Choose your 3 mythical match-ups

Morning Gents

Okay you have the chance to play God, you're the promoter and have to fill the card with the 3 match-ups from the 8 original divisions. The good news you can choose from any fighter throughout the history of the sport, to make it interesting the you can't have more than one fight in the same weight class. So what's your favourite 3 and if you have time, how would you call it?

My choices for the first fight of the night I'd go with a featherweight matchup to start us off Alexis Arguello vs Salvador Sanchez (ideally it would've happened at 130 but as we want the original divisions back I'd stick it in at 126) The way I see it Sanchez was at his peak at this w. Stylistically Sanchez holds the edge, being a very skilled mover and counter-puncher, which would be the general type of fighter to trouble Arguello. I reckon Sanchez manages to hold off Arguellos late surge at nick a close decision.

2nd fight at Middle is Stanley Ketchel v Marvin Hagler: i just love the thought of this fight as someone is going to get hurt, Ketchel has tremendous stamina,mixed with great two handed punching power,and a great ability
to absorb punishment. I see him taking Hagler out down the stretch.

The Main Event is Heavyweight clash is not Ali/Louis but Jack Dempsey v Rocky Marciano virtually everybody who personally eyewitnessed both Jack and Rocky in their fighting primes picked Dempsey in a hypothetical matchup. Rocky generally had to get set to deliver his bombs, I see Dempsey unleashing a tremendous amount of punishment. Marciano manages to get through the original blitz and takes over in the middle rounds, but another blitz later in the fight from Dempsey is too much for Marciano to comeback from and the ref rescues Rocky in the 15th.

Cheers and have a great day.

Rodders

Morning, Rodders.

Like you, I love to lose myself in these fantasy match ups.

Top of my list would be Harry Greb v Stan Ketchel at middle. Two of the roughest, toughest and meanest fighters in history going at it with no holds barred. It would take a brave soul to call it and an even braver one to referee it.

Next up would be Benny Leonard v Roberto Duran at lightweight, just to settle my own mind as to which of the two would have the upper hand.

Literally hundreds from which to choose for the third slot, and I'll probably change my mind as soon as I've clicked on ' send ' but right now I'd love to see the Foreman who beat Frazier first time against the Tyson who beat Berbick.

Ayup Rodders, nice article and some interesting picks. From your match ups, I'd go for an Arguello win by decision, a points win for Ketchel (after an absolute war) and a TKO in the mid rounds for Dempsey.

As for my picks, let me see.

Ruben Olivares versus Carlos Zarate at Bantamweight. The ultimate 'blink and you'll miss it' fight. Without a doubt the two hardest hitting Bantamweights of all time, genuine one punch knockout power in either hand, and Mexican pride at stake to boot. Would edge towards Zarate, as he was the slightly more compact puncher who was more willing to take the time to find holes in Olivares' defence, which there could be a few of when he started swinging. KO in the early or mid rounds.

Roberto Duran versus Benny Leonard at Lightweight. The top two of all time at 135 lb for me, so why not? Great mix of styles, too; the aggression and all-action style of Duran against the sleek and stylish Leonard. As a fifteen round bout, I reckon Duran squeezes a decision or late stoppage after Leonard originally builds a lead early on. Duran pressures, pressures and pressures until he gets Leonard where he wants him, eventually dictating the pace and bullying Leonard around the ring.

Bob Foster versus Roy Jones Jr at Light-Heavyweight. This one sells itself beautifully. Again, a great mix of styles, with Foster looking to unload that single punch knockout power of his compared to Jones, who'd be working at range and trying to counter the come-forward Foster. I think Jones starts well and opens a lead using his speed and elusiveness, but I don't think he can hold off Foster for the full twelve or fifteen rounds, and I reckon Foster simply walks him down and flattens Jones in the latter stages. Foster by KO in the eleventh.

Cheers.

Thomas Hearns vs Anthony Small.

I'll take or leave the rest.

I would go for
Sugar Ray v Sugar Ray at welter.So close and I have Robinson winning a three match series 2-1
Ali v Louis...Joe by a late stoppage perhaps?
Duran v Ike Williams at lightweight..Great tear up..late stoppage for Williams
Not really certain of any of those results which is why they are fights I would love to see
Sanchez v Arguello is a great one for sure

How about Haye vs either of the Klitschkos. I have a feeling we will still be saying that after July 2nd!

I would like to have seen some of the prime British middleweights against some of the legends:

Eubank, Benn, Calzaghe against the likes of Hagler, Hearns and Duran.

I know that nearly all would go for the latter three but I reckon there might be one upset in there somewhere.

Scottrf wrote:Thomas Hearns vs Anthony Small.

I'll take or leave the rest.

Ha !

On second thoughts, I'll have that one among my three as well. What a joy it would be to watch that one, and especially so if Tommy could be persuaded to carry his man for a few rounds.

I should be ashamed of myself.

Mike Tyson (PRIME!!!) v David Tua - A fight i wouldn't imagine lasting long would see the two men go at it from the start with Tua rocking Tyson early but being levelled as he comes in for the kill. (KO 1 Tyson)

Sam Langford V Rocky Marciano - After a quiet first few rounds Marciano catches Langford who goes down heavily, he comes in for the kill but Langford gets on his bike for a few rounds before taking over the fight and schooling Marciano on route to a clear decision. (Langford UD 15)

Sugar Ray Robinson v Harry Greb - Fifteen action packed rounds see Robinson being tagged on numerous ocassions and wishing for the raging bull to be in the ring opposite instead, Greb doesn't have it all his own way though with Robinson showing why he's considered best P4P ever. (Greb SD 15)

Morning Rodders

Great thread, I'm going to start off with Ezzard Charles v Sam Langford at light heavy, I rate Ezzard as my no 1, but I reckon old Sam might have his number in a head to head match-up, I'm thinking Charles vs. Marciano, only in Langford, Charles would be facing a guy with better skills than Marciano as well. I think Charles would be ahead on the cards when stopped. I just can't imagine him staying out of trouble for 15.


Next up lets settle something at Welter Ray Robinson v Charley Burley: I see a very tactical chess match with Charley trying to unleash power shots, I reckon Robinson might shade a cagey encounter over the distance (sorry Jeff)

And the Main Event pretty boring choice its Ali v Louis, stylistically I reckon Louis has the edge in that Louis' ability to block and counter a jab is a natural foil to Ali's greatest strength IMO(something we see in the Norton fights). Joe's off centre head placement, chin tucked behind a shoulder roll defence, picking off, parrying and countering of the jab, the worry is Louis may wait to long and get outpointed, but stylistically I'd fancy Joe.

I'd settle for Small vs Tyson. A 'peak, prime, pinnacle-of-boxing-perfection FACT' Tyson.

"The ultimate 'blink and you'll miss it' fight"
3 of that genre
Dempsey v Tyson
Hearns v Benn
Morales v Naz

1/ SRL v SRR at WW...a nailed on, sure-fire, all time classic with Robinson taking a close but uncontroversial decision.

2/ Based on an interesting article a few weeks ago, I'm going to suggest Floyd Patterson v Evander Holyfield at CW.

3/ Peter Jackson vs Jack Johnson at HW...just to prove a point that Jackson could have been a worthy holder of the HW title and was cruelly denied the opportunity.

***Close but no cigar would be Richie Woodall vs Nigel Benn with Woodall obviously smashing Benn inside 2 horrific, blood spattered rounds***

First choice would be Bob Fitzsimmons against Stanley Ketchel, probably the two hardest hitting Middleweights of all time, would be right old tear up and could imagine both having to get up off the floor but Fitzsimmons superior power would eventually win the day.

Second choice, Thomas Hearns against Mike McCallum at light middleweight to determine who the boss was once and for all, see it going very much in the Bodysnatchers way. Losing the early rounds but punishing the body before taking the Hitman out mid to late.

Third choice, Wilfred Benitez against Emile Griffith, outside of the two sugars had in my opinion the best skillsets of any Welterweights. Would be a cagey affair with neither man wanting to push the action but would favour Griffiths determination over Benitez' counter punching.

Jimmy Wilde v Nonito Donaire (Wilde giving away weight as usual)
Arturo Gatti v Ricky Hatton
Israel Vasquez v Erik Morales

Reckon they'd be half action packed or so! Gatti v Hatton was being muted for a bit from memory, think Gatti was already on the slide by that point but would've still been fun etc

coxy0001 wrote:
Reckon they'd be half action packed or so! Gatti v Hatton was being muted for a bit from memory, think Gatti was already on the slide by that point but would've still been fun etc

It was. Shame it never happened.

Not sure i'd wanted to have seen it at that point in Gatti's career, was a big big fan of both fighters and wouldn't have enjoyed seeing Hatton hand out a DLH v Chavez style whooping.

p.s. side note - Shantel appears to have been banned and is claiming he walked anyway, like he wouldn't have been back!

Quite like this new 606, actually talking about boxing rather than having to wade through wumming from the likes of Fight News, Shantel etc.

p.s. side note - Shantel appears to have been banned and is claiming he walked anyway, like he wouldn't have been back!
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Best news there's been since this forum opened

Roy Jones vs Michael Spinks at Light Heavy - two of the awkard/unorthodox fighters out there, I'd take Jones to win a 12 or 15 round decision as I feel his speed would be enough to stay out of trouble and land enough to pocket rounds

Chavez vs Pryor - this would just be an awesome fight, not sure on the rules whether the fight has to be in a classic division (which would be lightweight) can't pick a winner at light welter which would be the optimum weight, below light welter i think chavez might take it as pryor could be drained and not able to keep up his high workrate

Rocky Marciano vs Mike Tyson - Ref would probably stop the fight early for a tyson tko but if rocky was allowed to continue and take mike tyson into the later rounds he's got a great chance

Greb vs SRR: Middleweight

Armstrong vs Pacquiao: Light-Welter

Ali vs Loius: Heavyweight

Tyson vs Ike Ibeabuchi. Forget the fight, just imagine what could have happened before, during and after the fight if these two nutters were actually matched up.

azania wrote:Tyson vs Ike Ibeabuchi. Forget the fight, just imagine what could have happened before, during and after the fight if these two nutters were actually matched up.

Mayorga v Toney might be in that category as well .Might be an ATG pre-fight build up.
Keep the swear box handy

skidd1 wrote:

azania wrote:Tyson vs Ike Ibeabuchi. Forget the fight, just imagine what could have happened before, during and after the fight if these two nutters were actually matched up.

Mayorga v Toney might be in that category as well .Might be an ATG pre-fight build up.
Keep the swear box handy

That would be the build up of all build ups.

ricky hatton vs amir khan
mike tyson vs david hayes
nasim hamed vs manny

mike tyson vs david hayes

I agree that it will take two of david haye to make a fight vs 'prime' miek competitive

Duran vs Pacquaio
Hagler vs Calzaghe
Marciano vs Haye

Boxing Challenges

Duran vs Benny Leonard at 135lb

Ray Robinson vs Ray Leonard at 147lb

Ali vs Lennox Lewis at HW

Aaron Pryor v Pernell Whitaker at 140 is one I've always thought would be intersting. Pacquiao vs Duran at 135 is another.

eddyfightfan wrote:
nasim hamed vs barrera

Just call me the genie from the bottle: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ISwivnhMpI

yeah sweet i watched that fight the same day when i got home- great fight always like naz even though never watched his fights live (was quite young then) now please send me links to the other 2

I'd choose:

Benny Leonard V Roberto Duran
Pryor v Sugar Ray Leonard
Mayweather v Pacquiao - which, at times, seems mythical.

eddyfightfan wrote:yeah sweet i watched that fight the same day when i got home- great fight always like naz even though never watched his fights live (was quite young then) now please send me links to the other 2

Ha ha, come on don't be lazy, I'm sure you're capable of typing 'hamed barrera' into YouTube yourself mate!