Tyson cancelled the Holyfield fight due to a training injury. Holyifeld fought Cooper instead and looked like a man who Tyson would dispose of in that fight.
I think Wlad was in line. He had just done Ocean's Eleven with Lewis. Rahman derailed Lewis' 2001 and the Tyson fight was set in the beginning of 2002.
Alexis Arguello was suppose to fight Roberto Duran, but took a tune-up fight with Vilomar Fernandez, and Arquello lost the decision.
George Foreman vs Alex Garcia was derailed by Mike Dixon KOing Garcia in a tune-up. Garcia turned down a million dollars against Foreman, because his manager-Norman Kaplan thought he needed a tune-up first against Mike Dixon before fighting Foreman in around 1991, and instead backfired.
Tszyu v philips. There was a potential de LA hoya fight for tszyu but that unexpected ko loss derailed tszyu for a while. They even fought on the same card when de LA hoya fought Gonzalez.
Manny Pacquiao vs Humberto Soto was derailed by the cheating of Francisco Lorenzo in the 1st fight DQ.
Lewis vs Bowe in 96 because of the Golota fight. Holyfield vs Tyson several times Tyson losing to Douglas Tyson injuring himself Tyson going to prison. Holyfield vs Brewster was rumored but Holyfield lost to Larry Donald.
That was the first one I thought of. A classic example of a fighter looking past an opponent. Too bad Bowe-Mercer never happened.
It would have probably been a terrific war, I imagine. I definitely believe their styles would have clashed well.
As I remember, Pavlik was set to fight Ward, after his tune ups. Ward pulled out after a shoulder injury in training, and Pavlik just ****ed off. Even though I see Ward getting the win anyway, Pavlik had a chance, but never gave in to it. He had very good power, but moved in straight lines and barely moved his head. Ward would have got to him either way, but Pavlik had a top time two piece (Like Wilder). The motorcycle accident didn't help Williams either... Pavlik was simple, but destructive, kinda like Wilder now. On that note, he didn't have the gas tank of Wilder, and he also didn't have much of an inside game. Wilder also has a bad inside game, but he will at least try to hit you on the inside if you get to him.
IIRC Wlad getting destroyed by Corrie Sanders derailed a potential fight with Lewis, was that a good thing or bad for Wlad ?? He would have gotten a nice payday but unless Lewis didn't prepare properly he would have KO'ed Wlad probably even worse than Sanders did and also we wouldn't have got to see Vitali get TKO'ed by Lewis.