Best british fights that never happened

[mickey1975]

I’d be amazed if Del stops him.

Hopefully we'll see the bout. And we can see how much pressure Del Boy applies.

We will see it. He’s in full training at the Tyson Fury camp.

[Glass Joe]

“Back then in 2013, Tyson Fury wasn't the fighter he is today. He was very young, he was very inexperienced. He wasn't as teak tough as he is now. He hadn't been through the trials and tribulations that's made him the man and fighter he is today. It would have been the perfect bit of matchmaking if I was able to get him. A baby, in boxing terms.
He had been heavily knocked down by a non-punching cruiserweight in Steve Cunningham, so it was a perfect storm for me, but the fight didn't happen.
I got a cut before the fight and it never took place.”
- DAVID HAYE

Fury vs Haye the one that got away.

[mickey1975]

I think David has been sniffing glue.

[Jimmy2020]

I think David has been sniffing glue.

Doesn't seem like nearly eight years ago, does it? Remember people posting the photos of David's cut on here.

Most people had it as a walk on the park for Haye. I know you didn't.

I seldom get heavyweight matches wrong but I was picking Haye then. I would have been wrong. Always rated Fury but didn't think he was ready.

[coghaugen11]

I remember Frank Bruno being astonished that Haye was betting favourite over Fury. He didn’t see it even being close.

He was like the only one.

He was maybe right.

[mickey1975]

I think David has been sniffing glue.

Doesn't seem like nearly eight years ago, does it? Remember people posting the photos of David's cut on here.

Most people had it as a walk on the park for Haye. I know you didn't.

I seldom get heavyweight matches wrong but I was picking Haye then. I would have been wrong. Always rated Fury but didn't think he was ready.

I understand that, just Tyson seemed to sense something! He was ready to fight.

[coghaugen11]

I’ll go with Dave though, an upgraded version of the one who faced Chisora (bit rusty) and was bashing a fresh Wilder with counters.

Fury was too unstable and hadn’t fought in front of a big crowd yet.

[mickey1975]

I think David has been sniffing glue.

Doesn't seem like nearly eight years ago, does it? Remember people posting the photos of David's cut on here.

Most people had it as a walk on the park for Haye. I know you didn't.

I seldom get heavyweight matches wrong but I was picking Haye then. I would have been wrong. Always rated Fury but didn't think he was ready.

And, being honest, I didn’t know which way it would go. I knew Tyson was very good, but weren’t sure how he’d step up.

[mickey1975]

I’ll go with Dave though, an upgraded version of the one who faced Chisora (bit rusty) and was bashing a fresh Wilder with counters.

Fury was too unstable and hadn’t fought in front of a big crowd yet.

Tyson doesn’t get into the ring unless 100%. He certainly wouldn’t get chinned at the Manchester Arena. Who’d do that?

[Jimmy2020]

I’ll go with Dave though, an upgraded version of the one who faced Chisora (bit rusty) and was bashing a fresh Wilder with counters.

Fury was too unstable and hadn’t fought in front of a big crowd yet.

Forgot about the sparring footage. It was edited by Haye's people but I don't think Wilder ever came out and said it wasn't representative of what happened. Would have been an interesting match.

[jameswilson]

Scott Harrison v Nicky Cook.

Audley was meant to fight Skelton instead of Williams in the 2nd Harrison v Williams fight.

[TheLeprechaun]

I think Haye Fury would have been a terrible fight. Both guys would have stayed back and did nothing. Haye had shown he would do nothing in the Wlad fight and Fury has also shown that he will backpeddle and do nothing himself. Their fights with Wlad were two of the worst fights in the history of the division. It's nice to look back and think it would have been a barnburner but I highly doubt it would have been. I'm glad it didn't happen. Fury vs Price would have been good when it was being built up but the Fury camp didn't want that fight.

[Jimmy2020]

Fury vs Price would have been good when it was being built up but the Fury camp didn't want that fight.

You are right. It was sensible for Fury to swerve that one. At the time he was more or less training himself and had no decent sparring. It was before Peter took the helm.

[Cyclops]

I think Haye Fury would have been a terrible fight. Both guys would have stayed back and did nothing. Haye had shown he would do nothing in the Wlad fight and Fury has also shown that he will backpeddle and do nothing himself. Their fights with Wlad were two of the worst fights in the history of the division. It's nice to look back and think it would have been a barnburner but I highly doubt it would have been. I'm glad it didn't happen. Fury vs Price would have been good when it was being built up but the Fury camp didn't want that fight.

I don't think Fury was thought of as elusive at the time and Haye was always very cautious was proper super heavyweights and had a 'raiding' approach which could bring moments of excitement. There's no indication Fury would have been in 'chess match' mode as he was with Wladamir, and was known for throwing a lot more leather. I don't think he'd have had the same gameplan vs Haye, who was much smaller. He might've tried to rag doll him and Haye was very fast and had very good head movement. What most of the worst 'big time' heavyweight fights have in common is that they were Wladamir Klitschko fighting somebody who was actually good. Povetkin-Klitschko was awful, Ibragamov-Klitschko was awful. Maybe I'm being overly positive, but I think Haye and Fury would have been less cautious and both would have tested each other's whiskers and a KD or two and a KO wouldn't have surprised me. So I disagree, and think it would have been a fun fight.

[JC]

I think Haye Fury would have been a terrible fight. Both guys would have stayed back and did nothing. Haye had shown he would do nothing in the Wlad fight and Fury has also shown that he will backpeddle and do nothing himself. Their fights with Wlad were two of the worst fights in the history of the division. It's nice to look back and think it would have been a barnburner but I highly doubt it would have been. I'm glad it didn't happen. Fury vs Price would have been good when it was being built up but the Fury camp didn't want that fight.

I don't think Fury was thought of as elusive at the time and Haye was always very cautious was proper super heavyweights and had a 'raiding' approach which could bring moments of excitement. There's no indication Fury would have been in 'chess match' mode as he was with Wladamir, and was known for throwing a lot more leather. I don't think he'd have had the same gameplan vs Haye, who was much smaller. He might've tried to rag doll him and Haye was very fast and had very good head movement. What most of the worst 'big time' heavyweight fights have in common is that they were Wladamir Klitschko fighting somebody who was actually good. Povetkin-Klitschko was awful, Ibragamov-Klitschko was awful. Maybe I'm being overly positive, but I think Haye and Fury would have been less cautious and both would have tested each other's whiskers and a KD or two and a KO wouldn't have surprised me. So I disagree, and think it would have been a fun fight.

Fury won two very dominant but fairly careful and boring victories over Johnson and Chisora before Wlad. He lost his head against Cunningham without his uncle in the corner, but that was the exception.

I think him vs Haye at that point would have been a lot of fainting from both, Haye waiting for an opening and Fury not giving him a look in.

[TheLeprechaun]

I think Haye Fury would have been a terrible fight. Both guys would have stayed back and did nothing. Haye had shown he would do nothing in the Wlad fight and Fury has also shown that he will backpeddle and do nothing himself. Their fights with Wlad were two of the worst fights in the history of the division. It's nice to look back and think it would have been a barnburner but I highly doubt it would have been. I'm glad it didn't happen. Fury vs Price would have been good when it was being built up but the Fury camp didn't want that fight.

I don't think Fury was thought of as elusive at the time and Haye was always very cautious was proper super heavyweights and had a 'raiding' approach which could bring moments of excitement. There's no indication Fury would have been in 'chess match' mode as he was with Wladamir, and was known for throwing a lot more leather. I don't think he'd have had the same gameplan vs Haye, who was much smaller. He might've tried to rag doll him and Haye was very fast and had very good head movement. What most of the worst 'big time' heavyweight fights have in common is that they were Wladamir Klitschko fighting somebody who was actually good. Povetkin-Klitschko was awful, Ibragamov-Klitschko was awful. Maybe I'm being overly positive, but I think Haye and Fury would have been less cautious and both would have tested each other's whiskers and a KD or two and a KO wouldn't have surprised me. So I disagree, and think it would have been a fun fight.

Fury won two very dominant but fairly careful and boring victories over Johnson and Chisora before Wlad. He lost his head against Cunningham without his uncle in the corner, but that was the exception.

I think him vs Haye at that point would have been a lot of fainting from both, Haye waiting for an opening and Fury not giving him a look in.

The Rogan fight was another shocker of a viewing. Came out and boxed southpaw all night making sure he got the rounds in. I think there was a fight in Dublin that put a few in the arena to sleep as well.

[brilo33]

david pearce v frank bruno

[dr_devious]

Frank Bruno v Gary Mason

[bennie]

david pearce v frank bruno

Terry Lawless managed British heavyweight champion Neville Meade when Bruno turned pro in 1982 (also with Lawless), so Bruno was steered away from the British title and quickly made it to the fringes of world class with wins over the likes of Scott LeDoux and Jumbo Cummings. By the time Meade lost his British title to Pearce in September 1983, Bruno was too advanced for the British title and the new champion.

[JC]

Danny Williams vs Herbie Hide was supposed to happen and would have been a fun fight, Williams seemed to have genuinely got under Hide's skin by talking about knocking him out in sparring.

[mickey1975]

Danny Williams vs Herbie Hide was supposed to happen and would have been a fun fight, Williams seemed to have genuinely got under Hide's skin by talking about knocking him out in sparring.

I don’t think it was difficult to get under Hides skin. A simple “hello” would set him off.

[Cyclops]

I think Haye Fury would have been a terrible fight. Both guys would have stayed back and did nothing. Haye had shown he would do nothing in the Wlad fight and Fury has also shown that he will backpeddle and do nothing himself. Their fights with Wlad were two of the worst fights in the history of the division. It's nice to look back and think it would have been a barnburner but I highly doubt it would have been. I'm glad it didn't happen. Fury vs Price would have been good when it was being built up but the Fury camp didn't want that fight.

I don't think Fury was thought of as elusive at the time and Haye was always very cautious was proper super heavyweights and had a 'raiding' approach which could bring moments of excitement. There's no indication Fury would have been in 'chess match' mode as he was with Wladamir, and was known for throwing a lot more leather. I don't think he'd have had the same gameplan vs Haye, who was much smaller. He might've tried to rag doll him and Haye was very fast and had very good head movement. What most of the worst 'big time' heavyweight fights have in common is that they were Wladamir Klitschko fighting somebody who was actually good. Povetkin-Klitschko was awful, Ibragamov-Klitschko was awful. Maybe I'm being overly positive, but I think Haye and Fury would have been less cautious and both would have tested each other's whiskers and a KD or two and a KO wouldn't have surprised me. So I disagree, and think it would have been a fun fight.

Fury won two very dominant but fairly careful and boring victories over Johnson and Chisora before Wlad. He lost his head against Cunningham without his uncle in the corner, but that was the exception.

I think him vs Haye at that point would have been a lot of fainting from both, Haye waiting for an opening and Fury not giving him a look in.

I've never watched either since but as I recall Fury threw plenty of leather at Johnson who was still useful and did the same thing he did vs Vitali: fight extremely defensively. In fact, I thought Fury did a better job on Kingkin than Vitali, as KJ opened up a cut on Vitali. Fury didn't do his jerky feint thing against Chisora, who just plodded forward and ate jabs. Haye made Chisora miss much more than Usyk and also knocked him out. Haye's head movement against prime Klitschko, who's jab was better than Fury's at that point, was excellent and so he would have had more opportunity to land rather than be shut out like Dereck, who was never anywhere near as good as Haye. It would have made for a more competitive fight.

It never happened but you've got two of the best British heavyweights of the past ten years who were going to fight so why would you go "oh yeah I ran a stimulation in my imagination and it was absolute dogshit: they just stared at each other and barely threw a punch: it was a draw but neither deserved to win. I hated it"?

You miserable git!

[JC]

I don't think Fury was thought of as elusive at the time and Haye was always very cautious was proper super heavyweights and had a 'raiding' approach which could bring moments of excitement. There's no indication Fury would have been in 'chess match' mode as he was with Wladamir, and was known for throwing a lot more leather. I don't think he'd have had the same gameplan vs Haye, who was much smaller. He might've tried to rag doll him and Haye was very fast and had very good head movement. What most of the worst 'big time' heavyweight fights have in common is that they were Wladamir Klitschko fighting somebody who was actually good. Povetkin-Klitschko was awful, Ibragamov-Klitschko was awful. Maybe I'm being overly positive, but I think Haye and Fury would have been less cautious and both would have tested each other's whiskers and a KD or two and a KO wouldn't have surprised me. So I disagree, and think it would have been a fun fight.

Fury won two very dominant but fairly careful and boring victories over Johnson and Chisora before Wlad. He lost his head against Cunningham without his uncle in the corner, but that was the exception.

I think him vs Haye at that point would have been a lot of fainting from both, Haye waiting for an opening and Fury not giving him a look in.

I've never watched either since but as I recall Fury threw plenty of leather at Johnson who was still useful and did the same thing he did vs Vitali: fight extremely defensively. In fact, I thought Fury did a better job on Kingkin than Vitali, as KJ opened up a cut on Vitali. Fury didn't do his jerky feint thing against Chisora, who just plodded forward and ate jabs. Haye made Chisora miss much more than Usyk and also knocked him out. Haye's head movement against prime Klitschko, who's jab was better than Fury's at that point, was excellent and so he would have had more opportunity to land rather than be shut out like Dereck, who was never anywhere near as good as Haye. It would have made for a more competitive fight.

It never happened but you've got two of the best British heavyweights of the past ten years who were going to fight so why would you go "oh yeah I ran a stimulation in my imagination and it was absolute dogshit: they just stared at each other and barely threw a punch: it was a draw but neither deserved to win. I hated it"?

You miserable git!

LOL, I was more responding to you point about there being no indication he'd be in chess match mode. I seems like, Cunningham aside, that was his usual approach under Peter.

Never said it wouldn't watch had it happened, but I do think it would have been very cagey.

[mickey1975]

Tyson was also very aware Cunningham was smaller, like Haye, and used his size to cut up rough when things got tough. He’s brilliant at imposing his size on the smaller man.
I don’t think Haye bottled it but was definitely unsettled by Fury’s demeanour. Like he couldn’t believe the cheek of him.

[bennie]

david pearce v frank bruno

Terry Lawless managed British heavyweight champion Neville Meade when Bruno turned pro in 1982 (also with Lawless), so Bruno was steered away from the British title and quickly made it to the fringes of world class with wins over the likes of Scott LeDoux and Jumbo Cummings. By the time Meade lost his British title to Pearce in September 1983, Bruno was too advanced for the British title and the new champion.

Bruno v Banjo was touted at one point.

I wonder how Bruno v Pika would have gone circa 1982? Pika gave Bruno a very tough time in the ABAs a couple of years before but his pro career never really got off the ground. In theory, it should have done as Pika was managed by Duff.

Yes, it made for a good rematch but instead we had to watch Bruno bowling over a succession of hapless opponents early in his pro career, often with Pika on the same card. The southpaw Welshman never really settled into the pro game and his suicide at the age of 26 is terribly sad.