect we probably didn’t miss out on anything too bad

I know but I think it would have added some badly needed credibility to Calzaghe's record.

He spent a career fighting for recognition and being fed on a diet of horrible WBO defences against nobodies. Finally got the breakout fight against Lacy, and little did we know he only had five fights left, three of which (Bika, Manfredo and Jones) were awful.

Pavlik was a serious name at the time. Would have been so much better than Jones. I remember at the time people saying in time all we'll remember is Joe beat Roy Jones Jnr; it's not happened. Everyone still knows it was a shadow of Roy.

Yes you’re right. It’s better to beat someone than let someone else expose them, namely Hopkins

I just meant that Hopkins vs Calzaghe and then Pavlik after showed that Pavlik was a level below at 175 to cause Calzaghe too much bother. Pavlik was like a smaller poorer version of Kessler for me. Straight puncher, not too much variety. Technically solid etc

[littlepug]

Bruno v Mason, also Scott Harrison v Ponce De Leon was close to happening

[littlepug]

Benn v Duran/Leonard was being talked about but then Benn fought Barkley and it all went quiet

[TheGman]

Mayweather vs margarito at 147

Mayweather vs paul williams at 147

De la hoya vs tyszu at 140

Nigel benn vs james toney at 168

Eubank vs jones jnr at 168

There was talk of naz vs mayweather at 135

And hatton vs witter at 140

Good lost except I do t remember naz ca Mayweather st lightweight? Naz was super bantam turned feather, and his frame was pretty small

Sorry not 135 at 130 super feather,there was talk of it

[PredatorHayds]

I'll add one of those fights that were blindingly obvious but endlessly deferred in a "We need to build it up" way:

Juan Manuel Lopez vs Yuri Gamboa.

I mean, JML kept being exposed as an enormo weight-drainery one-dimensional dude who got flattered by his marketing & Gamboa kept getting floored by nobodies before drifting off in a haze of boredom, but for like a year it was the best trade fight in the sport & if a little less greed were involved could've perhaps led to some sort of trilogy.

Beat me to it.
This was the biggest fight in boxing for a period.

Still can’t believe it didn’t happen. Same promotional outfit, same TV network and fought on same shows.

Even Setanta where building the fight in this country.

Neither fighter achieved anywhere near the notoriety they would of if this fight happened.

[dirk2686]

I'll add one of those fights that were blindingly obvious but endlessly deferred in a "We need to build it up" way:

Juan Manuel Lopez vs Yuri Gamboa.

I mean, JML kept being exposed as an enormo weight-drainery one-dimensional dude who got flattered by his marketing & Gamboa kept getting floored by nobodies before drifting off in a haze of boredom, but for like a year it was the best trade fight in the sport & if a little less greed were involved could've perhaps led to some sort of trilogy.

Beat me to it.
This was the biggest fight in boxing for a period.

Still can’t believe it didn’t happen. Same promotional outfit, same TV network and fought on same shows.

Even Setanta where building the fight in this country.

Neither fighter achieved anywhere near the notoriety they would of if this fight happened.

One of the things with 'fights that never happened' debates are that there will always be some fights which don't happen, (you can't fight everyone), but occasionally big fights don't happen because even bigger fights do happen in their place.

Lopez Gamboa is an exception because by far and away it was the biggest fight for both.

[Bigdogsnose]

Domestic

Hatton v witter.

The whole middleweight scene of a few year back... Barker, Murray, macklin ... criminal they never fought each other.

Prime herbie hide v Frank Bruno (think there heavyweight careers just over lapped)

Add Khan v brook in a few years when they both retired

International

Kovalev v Stevenson

Hopkins v toney - maybe 93/94 between jones beating them

I don’t think Hopkins vs Toney was ever truly on short of Hopkins jumping a weight class or 2. Not while Toney was around his prime anyway

yeah see what you're saying - probably missed each other at middleweight by a couple of years.

[bennie]

Benn v Duran/Leonard was being talked about but then Benn fought Barkley and it all went quiet

Ambrose Mendy talk.

[Noxy]

Richard Williams vs Steve Roberts

[Stuarty]

Calzaghe v Reid rematch should've probably happened. I get tired whenever I watch that fight.

[Bladder]

I always wanted to see Robert Dickie v Floyd Havard.

and for a while Pat Barrett v Tony Ekubia.

[johnswan1]

Hatton-Gatti
Hatton-Cotto @140
Mayorga-Margarito @147
Mayweather-Williams
Lewis-Vitali 2
Pac-Marquez 5
Naz-Morales
Lewis-Ibeabuchi

[stujones]

Yes, Ricky had some asbsolute classics he could have been in. Gatti would have been one, wasn't he close to fighting Shamba Mitchell at one stage.

Hatton vs Cotto at 140 - never really close to happening, but both the same age and touted as the two best prospects at the same time. Such a shame that didn't happen.

[Spud]

The one that really grips me was Fury v Haye.

To be involved in the team & to have a big fight snatched away because of genuine injuries is a ****.

[gilgamesh]

Yes, Ricky had some asbsolute classics he could have been in. Gatti would have been one, wasn't he close to fighting Shamba Mitchell at one stage.

Hatton vs Cotto at 140 - never really close to happening, but both the same age and touted as the two best prospects at the same time. Such a shame that didn't happen.

I adore Gatti, but I honestly figure Hatton would've been too strong for him, but it still might've been competitive in say 2003 or 2004.

Hatton vs Cotto would've been awesome. In almost 20 years I've NEVER seen Cotto in a bad fight, and it's damn hard to imagine a fight with Hatton as anything other than a barnburner!

[Ossyrules]

The one that really grips me was Fury v Haye.

To be involved in the team & to have a big fight snatched away because of genuine injuries is a ****.

Nice to have a realistic comment instead of the trolls citing ducking from haye etc

What was your involvement spud

[Ossyrules]

Yes, Ricky had some asbsolute classics he could have been in. Gatti would have been one, wasn't he close to fighting Shamba Mitchell at one stage.

Hatton vs Cotto at 140 - never really close to happening, but both the same age and touted as the two best prospects at the same time. Such a shame that didn't happen.

I adore Gatti, but I honestly figure Hatton would've been too strong for him, but it still might've been competitive in say 2003 or 2004.

Hatton vs Cotto would've been awesome. In almost 20 years I've NEVER seen Cotto in a bad fight, and it's damn hard to imagine a fight with Hatton as anything other than a barnburner!

I think Hatton would have battered gatti

Hatton vs cotto would have been quality and at 140 Hatton had a good chance. At 147 cotto gives Hatton a hard time

[gilgamesh]

Yes, Ricky had some asbsolute classics he could have been in. Gatti would have been one, wasn't he close to fighting Shamba Mitchell at one stage.

Hatton vs Cotto at 140 - never really close to happening, but both the same age and touted as the two best prospects at the same time. Such a shame that didn't happen.

I adore Gatti, but I honestly figure Hatton would've been too strong for him, but it still might've been competitive in say 2003 or 2004.

Hatton vs Cotto would've been awesome. In almost 20 years I've NEVER seen Cotto in a bad fight, and it's damn hard to imagine a fight with Hatton as anything other than a barnburner!

I think Hatton would have battered gatti

Hatton vs cotto would have been quality and at 140 Hatton had a good chance. At 147 cotto gives Hatton a hard time

Yeah I definitely think Cotto vs Hatton is a better fight at 140.

[dirk2686]

Speaking of Hatton, you can't begrudge him leaving Witter behind to chase Floyd - but it really should have happened afterwards. Ricky did good business regardless but nobody is telling me Hatton Lazcano was a bigger deal than Hatton Witter for the WBC 140 title.

As much as Ricky didn't like him, and Witter's style was never that popular, I think if he was being really honest he'd admit Witter would have been a hard fight that, for his image at the time, he really couldn't afford to lose.

[Dirk Kelly]

Richard Williams vs Steve Roberts

Good shout. There was a few fighters at that weight that could have led to some decent scraps. Williams, Roberts, Tak, Hare and a think a couple more.

Always likes Roberts then he got pasted by that Russian I think and went off and bought a B&B in Scotland I think.

[Noxy]

Richard Williams vs Steve Roberts

Good shout. There was a few fighters at that weight that could have led to some decent scraps. Williams, Roberts, Tak, Hare and a think a couple more.

Always likes Roberts then he got pasted by that Russian I think and went off and bought a B&B in Scotland I think.

Ah, is that what he did. He just seemed to disappear suddenly, as far as I knew anyway. Good on him, I hope the B&B is going well. Roberts was a good fighter, one of (as you say) a few useful guys around at that time