Realistic dream matches that could have happened

Barry McGuigan vs Azumah Nelson
Thomas Hearns vs John Mugabi
Aaron Pryor vs Ray Mancini
Lennox Lewis vs Ike Ibeabuchi
Roman Gonzalez vs Naoya Inoue

 

Every so often people come on and ask why Muhammad Ali never gave a rematch to George Foreman. I think it's that the timelines didn't work out. While Ali fought four times in 1975, all Foreman did was fight a few exhibitions. We know what happened in Toronto. I think Ali showed up there to try to promote a rematch, as well as continue to humiliate George.

When Foreman finally did come back in January 1976, he went life and death with previous Ali victim Ron Lyle. While he showed incredible guts, the performance was bad enough that Joe Frazier was favored in their June rematch. It wasn't until he beat Frazier that people took Foreman seriously again. By that time Ali was booked to fight Ken Norton in September. Foreman kept busy with three more wins and by early 1977 Ali-Foreman II talk was heating up, as well as Ali-Norton IV. But Jimmy Young came along in March and spoiled Foreman's party.

So what would happen in a "coulda happened" rematch? It depends on George, I think.

 

Sugar Ray Leonard vs Aaron Pryor

I believe this one was in the works but got nixed when SRL suffered the eye injury. Yes, this match up has been discussed ad infinitum here, but I agree with the general consensus that SRL would be too big, too powerful and ultimately too good for Pryor, whom might put up a good fight but fall short in the end. TKO 7 SRL.

Sugar Ray Leonard vs Mike McCallum

I posted about this in the Hager vs McCallum thread. Basically, if McCallum had turned pro in at ago 20 following the 1976 Olympics, he potentially could have challenged for the JMW crown in 1980. So instead of facing Ayub Kalule when moving up to 154 in 1981, SRL might have challenged McCallum for the title instead. Yes, this is another fight that has been discussed here before, but I have to go with SRL via close unanimous decision. McCallum showed susceptibility to slick boxers, noting his first loss to Sumbu Kalambay and he was behind on the scorecards to Curry prior to landing the big shot in the 5th. SRL obviously is a much better version to Curry...

 

Salvador Sanchez vs Eusebio Pedroza

 

Jeff chandler vs lupe pintor

 

Floyd Mayweather vs Kosta Tyszu

 

Cervantes-Duran
Sanchez-Pedroza
Hearns-McCallum
Dempsey-Wills
Conteh-Galindez
Robinson-Burley

 

Eddie Mustafa Muhammad v. Matthew Saad Muhammad 175 lb. unification.

Michael Spinks v. Matthew Saad Muhammad.

 

Lewis-Bowe or is that too obvious?

 

Lennox Lewis vs Riddick Bowe

 

I have a few that I don’t see here (may have missed them):

Danny “Little Red” Lopez vs. Wilfredo Gomez
This was a ‘dream fight’ that may have been on its way to happening before Sal Sanchez happened to Danny. I don’t think it’s on either guy that it didn’t happen, wasn’t quite the right time or probably the right money, but it likely would have (as Wilfredo-Sal did).

I pick Gomez by KO in five or so, but it would have been damned interesting — Lopez had a knack for getting off the floor to stop his opponent so I could also see that as Gomez wasn’t the force at feather that he was at 122.

Matthew Saad Muhammad vs. James Scott
I guess it’s James to blame as he’s the one who got himself imprisoned, and the powers that were turned down Scott’s application for a furlough to have this fight in Atlantic City. Can’t blame MSM for not going to Rahway, and I don’t think the sanctioning bodies relished the idea of a champ who is in prison (not great PR, even though Scott was a great story, and it’s simply not fair to make a challenger have to go to prison to fight someone — and even if he got a one-time allowance to leave prison to fight for a title there’s no guarantee he could have continued to do so for every defense).

So if it takes place in AC, I see Saad winning in the usual Saad fashion ... falling behind early and taking a beating (especially to the body) and pulling it out by stoppage or knockdowns in the championship rounds. In Rahway, I favor Scott to win by decision. But maybe lose a rematch.

Gerry Cooney vs. Earnie Shavers
This one was supposed to happen on the Thomas Hearns-Pipino Cuevas undercard. Gerry pulled out, as he did so often, with an injury. So Tex Cobb stepped in, weathered Shavers’ bombs and beat Shavers.

My heart and my gut says Earnie wins a short war by KO. Gerry comes out aggressively like he did vs. Norton and Lyle and nearly cripples the Acorn with that wicked left hook to the body, but when he steps in to try to finish the job he eats a wrecking-ball overhand right and that’s that.

 

Mancini should have fought crosstown rival Harry Arroyo.

 

Wolgast McFarland LW title was signed promoted and anticipated for months .. and then cancelled in the 11th hour ... so tragic it didnt happen ... city politics killed it

 

Tyson-Holyfield 1991
Tyson-Foreman
Bowe-Lewis
Jones-Benn
Jones-Michalczewski
Norris-Trinidad
Quartey-Trinidad
Whitaker-Camacho
Taylor-Camacho
Hopkins-Toney
McCallum-Jackson II
DeLaHoya-Tszyu
Margarito-Mayorga
Carbajal-Lopez
Pacquiao-Valero