Fights that fighters turned down or avoided

[Controversial]

Name fighters that avoided certain other fighters for whatever reason. Either stripped of the belt, publicly stated they didn’t want the fight or whatever other reason. For example Foreman was stripped for refusing to give Schulz a rematch and also for refusing to face Tony Tucker.

[DrDuke]

Tyson vacated WBC, when he decided to go for Holyfield instead of Lewis, the WBC mandatory. The vacant WBC was put on the table in the Lewis-McCall rematch.

[littlepug]

I think Hagler gave up a belt to fight Leonard rather than Herol Graham.

[Controversial]

Foreman was stripped also for refusing to face Tony Tucker.

Michael Spinks was stripped of the IBF belt also for avoiding Tony Tucker

[DrDuke]

Lewis got rid of WBA, because they had unmarketable sh!thouse John Ruiz as a mandatory.

[Nile4000]

Bobby Chacon didn't want to fight Hector Camacho.

[elmersalsa]

The great Roberto Duran refused to fight the great Mike McCallum. McCallum was the #1 contender for Duran's WBA World Jr Middleweight Crown in 1984. Duran instead fought the great Thomas Hearns.

[elmersalsa]

The great WBC World Featherweight Champion, Salvador Sanchez of Mexico, by the words of American promoter Don King, did not want a piece of the great WBA World Featherweight Champion Eusebio Pedroza of Panama. Pedroza wanted that fight badly.

[bwu]

Anybody who ever drew the color line.

[writehooks]

Henry Cooper repeatedly turned down challenges from George Chuvalo for the Commonwealth heavyweight title.

[Ruthless-RKO]

Tyson vacated WBC, when he decided to go for Holyfield instead of Lewis, the WBC mandatory. The vacant WBC was put on the table in the Lewis-McCall rematch.

Didn’t even end up fighting Holyfield did he?

[Ambling Alp II]

The great WBC World Featherweight Champion, Salvador Sanchez of Mexico, by the words of American promoter Don King, did not want a piece of the great WBA World Featherweight Champion Eusebio Pedroza of Panama. Pedroza wanted that fight badly.

Coming from Don King, it must be true.
Sanchez must have been terrified.

[DrDuke]

Tyson vacated WBC, when he decided to go for Holyfield instead of Lewis, the WBC mandatory. The vacant WBC was put on the table in the Lewis-McCall rematch.

Didn’t even end up fighting Holyfield did he?

Yeah, there was not much of wait. It was he biggest fight possible back then, so no surprise Tyson chose it.

[elmersalsa]

The great WBC World Featherweight Champion, Salvador Sanchez of Mexico, by the words of American promoter Don King, did not want a piece of the great WBA World Featherweight Champion Eusebio Pedroza of Panama. Pedroza wanted that fight badly.

Coming from Don King, it must be true.
Sanchez must have been terrified.

Don King was Salvador Sanchez promoter.

[Controversial]

Henry Cooper repeatedly turned down challenges from George Chuvalo for the Commonwealth heavyweight title.

Was it Coopers manager that was quite open about not letting Cooper anywhere near Liston?

[orbtastic]

Yeah. Jim Wicks. Nicknamed the bishop. Almost a fatherly protectiveness over cooper.

He also had a way of coming out with malapropisms.

[Ambling Alp II]

This happens all the time, but just not in the open. And when a guys claims in public that he will fight so and so or fight anyone, that doesn't mean he really does want to.

Sometimes a specific fight doesn't happen because it just isn't convenient for either fighter. Sort of like why didn't the producers of a movie have Robert DeNiro in that role? Well, he may have been booked in another movie. Sometimes that happens in boxing. Now if this goes on and for several years, it might be that one guy ducked the other.

[Controversial]

This happens all the time, but just not in the open. And when a guys claims in public that he will fight so and so or fight anyone, that doesn't mean he really does want to.

Sometimes a specific fight doesn't happen because it just isn't convenient for either fighter. Sort of like why didn't the producers of a movie have Robert DeNiro in that role? Well, he may have been booked in another movie. Sometimes that happens in boxing. Now if this goes on and for several years, it might be that one guy ducked the other.

Yeah of course. Lots of chess moves behind the scenes and secret 'deals' and just bad timing in many cases.

[Nile4000]

The great WBC World Featherweight Champion, Salvador Sanchez of Mexico, by the words of American promoter Don King, did not want a piece of the great WBA World Featherweight Champion Eusebio Pedroza of Panama. Pedroza wanted that fight badly.

If you think about how he planned his career,makes sense in a lot if ways.

[elmersalsa]

Roberto Duran's manager, Carlos Eleta of Panama, refused to take a fight with WBA World Jr Welterweight Champion, Antonio Cervantes of Colombia.

But, on the contrary, Duran said that Cervantes' manager, Ramiro Machado of Venezuela, didn't want his fighter to fight Duran.

Duran said that he wanted the fight badly.

[elmersalsa]

Riddick Bowe threw the WBC World Heavyweight belt in the trash can.

[Ambling Alp II]

That is true. However, Bowe did at one time sign a contract to fight Lennox Lewis.

[Nile4000]

Roberto Duran's manager, Carlos Eleta of Panama, refused to take a fight with WBA World Jr Welterweight Champion, Antonio Cervantes of Colombia.

But, on the contrary, Duran said that Cervantes' manager, Ramiro Machado of Venezuela, didn't want his fighter to fight Duran.

Duran said that he wanted the fight badly.

Who is really telling the truth?

[elmersalsa]

Roberto Duran's manager, Carlos Eleta of Panama, refused to take a fight with WBA World Jr Welterweight Champion, Antonio Cervantes of Colombia.

But, on the contrary, Duran said that Cervantes' manager, Ramiro Machado of Venezuela, didn't want his fighter to fight Duran.

Duran said that he wanted the fight badly.

Who is really telling the truth?

I know for certain that Duran wanted the fight. I saw it when Antonio Cervantes beat Esteban de Jesus handily in Panama City, Panama.

The Hands of Stone told the reporter in Spanish, that "I wish that Don Carlos (Duran's manager), makes this fight as soon as possible because that guy,(Kid Pambele), doesn't beat me!"

Duran was furious. Maybe because Cervantes beat De Jesus easier than he did? Or because he beat Duran's stablemate Alfonso "Peppermint" Frazer easily and twice by knockout. All 3 fights were in Panama.

[Ambling Alp II]

Well if Duran said that he wanted the fight then he must have really wanted it.