Fighters that lost and almost lost big money fights by taking a tune up fight

Terry Norris lost his big ppv payday against De La Hoya when Mullings knocked him out.

 

Kostya Tszyu losing to Vince Phillips cost him a shot against Oscar DeLaHoya.

Terry Norris losing to Keith Mullings cost him a shot against Oscar DeLaHoya.

Pernell Whitaker almost lost to Diosbelys Hurtado, which would've cost him a shot against Oscar DeLaHoya.

 

Ok, thanks for the correction.

 

Frazier losing to Foreman was supposed to be a tune up for Ali, as Joe's next opponent in a rematch.

 

Jose Luis Garcia was scheduled to fight Jerry Quarry in Madison Square Garden on June 18th, 1973 but took a tuneup against Joe Alexander on May 21st and was stopped in the 1st round. It was said the automatic 60 day suspension NY imposed on Garcia precluded him from the date, but I would also say the Garden probably wouldn't have touched him after that anyway.

 

Ironically, Quarry himself almost blew a scheduled big money rematch w/ Frazier when he fought Alexander in an intended warm-up & was very nearly KO'd in the 1st round. As it is, I don't think Quarry had fully recovered from being so badly concussed & he reacted very poorly to every punch Frazier landed just barely over a month later.

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Judah against Baldomir. He lost and somehow still got the mayweather fight

 

man that fight would have been a barn burner too.

 

James “ Heat “ Kinchen …was the number one ranked contender for Marvin Hagler …he decided to take a tune up fight against Iran Barkley

 

I could never figure out if Norris was more upset over losing the fight …or losing the pay day with Delahoya

 

UnlessSpoon turned to hugging.

I dont think he would, however.

 

Johann Orsolics of Austria had a signed contract to fight Jose Napoles for the welterweight title in Vienna. The contract did not contain any clause that he had to have another fight. It was a solid contract. So what does he or his management do? I guess they wanted a tuneup before the big fight so they look around for someone old. Do you wanna know who they signed to fight? Eddie Perkins, that's who. Eddie flattens him in 4 rounds and Napoles' people exercise a clause that was in the contract. That they could bail out within 48 hours if he received a thumping. Bye-bye title shot.

 

Tyson losing to Douglas. Holyfield was supposed to be next for Mike. How about McGuigan against Cruz? Wasn’t there talk of a big unification against Azumah Nelson?

 

Future serial killer Steve Hearon couldn't resist ignoring his manager's wishes and grabbed a 10K payday against Lupe Aquino when we have the #1 contender for I believe Bruce Curry's 140 pound title.

Of course he lost.

Jimmy Heair was similarly the #1 contender back in 1974 and went against manager's wishes and took a "tuneup" fight against 12-9 Rudy Barro. Lost and never got a title shot. I remember his manager talking about it in a Ring Magazine interview.

 

Just happened tonight. Former Jr. Middleweight champ Jamie Munguia was knocked out by some French guy I have never heard of before named Bruno Surace in a massive upset this evening. Munguia just got a huge payday against Canelo Alvarez and was lined up to fight for a super middleweight belt against Chrisian M'billi.

Munguia was a -2500 favorite. Lol