Greatest Fight that Never Happened

If PBF and PacMan never fight, by my estimation, they would be the 2 greatest fighters to have never fought each other while a fight was doable. They are both sure-fire HOFers peaking at the same weight-class and same time, arriving back-to-back 1 and 2 on virtually everyone’s 1b-4-1b list. I don’t know of a comparable situation in boxing history.

But what comes close? Among those who could’ve reasonably fought each other, who else qualifies? This is what I have off the top of my head:


1. JCChavez vs Azumah: Both HOFers who peaked during the same era at similar weights.

2. SRL vs Aaron Pryor: A little iffy in terms of do-ability since Pryor peaked just as SRL retired early, but they are both HOFers of the same era and similar weight.

3. Duran vs Aaron Pryor: I never thought about this possibility before now, but If Duran didn’t get so fat so early, I don’t see why this couldn’t have happened at welter in the early 80’s, maybe right after the Argeullo fight. Both HOFers, of course.

4. Duran vs Argeullo: Same as above. Too bad Duran had to become a puff-ball. Both HOFers.

5. Foreman vs Tyson: Both HOFers though Foreman was on his 2nd act when the fight was doable. Tyson was in unbeatable territory at the time and Foreman was considered a joke, but we know in hindsight that Tyson was never really that and Foreman was no joke, even at his advanced age. Foreman never went down in his comeback and could only be out-boxed. And Tyson couldn’t fight going backwards so the style matchup would’ve favored Big George. And it would’ve been a clash of titanic power. I recall reading that the Tyson camp knew Big George was more formidable than met the eye, and did not want to risk a fight unless the reward was there. But it never materialized as Tyson descended into prison.

6. Sweet Pea vs Taylor: Meldrick had the fastest hands I’ve ever seen. There was no way to KO a prime Sweat Pea, so power doesn’t matter. But Speed? Maybe? If anyone could confound Sweet Pea, the PBF of his time, it was Meldrick. But his career all but ended after JCC, so there was only a narrow timeframe.

7. Mosely vs Trinidad: not sure why this never happened. They were both welters for a long time and The Ring had them ranked 1 an 2 on the 2000 1b-4-1b list.

8. Lewis vs Bowe: The two big Heavys of the same era who could both box

9. Foreman vs Shavers: 2 biggest punchers of all time. Wouldn’t have been pretty, but you know you have to watch.

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Originally Posted by Manju

If PBF and PacMan never fight, by my estimation, they would be the 2 greatest fighters to have never fought each other while a fight was doable. They are both sure-fire HOFers peaking at the same weight-class and same time, arriving back-to-back 1 and 2 on virtually everyone’s 1b-4-1b list. I don’t know of a comparable situation in boxing history.

But what comes close? Among those who could’ve reasonably fought each other, who else qualifies? This is what I have off the top of my head:


1. JCChavez vs Azumah: Both HOFers who peaked during the same era at similar weights.

2. SRL vs Aaron Pryor: A little iffy in terms of do-ability since Pryor peaked just as SRL retired early, but they are both HOFers of the same era and similar weight.

3.  Duran vs Aaron Pryor: I never thought about this possibility before now, but If Duran didn’t get so fat so early, I don’t see why this couldn’t have happened at welter in the early 80’s, maybe right after the Argeullo fight. Both HOFers, of course.

4.  Duran vs Argeullo: Same as above. Too bad Duran had to become a puff-ball. Both HOFers.

5. Foreman vs Tyson: Both HOFers though Foreman was on his 2nd act when the fight was doable. Tyson was in unbeatable territory at the time and Foreman was considered a joke, but we know in hindsight that Tyson was never really that and Foreman was no joke, even at his advanced age. Foreman never went down in his comeback and could only be out-boxed. And Tyson couldn’t fight going backwards so the style matchup would’ve favored Big George. And it would’ve been a clash of titanic power. I recall reading that the Tyson camp knew Big George was more formidable than met the eye, and did not want to risk a fight unless the reward was there. But it never materialized as Tyson descended into prison.

6. Sweet Pea vs Taylor: Meldrick had the fastest hands I’ve ever seen. There was no way to KO a prime Sweat Pea, so power doesn’t matter. But Speed? Maybe? If anyone could confound Sweet Pea, the PBF of his time, it was Meldrick. But his career all but ended after JCC, so there was only a narrow timeframe.

7. Mosley vs Trinidad: not sure why this never happened. They were both welters for a long time and The Ring had them ranked 1 an 2 on the 2000 1b-4-1b list.

8. Lewis vs Bowe: The two big Heavys of the same era who could both box

9. Foreman vs Shavers: 2 biggest punchers of all time. Wouldn’t have been pretty, but you know you have to watch.

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Mosley vs. Trinidad is one of 2 fights I really hoped I'd get to see but never did. The other is Oscar De La Hoya vs. Winky Wright.

Good calls on a lot of those.

Foreman-Holmes
Cotto-Hatton
Leonard-Pryor
Sanchez-Chavez
Vitali-Lewis II
De la Hoya/Mosley-Tszyu
Gatti-Corrales (I think at 140 or 147 that would have been amazing)
De la Hoya-Forrest
Mosley-Trinidad

Not a greatest P4P fight, but 2 years ago Kelly Pavlik should have fought Arthur Abraham while both were undefeated Middleweight Champions. Fight would have been a war.

Would have been great to see Juan Manuel Marquez make an impact earlier so as well as his fights with Barrera and Pacquaio we could have seen him war with Erik Morales as well.

For my era, it was definitely Bowe vs Lewis.

HBO was hyping Holfield vs Bowe I and Lewis vs Rudduck as a 4 man tournament. So when Bowe refused to fight Lewis it was absolutely shocking at the time. Bowe relentlessly ducked Lewis for almost 6 years.

Ironically, now it is the British paper champion who is ducking the real champion.

Mayorga would ktfo of both of them 2 v 1.

I agree with the fights mentioned, but they're a ton I would have loved to see if it were ever possible but such time period gaps between fighters some late legends dying before others born but watching styles and W/L records I would love to see the old grand dad of fistic furry John L. Sullivan against some of the latter day legends of 70's and 80's, although techniques and rules/regulations evolved so much that his style wouldn't take him far in those periods of time, a max Baer foreman fight would have been one to watch and call me crazy but I think if he were still in prime td Joe Louis would take out the klitschko brothers

Naseem Hamed vs. Luisito Espinosa

Hamed-Pac?

Monzon V Hagler 1978? (Could have happened, Monzon was 36 though)
Foreman V Holmes 1979?(due to Foreman early retirement at age 30?)
Duran V Pryor 1981? (This would have been a war)
Duran V Cervantes 1979? (longtime Jr Welter king v longtime Lightweight king, one year before Leonard?)
SRL V Pryor 1981? (All talk and it never happened, who was ducking who here?)
Olivares V Jofre 1973? (Two greats at 126lb, what a fight!)
Tszyu V DLH 1996? There was talk, i suspect DLH was not going to jeopardise his rise to fame with a fight like this)
Mosley V Trinidad 2000? ( I think Trinidad just got too big to quick, he ballooned after the DLH fight )
Chavez V Nelson 1990? (The fight that gotta away?)
Lewis V Bowe 1995? (Very strange this never happened, again who was ducking who?)

Greatest rematches that never happened:
Ali v Foreman (Foreman retires)
Whitaker V Chavez (Chavez ???? draw my ass)
Sanchez V Nelson ( Sanchez death)
DLH V Trinidad ( after such a robbery, i am amazed it didn't happen)

Duran v Pryor would have been insain. Good call
Personall favs...Carbajal vs. R Lopez, Arbachakov and or Yuh. Any of the mix. Shame they passed
Jones vs Canizales at 118 when it mattered
McCallum vs Leonard
Hopkins vs Toney
Holyfield vs Tyson....the first two times it was signed
Michael Moorer at lt hvy vs any of the Champs. A beast!
Jones vs Benn
Chandler vs Pintor

Tyson-Bowe
Jones Jr.-Eubank
Jones Jr.-Benn
Jones Jr.-Darius Mi--------
Hopkins-McCllelan

Hopkins v Toney
Norris v De La Hoya
Wlad v Vitali

Trinidad vs Quartey
Tszyu vs Delahoya
Jose Luis Lopez vs Trinidad
Hamed vs Morales vs Marquez
Jones vs Toney Cruiserweight
Jones vs Byrd
Jones vs Jirov
Tua vs Tyson
Sanders vs Vlad II
Tyson vs Holyfield 1990
Judah vs Hatton

Winky Wright vs Sergio Martinez
Koysta vs Floyd
Mosley vs Judah
Tyson vs Vitaly.K