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Fight fans with more talk of Floyd Mayweather Jr. finally fighting Manny Pacquiao I want to ask you guys to list the biggest fights (in general or just for a specific fighter's career) and whether or not they happened Too Soon, Just Right, or Too Late. Examples: RJJ-Hopkins I (just right) whereas RJJ-Hopkins II (too late) or Lewis-Tyson (too late).
So go right ahead and list them
I'm blanking butQuote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
Calzaghe-Hopkins, Haye-Wlad, Pacquiao-Cotto,
Too Soon
Mike Quarry vs. Bob Foster
Just Right
Larry Holmes vs. Ken Norton
Too Late
Sonny Liston vs. Floyd Patterson
Sonny Boy deserved to be fighting for the Championship in early-1960, not September 1962.
Soooo too soon on those? Just right? or Too late?Quote:
Originally Posted by RantcatratI'm blanking butQuote:
Originally Posted by El Kabong
Calzaghe-Hopkins, Haye-Wlad, Pacquiao-Cotto,
I'd guess Calzaghe-Hopkins was too late, Haye-Wlad was right on time, and Cotto-Pac was either too soon or too late but certainly not perfect timing.
I think RJJ-Hopkins I was to soon, and the rematch obviously to late. Not to say the result would have been any different as long as Jones was undefeated, but it's possible. Certainly would have been a much bigger fight if it had happened in 2002 or 3 than either time it did.
RJJ-Toney happened exactly when it should have, it just wasn't a great fight. Same with Floyd-Corrales, Calzaghe-Lacy, it's easy to forget how massive the hype was beforehand when you look back at a fight that wasn't competitive.
Leonard and Hearns was pretty perfect, as was Leonard-Duran I, Leonard-Benetiz, Hearns-Benetiz Hearns-Duran, Hagler-Hearns... I think a lot of the reason that era is so lauded isn't just because of those guys all being in it, but that they actually fought each other when the fights were virtually all pick ems, and every single fight turned out being pretty good.
Too early:
1) Hop vs Roy 1
2) Canelo vs Floyd
3) Grant vs Lewis
4) Azumah Nelson vs Salvadore Sanchez
5). Vargas vs Tito
Just right:
1). Jones Jr. Vs Toney
2). Hop vs Tito
3). Oscar vs Tito
4). Hearns vs Leonard
5). Floyd vs Chico/Hatton/JLC
Too late:
1). Evander vs Lewis, Larry Donald, Chris Byrd, Valuev
2). Shane vs Vargas
3). Roy vs Hop 2
4). Roy vs Tito
5). Joe C. Vs Hop/Roy
Ali - Foreman Just Right (unfortunately for my man Big George)
Marciano - Louis Too Late (I say prime Joe dismantles the Rock late)
Foreman - Lyle Just Right
Tyson - Douglas Just Right (if Buster had a prime, it was that hour)
Too Soon ........... Bobby Czyz vs. Mustapha Hamsho
Just Right .......... Joe Frazier vs. Jimmy Ellis
Too Late ............ Muhammad Ali vs. Ken Norton 'III'
Too late:
Floyd vs Cotto, Mosely
Lewis vs Tyson
Toney vs Evander
Barrera vs JMM
Meldrick Taylor vs Terry Norris
Just right:
Oscar vs Quartey
Tua vs Ibeabuchi
Ibeabuchi vs Byrd
Byrd vs Wlad/Klits
Toney vs Jirov
Barrera vs Morales, Hamed, Jones, McKinney
Too soon
Watt v Buchanan
Burns v Alex Arthur
Just Right
Lewis v Mason
Too late
Bruno v Bugner
Too late....Leonard-Norris, Canizales- Jones, Taylor-Chavez 2, Randall-Chavez 3,
Too soon...Moore-Duran, Nelson-Sanchez, Hopson-Patterson, Guthrie-Johnson, Lomachenko-Salido, Wright-Vasquez
Just right...Carbajal-Gonzalez, Nelson-Fenech 1, Zarate-Zamora, Brown-Blocker
Sometimes I wonder if soon or later really would have mattered, with the benefit of hindsight I guess
Hatton vs Tsyzu - just right for Hatton, too late for Tsyzu.
McGuigan vs Pedroza - as above
Calzaghe vs Lacy - just right
Calzaghe vs Jones, Hopkins - Too late
Ali vs Liston, Frazier, Foreman - just right
Ali vs Spinks, Berbick and Others - Too late
Barrera vs Morales - Just Right
Leonard vs Hearns - Just right
Lewis vs Tyson - just right for Lewis, too late for Tyson
Predictions
Eubank vs Saunders - Too soon for Eubank
Mayweather vs Pac - TOO LATE.