I somtimes think that the records of certain fighters would be regarded more highly if they had taken on a more dangerous oponent and avoided a loss to a non entity. What if Max Baer had lost his title to Joe Louis instead of Jimmy Braddock? What is Mike Tyson had taken on Evander Holyfield instead of James Douglas? What is Joe Frazier had been canny enough to steer clear of George Foreman and fight a rematch with Ali instead? Could George Chip have found a better qualified executioner than Al McCoy?
If Cuevas had not fought Thomas Hearns. it ruined him. Cooney should have fought Weaver instead of Holmes. he was nowhere ready for Larry.
Cooney could have had a few more highlight reel type KO wins for sure. Cooney was not ready for Holmes. I doubt he would have ever beat Holmes but Cooney should have been moved along a little slower. It took him 15 minutes and 43 seconds to beat past prime versions of Young, Lyle, and Norton! It was time to step up... but not vs. Holmes. He should have fought guys like Shavers and Tillis... then Weaver. Shavers lost a decision to Tillis in '82. Tillis had lost a decision to Weaver in '81. Shavers, Tillis, then Weaver for the WBA belt... then get your ass kicked by Holmes in a unification fight. That's how it should have went down.
Nikolai Valuev loss against Chagaev instead of the klitschko bros. kostya tszyu loss to vince phillips instead of someone else.
I think that Baer would have been regarded slightly higher if he lost to Joe Louis instead of Braddock. The Braddock loss hurts his legacy a bit. Tyson losing to Douglas is by far the biggest blemish on his record. A loss to Evander Holyfield would have been far less damaging. Frazier steering clear of Foreman would have undermined the quality of a Foreman victory by Ali, if he had in fact beaten him. I suppose it was fitting that he lost to George considering how George was able to beat Norton and 20 years later beat Moorer.
Arguello would have been the first to win 4 titles in 4 divisions had he chose to face Saoul Mamby instead of Pryor. Great classic but would have been nice if they unified. Wish Duran,Mosely would have stopped at JW real quick to pick up titles instead of jumping straight to welter. Although winning the Welter titlle are career best wins for both .
I love the fact that Arguello chose to go with the Pryor fight though. Sure, the cynic would say he did so solely for the extra money and that may well have been a huge factor, but Arguello was also one to appreciate history. There's something special about the person that says, "No. I'll go the hard way, thanks." Huge, huge respect to Arguello for how he played that, and in a strange sort of way, I am more a fan of his for the very fact that he didn't go the easy route and destroy Mamby or Haley, rather than be the first to get four weight class titles. He knew it only mattered if he beat THE guy, and so had to go after him. He lost and knew he might going in, but that was the honorable route. He took it. Love him for that.