My list of great fights that didnt happen

Looking back over history, there have rarely been fights that EVERYONE wanted to see that just didnt happen. There have been more that happened later than ideal or later than they should have, but very very few that just never did. Here are a few from my list in no particular order.

Manny Pac vs Floyd Mayweather. I think Kellerman said it very well on TFG Saturday night. A PREMIER sporting event that could go head to head with the Super Bowl. Tragic it didnt come off.

Roy Jones Jr vs Darius Michalzewski Jones never won the title in the ring. It always belonged to DM. I think the American fan was ok with the fight not happening. They just assumed RJJ would win. European/slavic fans were just as certain that DM would win. There were a suprising number of inside experts that included Eddie Futch, Emmauel Steward, Angelo Dundee, Marvin Hagler, and Ray Mancini that felt DM would win the fight. I have to admit I had a gut feeling that DM would have KOd RJJ. I suspect RJJ did too................................

Muhammed Ali vs George Foreman II. This is the only re-match I put on the list thought I think Hopkins vs RJJ would make a "happened too late" list. Foreman wanted this fight badly right after the first upset. Ali, Not so much. Who can blame him. in retrospect, I think Foreman might have made the fight a battle all the way, but Ali had to be favored. I think this is a fight the public would have LOVED.

Evander Holyfield vs Donovan Razor Ruddock. This fight was REALLY close to happening at one time. Holyfield was the champion, Tyson was in jail, and Lewis was not established yet. Ruddock was coming off two rough, tough fights with Tyson and had convinced the public he was only a shade less than Tyson based on those two fights. The money of a Foreman fight killed the fight at the time (along with King and Duva feuding) and later, when it was being floated as a posibility, a Lewis right hand killed the fight. It would have been a doozy! Holyfield would have gone right AT Ruddock and Razor would have been more than willing.

Riddick Bowe vs Lennox Lewis This one was a real tragedy too imo. At the time, Rock Newman was really looking to cash in on Riddicks success and had no interest in Lennox or a tough fight. Ironically, Newman and Riddick would have been well served to fight Lennox right away. At the time, Lewis was still a flat-footed banger with bad balance, an average jab, and a cheer-leader for a trainer. As time went on, Riddick got WORSE as a fighter, losing some of his focus and desire, and tearing his body down prematurely with the Holyfield and Golota fights. Lewis would hire Steward and discover how to protect his chin and use his size. If they would have fought right after the Holyfield fight, I think Bowe has a KO win over Lewis on his record today.

In a related "coulda" fight. Had Holyfield not been suckered into a bad fight against his former sparring partner and a guy he simply viewed as a kid in Bowe, he could have fought Lewis when he was closer to his prime as well. Based on how well Holyfield did as a shadow of himself against an absolutely prime and supremely prepared Lewis, I think Holyfield probably KOs Lewis too........

and finally

George Foreman vs Mike Tyson This is a fight that would have drawn more viewers than the Super Bowl!! The money to be made here makes the Pac vs Mayweather bout look like John Dough vs Jon Doe. Foreman was popular beyond the sport and a household name. Ditto with Tyson who was still the most recognized sportsman in the world since Ali. Not only that, but it was a competitve fight that nobody really KNEW what was gonna happen. One school of thought said that a 95 year old Foreman could still beat Tyson at any age. The other thought that Tyson would have beaten any version of Foreman ever, and might kill this old version. A pity we will never know. For what its worth. Tyson and King were the ones who continually turned the fight down. I think King knew Tyson might lose the fight and diminish his future earnings. As for Tyson, I think he was afraid.

some interesting fights.tyson i believe did not fear foreman.a bowe-lewis fight if held early enough may of resulted in a bowe win.you left out leanard-hagler rematch that ray said he would do providing hagler publicly admitt he lost that fight.arrogant bastard indeed.oh well.i guess behappy with the fights that were.

dmar5143 wrote:some interesting fights.tyson i believe did not fear foreman.a bowe-lewis fight if held early enough may of resulted in a bowe win.you left out leanard-hagler rematch that ray said he would do providing hagler publicly admitt he lost that fight.arrogant bastard indeed.oh well.i guess behappy with the fights that were.

I read where Tyson told Don King that "Foreman is a f*ng animal, if you want the fight so bad, you fight him."

Not sure how true this is.....
http://coxscorner.tripod.com/foreman_tyson_fl.html

good article.how true.maybe some about tyson blasting king and the animal thing but no one could of gotten inside his head to know for sure what tyson thought or feared.still its strong circumstantial evidence at least..nice find on the article..cooney by the way was no threat to anyone at that time.2 and a half years before he was blown out by mike spinks.i think cooney promoted that fight with foreman or was a co promoter and not in name only.a few fights before that i saw foreman fight in rochester against a bum called mark young i think.after 8 or 9 guys were turned down to fight foreman young by the nystate commish was declaired qualified..10-12 was his record and he was koed ten times.foreman looked pathetic in the win.

DMAR,
Leonard never gave Hagler the "admit you lost" ultimatum. That was Hearns. Hagler waited for 16 months then walked away forever.

Pacquiao vs Mayweather would have been the biggest fight in history, but it wasn't really a good match up. This fight was have been the most hyped up fight to produce garbage.

Lewis vs Bowe would have been a tremendous fight! Their amateur bout was pretty damn good. I saw that one. I honestly believe Bowe was afraid.

I always wondered why Ali vs Foreman II didn't happen. He rematched everyone else lol

Foreman vs Tyson would have been a great fight. There's a big chance that Tyson goes out like Frazier in this one when up against Foreman

Roy Jones Jr vs Darius Michalzewsk I dont know what to say about this fight.Obviously Roy didnt want it, but Darius wasnt that good.

boxinglawyer wrote: DMAR,
Leonard never gave Hagler the "admit you lost" ultimatum. That was Hearns. Hagler waited for 16 months then walked away forever.

...ahhh thanks.

Diego408 wrote:Pacquiao vs Mayweather would have been the biggest fight in history, but it wasn't really a good match up. This fight was have been the most hyped up fight to produce garbage.

Lewis vs Bowe would have been a tremendous fight! Their amateur bout was pretty damn good. I saw that one. I honestly believe Bowe was afraid.

I always wondered why Ali vs Foreman II didn't happen. He rematched everyone else lol

Foreman vs Tyson would have been a great fight. There's a big chance that Tyson goes out like Frazier in this one when up against Foreman

Roy Jones Jr vs Darius Michalzewsk I dont know what to say about this fight.Obviously Roy didnt want it, but Darius wasnt that good.

[b]

You got it half right.

Darius was better than most Americans realized. He really was a COMPLETE fighter. His biggest weakness was he lacked patience and often just started trading to shorten fights because he had a great chin, stamina, and a punch. It resulted in shortening his career I think. If he fought all his fights the way he fought Virgil Hill not only could he still be fighting today,he would have been the 175 pound version of Pernell Whitaker. unbeaten, untouched, and boring as hell.

Good list, BL.

No, Ali never gave Foreman a rematch. Though I consider Ali the greatest HW ever, I think it was good thinking on his part. Foreman's just too damn strong to fight twice. Ali did just fine leaving well enough alone. Anyway, his first fight against George was beyond brilliant. Why mess with perfection?