Cancelled Fights over the years

Trevor Berbick pulled out of a bout with Chris Byrd several times 95 and 96.
Riddick Bowe in 06 and 07 often scheduled bouts and would not show up or often cancelled.

 

Antonio, this would be a toughie. Looking at all 4 fights and at the time they were to take place....

Clyde Gray v Dave 'Boy' Green - Green was a very hot fighter at this time and Gray was the veteran and they were both - relatively speaking - coming off KO losses for the title (Green against Palomino and Gray against Cuevas). Gray's eye tissue hadn't really started letting him down yet, but no doubt he would get cut in this fight with the style of Green and the way he would tear in. Heads would clash. However, Green IMO was never quite the same after the Palomino KO. Just a bit shaky, but his attack was always spot on. Tough one, but I'll side with Gray with his still beautiful and sharp combos and proven 15 round pacing and stamina (remember, this is 15 rounds for the Commonwealth title).

Armando Muniz v Ernie Lopez - perhaps the clearest pick of the bunch but it certainly wouldn't be an easy fight with these two. Since their previous fight, Muniz had fought 12 times and was coming off a 10-round win over Hedgemon Lewis. He was active and in his prime. Lopez, on the other hand, had fought once since their last meeting and was stopped in 7 by John Stracey. I really see Muniz repeating his win here. I should also mention that I don't know why Lopez never fought again. He must have been well into his training and one would wonder why waste it? Why wouldn't he just have them sign a sub for a quick payday? Must've been really disinterested at the time.

Jose Napoles v Angel Espada - I really believe this fight was all wrong at this stage of the career for Napoles. I wouldn't hesitate picking him over Espada a few years earlier, but Monzon really shredded his skin - a fact Muniz proved in their contest. Espada had a slick boxing, sharp-punching style and I think this could have been Jose's Waterloo at 35 years of age. The benefit that Espada would have over Muniz would be the fact that this bout was to take place in Puerto Rico not the friendly confines of Mexico where Muniz had no chance of returning with the title.

Earnie Shavers v George Chuvalo - maybe the toughest pick in this bunch and i'm not going to pick. Too many variables. Chuvalo had that legendary jaw, but he was 35 - pushing 36 at this time. It seems like a no-brainer to pick Earnie here but I think he had only been 10 rounds twice at this time and if there was anything he had that was legendary it was his punch and poor stamina. If George still had it in him to survive the first 3 rounds, it starts to look better for George going forward. I wouldn't be betting the house on this one.

 

Aaron Pryor and Monroe Brooks were supposed to fight in early 1979 but the fight fell through when Jackie McCoy (Brooks' trainer and manager) had a check bounce.

 

De La Hoya-Norris. Had Mullins not caused the upset that fight was on deck for 1998.

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Thats one big great list also alotta re-search,
1970 &1973 Quarry-Bonavena, Oscar cancelled twice 1970) Because he only wanted a Joe Frazier III
1973) About May after Jerry had beaten the no.3 Ring Magazine Ranked Ron Lyle . Oscar cited from Atlantic City he needed more time to train
all fairness to Oscar he probably did need more time to train, these guys were warriors!

 

Bugner-Kirkman, ALI-Jack O'Halloran , Cooney-Tex Cobb, Foreman-Holmes

 

Can’t wait to read through this, I mentioned one the other day, does any one know about cancelled fights for Camacho?

 

Sturm vs Pavlik.

Sturm bottled it

 

GGG vs Pirog was THE fight. That would have been one for this history books I think. Highly attractive clash of styles at their peak.

I was also really looking forward to Wilder vs Povetkin. Povetkin was in the form of his life at that point.

 

The only one I can think of offhand is the Bobby Chacon fight. Here are the excerpts from boxrec:

• Although Chacon was the reigning WBC Junior Lightweight champion and Boza-Edwards the WBC's number 1 contender, this bout was not sanctioned by the WBC as Chacon had supposedly signed a contract with Don King to fight Hector Camacho first. Chacon would be stripped of the title June 27, 1983 for failing to defend against Camacho.
• On Thursday May 12th - 3 days before the fight - a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge stopped the fight from taking place with a temporary injunction because of the legal dispute between Chacon and Don King. However, that same day, a three judge California appellate court stayed the injunction and the fight was back on as a non-title fight.
• Chacon's offer from Don King to fight Hector Camacho was for $210,000. For choosing to defend against his #1 contender, Chacon made $450,000 and Boza-Edwards made $110,000.

 

Ward-Pavlik.

 

I don't see Vitali vs, Ruddock on the list. I think Ruddock tested positive for hepatitis and Byrd filled in.