What Are The Biggest "What Ifs '', In Boxing History?

He'd probably be rated much higher than he is now. Back then, before anyone had seen him beaten and the best anyone had done was just survive, he seemed like an unstoppable juggernaut.

 

What if the 1980 Olympics weren't boycotted? Would the stars created have changed boxing substantially? What if the tragic 1980 amateur boxing plane crash wouldn't have happened? Would any of those fighters been superstars who would have affected the sport substantially?

What if the Duk Koo Kim tragedy hadn't happened and fights kept the 15 round distance? What outcomes would be different?

What if young Cassius Clay quits in the corner against Liston? That would've brought dramatic historical change.

 

What if Tyson's original circle remained intact
What if Hearns survived and won UD15 vs Leonard
What if Toney beat Roy
What if Nunn beat Toney

These are the big 4 for me

 

from July-end of 1985 the year Tyson turned pro he had 10 fights, no excuses for Lewis

 

What if only one champion (one belt) remained per category?

 

I think there was only one HW champion through the 80s, Larry Holmes, unless there are some hardcore Greg Page or Mike Weaver fans out there who want to make a case for the "other guys"

 

Yes for sure!

 

Mentioned already but Lewis vs Bowe not happening put me off the game for many years. I was pretty sick of all the stupidity of the sport by that point but this obvious fight not happening made me just think "I'm done with this sh*t".

Bowe himself is a huge what if, just a colossal tragic waste of talent and the whole debacle of this era makes me want to punch a door.

 

What if champions couldn't draw the color line.

 

Perhaps the biggest what ifs , are the fights that the weaker lineal champions didn't take.

For example if Jimmy Brasdock either Spinks or old Foreman chooses different title challengers, then the title potentially goes in a very different direction.

 

Max Schmelling beats Braddock. Norton beats Spinks and Bowe or Lewis beats old Foreman. Bit obvious and by it?

 

OK, but then what happens next?

What if a weaker challenger beats them first, and then what happens next?

 

Eventually Louis, Holmes and Lewis straighten things out. If promoters, sanctioning bodies and in Louis’ case race doesn’t get involved.