"The Fights That Never Were"
Paul Dalrymple
The fights that never were
By BBC Sport Online's Mark Barden
Like many people, Lennox Lewis has doubts that his eagerly-awaited fight
with Mike Tyson will ever take place.
Appearing on BBC TV's On Side programme, the WBC and IBF world heavyweight
champion said he has "a nagging fear" the showdown might never happen.
Wrangles over TV rights are the chief concern.
But Lewis said: "He could lose his next fight, I could lose my next fight,
he could get in trouble - but hopefully these things won't happen."
Lewis v Tyson would undoubtedly be the most lucrative fight in boxing
history, so the incentive is there to get it on.
But if it doesn't go ahead, it would not be the first must-see match-up to
be stymied by boxing's often murky machinations.
Enthralling
The heavyweight division was deprived of another fight the world wanted to
watch when Joe Frazier and Ken Norton failed to meet.
"Smokin' Joe" beat Muhammed Ali for the undisputed world crown in an
enthralling 15-round contest in 1971.
Norton also defeated "The Greatest" in 12 rounds of non-world title bout in
1973. He later became WBC champion.
But Frazier v Norton was never to be - the pair shared a trainer, Eddie
Futch, and were good friends.
Sometimes, fighters suffer setbacks before the bout just waiting to happen
can be organised.
When Barry McGuigan won the British and European featherweight titles in
exciting style, he became one of boxing's hottest properties.
Standing between him and a creditable world title were WBA champion Eusebio
Pedroza and WBC holder Azumah Nelson.
In 1985, the Irishman got his shot against Pedroza, making his 20th defence
in seven years, and claimed a famous points win in London.
Nelson then tried to taunt McGuigan into a unification bout, questioning his
manhood by referring to him as "she".
They might have eventually fought had the "Clones Cyclone" not lost his
crown to Steve Cruz in the searing heat of Las Vegas in 1986. Nelson held
the WBC title until 1988.
McGuigan returned in 1988 with four wins at super-featherweight but the
spark was gone. Nelson made a successful move up to junior-lightweight and
only retired aged 40 in 1998.
Some would-be bouts cause a clamour because the protagonists have already
met once - even twice - in memorable clashes.
Mutual loathing
Nigel Benn v Chris Eubank III would have been a re-match to relish after the
duo's first two titanic battles.
In November 1990, Eubank relieved "The Dark Destroyer" of his WBO
middleweight title in nine bruising rounds.
Benn went on to wear the WBC super-middleweight belt, but he and Eubank's
mutual loathing added fuel to calls for a second meeting.
It duly happened in October 1993, when they fought to a standstill in an
epic 12-round draw.
Boxing politics killed any chance of another fight. But if both men
(unwisely) came out of retirement tomorrow, a third encounter would still
sell out in record time.
Many boxing fans would also have liked to see Benn take on Roy Jones Jnr -
for many the sport's best active pound-for-pound fighter.
A young Jones v Benn in his prime would have caused a stir, and the British
boxer, who never dodged anybody, was up for it.
But Benn's 1995 knockout of Gerald McClellan, which left the American
fighting for his life, was a factor in why Jones never took the bait.
His friendship with McClellan saw the potential contest receive unsavoury
hype as a revenge mission.
That, plus Benn's solid record against American opponents, may well have
deterred Jones who was not short of other options.
But even when the only option for two fighters is to face each other, as is
seemingly the case with Lewis and Tyson, boxing can conspire to keep them
apart.
Mister
-M
"Paul Dalrymple" <Paul.Da...@verizon.net> wrote in message
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Patrick Kehoe
P
Mister <da...@nospamzipperint.com> wrote in message
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gary nichols
Patrick Kehoe <pke...@sprint.ca> wrote in message
news:XLSt6.2866$9N4....@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...
> Duran - Arguello!
>
> P
a prime donald curry against sugar ray leonard.
gary
Jeanne and Marc Axelrod
"Patrick Kehoe" <pke...@sprint.ca> wrote in message
news:XLSt6.2866$9N4....@newscontent-01.sprint.ca...
Patrick Kehoe
The cobra and the sugarman... ouch!
P
gary nichols <gnic...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:tbg23cp...@news.supernews.com...
Senne
years:
Maybe get these on at 147; it would have been a stretch Pryor to go to
154.
Pryor-Leonard
Pryor-Duran
Pryor-Curry
Pryor-Hearns
Pryor-Benitez
Senne
Senne
Senne
COBALT1914
Afro anyway?)
Azumah Nelson-Salvador Sanchez. This was talked about but never materialized.
Eddie Mustapha Muhammad-Matthew SaadMuhammad II. This fight was schedule until
Harold "Rossfields" Smith started trippin.
Brian Davis
Riverdale, IL
Robert Phillips
COBALT1914 wrote:
> Azumah Nelson-Salvador Sanchez. This was talked about but never materialized.
They fought in 1982, Sanchez scoring a 15th-round TKO. It was Nelson's 14th
professional fight, and Sanchez's final fight before his death. I've never seen
the bout (although I'm a tremendous Nelson fan) but it's said he gave Sanchez a
terrific battle, far and away above what was expected of such a little-known
fighter at the time.
Pie
CheshTrans
<<Azumah Nelson-Salvador Sanchez. This was talked about but never
materialized.>>
This fight did happen on July 21, 1982. Nelson was knocked out by Sanchez in
the fifteenth round
gary nichols
> ya baby!
>
> The cobra and the sugarman... ouch!
>
> P
would have been awesome, i saw something about it being proposed, back in
around 1987, after srl/hagler, at 160. kind of like leonard would have been
passing the torch to curry. a damn shame that curry's career hit the skids
so quickly, i always expected him to do much better than he did. another
good one, and i don't think anyone has mentioned it, is a foreman/holmes
fight, when both were in their primes. that, imo, would have been a hell of
a fight, and i'd go with holmes, by 1`5 round ud.
gary
Petri Paimander
some 10 rounds. Then-way-more-experienced Sanchez takes over in championship
rounds of a fine fight.
pp
Robert Phillips <rp...@cfl.rr.com> wrote in message
news:3AB6534F...@cfl.rr.com...
SkippyPB
<gnic...@charter.net> enlightened us:
Donald "The Cobra" Curry was one of the best Welters around from
1980-1987. He won the unified crown in 1985. But in 1986 he ran into
one Lloyd Honeyghan who took Curry out in 6 rounds.
After that time I don't believe Curry was nearly as good as before
then. He tried moving up in weight fighting at Junior Middle, but he
got knocked out in a WBA title match against Mike "The Bodysnatcher"
McCallum in 1987. He then managed to win the WBC Junior Middle with a
win over Gianfranco Rosi in 1988. He lost it in 1989 to Rene Jacquot.
It is a wonder that Sugar Ray and Curry never met since Sugar Ray
started his pro career only 3 years earlier than Curry. Also Ray
started moving up to Middle in 1981, well before Curry won the welter
crown. In 1987 (after a 3 year layoff) Ray had one fight...against
Marvin Hagler.
The question then was Curry fighting McCallum because he couldn't drag
Ray out of retirement (which was the result of being diagnosed with a
detached retina) or did Ray not consider Curry worth the effort.
Clearly, Hagler was the best Middleweight around at the time.
Regards,
////
(o o)
-oOO--(_)--OOo-
Often, when I am reading a good book, I stop and thank my teacher.
That is, I used to, until she got an unlisted number.
Don't believe the propaganda about the oil in the Artic National
Wildlife Refuge as spewed forth by Interior Secretary Gale Norton.
Learn the true facts, please see:
http://www.nrdc.org/
Remove nospam to email me.
Steve
gary nichols
> 1980-1987. He won the unified crown in 1985. But in 1986 he ran into
> one Lloyd Honeyghan who took Curry out in 6 rounds.
never did see that fight, iirc, it wasn't televised in the u.s., or maybe i
just missed it. still, when i read in the paper about it, i was shocked, and
thought for sure it was a mis-print.
>
> After that time I don't believe Curry was nearly as good as before
> then. He tried moving up in weight fighting at Junior Middle, but he
> got knocked out in a WBA title match against Mike "The Bodysnatcher"
> McCallum in 1987. He then managed to win the WBC Junior Middle with a
> win over Gianfranco Rosi in 1988. He lost it in 1989 to Rene Jacquot.
>
> It is a wonder that Sugar Ray and Curry never met since Sugar Ray
> started his pro career only 3 years earlier than Curry. Also Ray
> started moving up to Middle in 1981, well before Curry won the welter
> crown. In 1987 (after a 3 year layoff) Ray had one fight...against
> Marvin Hagler.
>
> The question then was Curry fighting McCallum because he couldn't drag
> Ray out of retirement (which was the result of being diagnosed with a
> detached retina) or did Ray not consider Curry worth the effort.
> Clearly, Hagler was the best Middleweight around at the time.
iirc, the curry McCallum fight was in like, june or july of 1987. i know i
did watch it live, and it was after srl/hagler. i believe that the proposal
was, if curry got by McCallum, he would fight leonard for the titles he won
off of hagler, who was retired by then. this was all covered in a story on
donald curry, that Paul posted last year.
gary
SDonat2313
It was hard watching Roy Jones Jr. easily beat the crap put of McCallum for 12
rounds. Jones even put him on the canvas.
Scar TKO
Ivan Weiss
> > Donald "The Cobra" Curry was one of the best Welters around from
> > 1980-1987. He won the unified crown in 1985. But in 1986 he ran into
> > one Lloyd Honeyghan who took Curry out in 6 rounds.
It was a great performance by Honeyghan, who for that one fight was as
good as it gets. He was so finely tuned he timed everything Curry threw
and beat him to the punch inside time and time again. Curry was like
"Who the fuck is THIS guy????"
Curry was never quite the same after that. Unfortunately, neither was
Honeyghan. IIRC, they both liked to party too much.
Ivan Weiss http://www.nwguild.org
Vashon WA http://www.unionrecord.com
SkippyPB
<gnic...@charter.net> enlightened us:
>> Donald "The Cobra" Curry was one of the best Welters around from
>> 1980-1987. He won the unified crown in 1985. But in 1986 he ran into
>> one Lloyd Honeyghan who took Curry out in 6 rounds.
>
>never did see that fight, iirc, it wasn't televised in the u.s., or maybe i
>just missed it. still, when i read in the paper about it, i was shocked, and
>thought for sure it was a mis-print.
>
>
I remember watching the fight on TV. I think it was on the old ABC
Wide World of Sports program on a Saturday afternoon. I was shocked
because I thought Curry was only a notch below Sugar Ray Leonard, but
a superbly conditioned and very ready Honeyghan took him out. But
Lloyd was no Buster Douglas. He actually went on to have a pretty
good career beating people like Johnny Bumpus and Maurice Blocker.
After winning the Welter title back from Jorge Vaca whom he had lost
it to, he lost it again in 1989 to Marlon Starling. Lloyd was never a
factor after that losing to Mark Breland and Vinney Pazienza and
finally Adrian Dodson in 1995. In between the Starling and Dodson
fights he did beat a good many fighters, but most were not what you
would call upper tier.
>>
<<snippage>>
>
>iirc, the curry McCallum fight was in like, june or july of 1987. i know i
>did watch it live, and it was after srl/hagler. i believe that the proposal
>was, if curry got by McCallum, he would fight leonard for the titles he won
>off of hagler, who was retired by then. this was all covered in a story on
>donald curry, that Paul posted last year.
>
>
>
Curry vs McCallum was indeed July 18, 1987. Leonard vs Hagler was
April 6, 1987.
>
>gary
>
>
Ciao,
gary nichols
> I remember watching the fight on TV. I think it was on the old ABC
> Wide World of Sports program on a Saturday afternoon. I was shocked
> because I thought Curry was only a notch below Sugar Ray Leonard, but
> a superbly conditioned and very ready Honeyghan took him out. But
> Lloyd was no Buster Douglas. He actually went on to have a pretty
> good career beating people like Johnny Bumpus and Maurice Blocker.
> After winning the Welter title back from Jorge Vaca whom he had lost
> it to, he lost it again in 1989 to Marlon Starling. Lloyd was never a
> factor after that losing to Mark Breland and Vinney Pazienza and
> finally Adrian Dodson in 1995. In between the Starling and Dodson
> fights he did beat a good many fighters, but most were not what you
> would call upper tier.
i thought that it was in england, i may be mistaken about it being shown
live in the states. if it was, i would love to remember what in the hell i
was doing that was so important i missed a donald curry fight. otoh, maybe
it is for the best that i don't.
>
> >>
> <<snippage>>
> >
> >iirc, the curry McCallum fight was in like, june or july of 1987. i know
i
> >did watch it live, and it was after srl/hagler. i believe that the
proposal
> >was, if curry got by McCallum, he would fight leonard for the titles he
won
> >off of hagler, who was retired by then. this was all covered in a story
on
> >donald curry, that Paul posted last year.
> >
> >
> >
>
> Curry vs McCallum was indeed July 18, 1987. Leonard vs Hagler was
> April 6, 1987.
yep, i think a proposed curry/leonard fight was to come off if curry beat
McCallum, and i watched it again last night, and imo, curry was winning the
fight, until McCallum knocked him out with a beautiful left hook, flush on
the jaw. of course, i was pulling for curry, but i have to admit, that was
one of the better one shot ko's i have ever seen.
gary
sneeke
Honeyghan fight brought him down to earth, poised to reclaim greatness, he
was winning against McCallum, when he dropped his hands and stepped back and
McCallum caught him cold, after that his confidence was never the same, but
a fight I wanted to see was Pernell Whitaker and Terry Norris,
Norris threw down gauntlet to Sweat Pea and JCC to meet for his title,
neither went for the bait
"gary nichols" <gnic...@charter.net> wrote in message
news:tbntgbt...@news.supernews.com...
Senne
says...
> thought that it was in england, i may be mistaken about it being shown
> live in the states. if it was, i would love to remember what in the hell i
> was doing that was so important i missed a donald curry fight. otoh, maybe
> it is for the best that i don't.
>
>
It was in Atlantic City.
This is a great site on boxing records.
http://www.boxrec.com/
I saw the fight in a RSL in Australia and I was
shocked when Curry lost.
Bill Mazur did the announcing. This guy was a walking encyclopedia
on sports. He was comparing Curry to Sugar Ray Robinson before the
fight. A stretch but not a super duper major stretch. After the fight
he was comparing him to Mrs. Robinson.
I thought Curry was going to kick everybodys ass. (Leonard, Hearns,
Hagler, all of them) WRONG.
Senne
SkippyPB
<gnic...@charter.net> enlightened us:
>>
>> I remember watching the fight on TV. I think it was on the old ABC
>> Wide World of Sports program on a Saturday afternoon. I was shocked
>> because I thought Curry was only a notch below Sugar Ray Leonard, but
>> a superbly conditioned and very ready Honeyghan took him out. But
>> Lloyd was no Buster Douglas. He actually went on to have a pretty
>> good career beating people like Johnny Bumpus and Maurice Blocker.
>> After winning the Welter title back from Jorge Vaca whom he had lost
>> it to, he lost it again in 1989 to Marlon Starling. Lloyd was never a
>> factor after that losing to Mark Breland and Vinney Pazienza and
>> finally Adrian Dodson in 1995. In between the Starling and Dodson
>> fights he did beat a good many fighters, but most were not what you
>> would call upper tier.
>
>i thought that it was in england, i may be mistaken about it being shown
>live in the states. if it was, i would love to remember what in the hell i
>was doing that was so important i missed a donald curry fight. otoh, maybe
>it is for the best that i don't.
>
>
The fight was in Atlantic City, NJ. on Sept 27, 1986.
>>
>> >>
>> <<snippage>>
>> >
>> >iirc, the curry McCallum fight was in like, june or july of 1987. i know
>i
>> >did watch it live, and it was after srl/hagler. i believe that the
>proposal
>> >was, if curry got by McCallum, he would fight leonard for the titles he
>won
>> >off of hagler, who was retired by then. this was all covered in a story
>on
>> >donald curry, that Paul posted last year.
>> >
>> >
>> >
>>
>> Curry vs McCallum was indeed July 18, 1987. Leonard vs Hagler was
>> April 6, 1987.
>
>
>
>yep, i think a proposed curry/leonard fight was to come off if curry beat
>McCallum, and i watched it again last night, and imo, curry was winning the
>fight, until McCallum knocked him out with a beautiful left hook, flush on
>the jaw. of course, i was pulling for curry, but i have to admit, that was
>one of the better one shot ko's i have ever seen.
>
>
>
>
>
>gary
>
>
////
EMAMATOOT
Pedroza vs Sanchez
Spinks vs Saad Muhammad
Hagler vs Ayala
Hearns vs Ayala