Fights that were Marinated Pre-2000

[Ruthless-RKO]

We all here about how fights are marinated, or need marinating before it should be made. Many reasons, due to finances, more exposure and all that crap the promoters want to give.

I was a very young chap in the 90's, and I know there was probably less promoter talk to the media, probably because there was no social media as well.

I'm guessing there may have been some, or a lot, but I don't know.

What fights before 2000 were 'marinated' and roughly how long was this margination period for each fights far as you're aware?

[Enlightened-One]

We all here about how fights are marinated, or need marinating before it should be made. Many reasons, due to finances, more exposure and all that crap the promoters want to give.

I was a very young chap in the 90's, and I know there was probably less promoter talk to the media, probably because there was no social media as well.

I'm guessing there may have been some, or a lot, but I don't know.

What fights before 2000 were 'marinated' and roughly how long was this margination period for each fights far as you're aware?

Are we including high-profile fights that were demanded by the media and fight fans alike that never happened?

If that's the case, I could put together a massive list!

Some obvious low-hanging fruit type of fights:

• Holyfield and Tyson marinated. Probably eight or nine years before it happened.
• The third bout of the Duran-Leonard rematch.
• Hagler-Leonard.
• Leonard-Hearns rematch.
• Lewis-Tyson (six years).

Less obvious ones: Foreman-Ali II and Foreman-Tyson (year-after-year people were clamouring for these fights, but they never got made).

[Enlightened-One]

Old post from years ago (fights that marinated (could have happened), but never did... or happened well past their expiry dates):

• Barry McGuigan vs. Azumah Nelson (1986)
• Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock vs. Corrie Sanders (1990)
• Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock vs. Evander 'The Real Deal' Holyfield (1992)
• Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock vs. Riddick 'Big Daddy' Bowe (1992)
• Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield vs. Lennox Lewis (1996 instead of 1999)
• Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield vs. Mike Tyson (1990 instead of 1997)
• Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Antonio Margarito (2007)
• Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Kostya Tszyu (2004)
• Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Manny Pacquiao (2009)
• Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Paul Williams (2005)
• Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Shane Mosley (2005)
• Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Oscar De La Hoya II (2008)
• George Foreman vs. Larry Holmes (1977, 1992 & 2002)
• George Foreman vs. Lennox Lewis (1998.)
• George Foreman vs. Mike Tyson (1990)
• George Foreman vs. Muhammad Ali II (1976)
• George Foreman vs. Sonny Liston (1969)
• Herbie Hide vs. Jeremy Williams (1996)
• Herbie Hide vs. Tommy Morrison (1993)
• Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham vs. Chris Eubank (1990)
• Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham vs. Marvin Hagler (1987)
• Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham vs. Nigel Benn (1990)
• Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham vs. Tommy Hearns (1983)
• Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham vs. Steve Collins (1989)
• Herol 'Bomber' Graham vs. Kirkland Laing (1980)
• Herol 'Bomber' Graham vs. Marvin Hagler (1986)
• Ike Ibeabuchi vs. Evander Holyfield (1999)
• Ike Ibeabuchi vs. Lennox Lewis (1999)
• Ike Ibeabuchi vs. Mike Tyson (1999)
• Ike Ibeabuchi vs. Oliver McCall (1999)
• Ike Ibeabuchi vs. Vitali Klitschko (1999)
• Ike Ibeabuchi vs. Wladimir Klitschko (1999)
• James Toney vs. Bernard Hopkins (1993)
• James Toney vs. Chris Eubank (1993)
• James Toney vs. Mike Tyson (2003)
• James Toney vs. Nigel Benn (1993)
• James Toney vs. Steve Collins (1992)
• Joe Calzaghe vs. Carl Froch (2008.)
• Joe Calzaghe vs. Steve Collins (1997)
• Joe Calzaghe vs. Sven Ottke (2002)
• Joe Frazier vs. Kenny Norton (1973)
• Jose Luis Castillo vs. Diego Corrales III (2005)
• Juan Manuel Márquez vs. Eric Morales (2003)
• Julian Jackson vs. Michael Nunn (1989)
• Julian Jackson vs. Sugar Ray Leonard (1989)
• Julian Jackson vs. Tommy Hearns (1989)
• Kostya Tszyu vs. Oscar De La Hoya (1997)
• Kostya Tszyu vs. Vernon Forrest (1995)
• Marvin Hagler vs. Mike McCallum (1987)
• Marvin Hagler vs. Tommy Hearns II (1985)
• Michael Moorer vs. Virgil Hill (1990)
• Mike Tyson vs. David Tua (2000)
• Mike Tyson vs. Riddick Bowe (1996)
• Mike Tyson vs. Vitali Klitschko (2000)
• Mike Tyson vs. Wladimir Klitschko (2000)
• Naseem Hamed vs. Juan Manuel Márquez (1997)
• Naseem Hamed vs. Manny Pacquiao (2000)
• Nigel Benn vs. Chris Eubank III (1994)
• Oscar De La Hoya vs. Felix Trinidad II (2000)
• Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker vs. Meldrick Taylor (1991)
• Pernell 'Sweet Pea' Whitaker vs. 'Terrible' Terry Norris (1995)
• Ray Mercer vs. Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield II (1995)
• Ray Mercer vs. Lennox Lewis II (1995)
• Ricky Hatton vs. Miguel Cotto (2005)
• Riddick Bowe vs. Lennox Lewis (1992 or 1996)
• Roberto Duran vs. Herol ‘Bomber’ Graham (1989)
• Roberto Duran vs. Julian Jackson (1989)
• Roberto Duran vs. Nigel Benn (1989)
• Roberto Duran vs. Thomas Hearns (1980 instead of 1984)
• Rocky Marciano vs. Floyd Patterson (1956)
• Rocky Marciano vs. Ingemar Johansson (1956)
• Rocky Marciano vs. Sonny Liston (1956)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. Bernard Hopkins (2002)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. Dariusz Michalczewski (2002)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. Evander ‘The Real Deal’ Holyfield (2003)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. Gerald McClellan (1995)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. James Toney II (2003)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. Joe Calzaghe (1997)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. Mike McCallum (1994 instead of 1996)
• Roy Jones Jr. vs. Mike Tyson (2003)
• Sergio Martinez vs. Antonio Margarito II (2004 or 2009)
• Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler II (1988.)
• Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Michael Nunn (1988.)
• Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Tommy Hearns II (1987 instead of 1989)
• Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Aaron Pryor (1982)
• 'Terrible' Terry Norris vs. Felix 'Tito' Trinidad (1997)
• Tommy Morrison vs. 'Smokin' Bert Cooper (1993)

• Notes: Some of these super-fights actually got to the stage of the negotiation table but the boxers either couldn’t agree terms or the contest was eventually cancelled for one reason or another.

• You may also notice that some of the fights in my list actually took place, but unfortunately at the wrong time, which is why I’ve still included them (by expressing a more appropriate year).

• I have estimated the years that the fight could have happened… or where I think negotiations actually took place but the contest never materialised.

[Bandog]

[AntonioMartin]

Wilfredo Gomez vs Hector Camacho (1985)
Wilfredo Gomez vs. Julio Cesar Chavez Sr. (1985)
Nassem Hamed vs. Erik Morales (1999-00)
Nassem Hamed vs. Johnny Tapia (2000)

[Syntax Error]

Hagler V Hearns Ii was marinated for sure and if I'm not mistaken, it was set for either late '86 or early '87, but a certain Sugar Ray Leonard decided that Marvin had lost enough speed for him to chance his arm and threw his hat into the ring to challenge Hagler.

Marvin was semi retired by then and he wasn't going to pass up the opportunity to beat up a rusty Leonard, especially as he'd waited years to fight Sugar and it came with a career high payday to boot.

Of course, we all know what happened next.

[Onetimeonly]

Tons of fights didn't happen. Late 70's early 80s there was an ba/BC feud, we had king/arum, HBO/Showtime. All the best have never faced each other there just used to be a lot more best and they fought more frequently.

[Enlightened-One]

Tons of fights didn't happen.

I agree!

I think people are compelled to be nostalgic and perceive history through rose-tinted glasses, because nothing can be better than the “Good ol’ days!”.

This leads fans to naively believe that the best always fought the very best in previous eras, which clearly isn’t the case.

And unfortunately, that’s one of boxing’s biggest problems (the main reason why it’s a niche sport).

History tells us that sometimes the biggest fights are never made or are orchestrated far too late (when everyone has lost interest).

[H8Usernames]

And now? What fights are marinating?

Spece vs Bud
Fury vs AJ
Teo vs Kambosos
.... got any more

[Ruthless-RKO]

And now? What fights are marinating?

Spece vs Bud
Fury vs AJ
Teo vs Kambosos
.... got any more

The Lightweight 4 just fighting each other.

Lopez, Garcia, Haney, Tank