Controvertial decisions that would have changed history the most, if they had gone the other way?

Francis being the world champ now would be absolutley wild.

 

How do you think that goes? I think Tito recovers from a slow start and perhaps another early KD to stop Ike late.

I thought Ike should have gotten the decision. Oscar just gave away so many rounds, particularly from 7-11. Not much was happening. Ike doing little, Oscar doing even less.

 

I think most would pick Tito over Ike but I think Ike has a great chance of winning. Oscar, Bhop and especially Winky Wright had a lot of success with the jab against Tito. If there has ever been a fighter that was similar to Winiy Wright it's Ike Quartey. I could see Ike backing Tito up with his jab which he was not very effective when he wasn't going forward. Then again, Ike had been dropped heavily by left hooks from Oscar and especially Verno Phillips who nearly was the only man to stop Ike. No one had a better left hook than Tito at that time.

 

December 19th, 1913: Jack Johnson suffers a broken arm and the 20 round bout is declared a draw after 10 rounds. Instead "Battling" Jim Johnson is awarded the win and becomes Lineal World Heavyweight Champion.

He does not rematch Jack Johnson but continues to follow the schedule he had, but as Champion. On May 19th, 1914, he loses his Lineal title to Dan "Porky" Flynn by 12 round decision.

On January 10th, 1916, Jack Dillion becomes The World Lineal Heavyweight Champion by 8 round Decision win over "Porky."

On October 24th, 1916, Battling Levinsky becomes Lineal World Heavyweight Champion with a 12 round Decision win over Jack Dillon.

On November 16th, 1916, Carl Morris wins the World Heavyweight Title with a win in 15 rounds over Levinsky.

On September 3rd, 1917, Fred Fulton wins The Lineal Belt by a foul in the 6th round over Morris.

No MORE! For the love of God, somebody PLEASE get Jack Dempsey in the ring with Fulton. Dear God do NOT let "Texas" Harry Tate get the World Heavyweight Lineal Belt!

 

So, so many…but the biggest might be Norton receiving his rightfully deserved decision over Ali in 1976. Would this galvanise Foreman to a return to form, perhaps? What would Ali & Norton do, or become after this?

There are more intriguing permutations in other instances sure, but this is on the biggest stage.

 

If Williams beat Terrell in the rematch (which imo he did despite going into the bout with a known injury) Terrell most likely wouldn't have had the run he did, wouldn't become WBA champion, etc. Patterson likely would've became WBA champion (provided Williams was still shot), and become the first three time champion in history (which imo he should've been anyways if not for such a blatant robbery).

 

Maybe Ali's common sense kicks in and he goes into retirement after losing vs Norton III
That would have been the best possible outcome. Ali retires and spares himself 5 more years of brutal damage.

 

Ali vs Norton III has rightly mentioned like the biggest "what if" regarding controvertial decisions.

I would go a step further, even if it was not exactly controvertial:

What if it is Ali the one who stays in his stool and loses the Thrilla in Manila?
Ali retired and Frazier world champion again. What gives?

 

Johnson awarded the decision over Marvin Hart.

An unencumbered Jeffries doesn’t get to ride off into the sunset shortly after Johnson suffers a highly controversial defeat (after a string of victories).

Jeff could still retire as and when he did, of course, but if he chose to do so, his prior, out and out avoidance of Johnson during 03/04 would’ve been punctuated even more if he retired with the barred Johnson still irrefutably eligible for a shot.

Beating Hart in 1905 would’ve possibly lent to Johnson acquiring the title a year or two earlier - perhaps then that would’ve seen Jeffries harassed to come out of retirement somewhere earlier than 09/10.

A less dissipated come-backing Jeffries offers a bit more resistance but I see Johnson winning anyway. I’ve got Johnson in a prime vs prime scenario also anyway.

 

Knowing Frazier, he'd go out of his way to fight Foreman again because that's the man Frazier was. He's not winning that one, especially in the condition he was in.

Though I do feel Frazier did a lot better than given credit for. He arguably won a round, and lasted longer on his feet than anyone Foreman defeated in his first career with the exception of Peralta.

 

the Short Answer,

Boxing History could honestly & legitimately be rewritten with many a different outcomes and trejectory.

 

Akui getting the nod over Teraji might lead to a very different 112 landscape in the next couple years

 

Norton over Ali is the big one, also wanna mention Patterson over Ellis so we could have seen Frazier vs Patterson.

Hagler over Leonard would be a big one, it changes peoples’ perceptions and rankings of the kings and Hagler likely would have continued on with there being a rematch.

 

Frazier challenges Foreman again as his retirement fight, I don’t see Ali becoming champion again with Young or Holmes eventually dethroning Foreman. Norton never gets awarded a title but still piles up some good wins.

 

Sugar Ray Robinson vs Rocky Castellani.

Robinson had retired for a couple of years before coming back in need of $. He had been upset by Tiger Jones in his 2nd fight back. He won a few more then had this crossroads fight with Castellani. The winner would get a shot at Middleweight champion Bobo Olson.

We take it for granted now but at that time former champions didn't successfully comeback and regain their championship and get another title run. Joe Louis had recently been stopped in his bid to regain his title.
Another loss and perhaps Robinson retires again or becomes a gatekeeper. Not getting a title shot but fighting the up and coming middleweights.

This content is protected