What if Mike Weaver actually won the Michael Dokes rematch? Weaver-Coetzee 2? Weaver-Dokes 3?

Coetzee was the #1 contender so he would have fought Weaver sooner rather than later I'd say.

Actually King would have likely forced a rubber match, if Dokes was game. Dokes said after the rematch he'd never fight Weaver again. He may have relented if it was to regain his title tho, you'd hope.

 

I think Dokes was deeper into coke by that time and Weaver would have won the rubber match. I also think Weaver would have beaten Coetzee again. Weaver was a good fighter.

I sincerely believe Tony Anthony punching Weaver from behind when he was walking back to his corner and not looking quick likely knocked a bit out of him at that career stage. All of a sudden his durability was shot. Thomas as good as he was had no right dropping him in round 1 and later finishing him with a right hand of all things. Thomas was rarely putting people away with a right hand.

 

That draw took a lot out of both guys and neither was ever the same after.

I think if somehow Weaver got a decision win over a DKP fighter, I think King puts together a Cooney match. That way he has signed up the new star and offers him the immediate title shot.

And we have followed the sport long enough to see what happens to the heavies that have to dig real deep to make it to the finish line---you are going to get their B game in their next fight. And Mike with his B game gets bombed out of there. And could lose to a Greg Page or an upcoming Tubbs or insert name here. But it would be against a DKP fighter again and Weaver is just not going to get his hand raised.

Always thought Bruno would have been interesting for Weaver. And Mike was a road warrior. But it would be hard to win that bout in Wembley at the time. Exciting for sure.

At any rate---it would have been the polar opposite of what we were accustomed to getting---avoidance bouts. Nobody out there was going to be turning down a Weaver fight for the belt. Lots of phone calls being made for an opportunity. Far far easier path than fighting Holmes.

 

The other reason a 3rd bout never transpires is King certainly new Holmes was going to be stripped of the WBC belt. And that Larry was going to be awarded the brand new IBF belt. So the landscape was certainly negotiable for King to do what he pleased. And was going to have his guys fighting for it. Inserting Mike Dokes there is a real possibility.

It was just bad back then. So bad. DKP productions and Carl King is the manager. By the way-----what did Carl ever do in that corner? pre fight preperations of what magnitude? Conditioning?

In the real world---we the fans probably get none of the Witherspoon vs ....... for the WBA title. More like a Dokes or Page against a Lee Canalito. It'd just be some bout not worthy of an ESPN card but it would have been for the WBA title---that's exactly what we would have ended up with.