Matchups that would have a different result if the loser was prime

We've done this thread a few times before, but not in awhile. List matchups you think would have a different outcome if the loser was in their prime.

As always, the OBVIOUS doesn't count. For example, don't list Tyson vs Danny Williams, or Roy vs Danny Green, or Chavez vs Willy Wise, those are just a givens.

I'll start with:

Tszyu-Chavez: Prime Chavez would have slowly dismantled Tszyu, with a battered Tszyu likely quitting on his stool late.

Tszyu-Hatton: I'm often critical of Tszyu, but I definitely think he would have whupped Hatton in his prime. Old man Tszyu was basically fighting on even terms with Hatton until late when Ricky's youth took over.

Tyson-Lewis: This one is always gonna be hotly debated. I don't knock those who would have always favored Lewis, but IMO the 87-88 Tyson KO's Lewis.

Leonard-Norris: This is basically a given. Norris would have no shot in Hell against the 81-82 Leonard.

Curry-Norris: This one is more debatable, but I doubt Norris would have beaten the mid 80s Curry.

Jones-Calzaghe: Pretty close to a given. I don't think even Calzaghe groupies believe that Joe could have beaten a prime Roy.

Pedroza-McGguigan: Fair play to Barry, as he fought like a man possessed against the aged Pedroza, but I definitely think a prime Pedroza would have outclassed him.

Louis-Marcaino: A lot of respect for Rocky, but prime Louis would have taken him apart.

Holy-Foreman: 74 Foreman would have put a very bad hurting on Holy.

Others?

 

Roy Jones before his move up to heavy would've paint jobbed Tarver and Johnson and made them tentative just like all the other guys

 

Ray Leonard would've smashed Terry Norris's Waterford crystal chin

 

Seeing your name reminded me of one....

Prime Whitaker would've beaten Oscar by a mile on the cards. Too wide for them to rob him.

 

One more to add for now:

Mosley-Cotto: I had this one a draw personally. Cotto controlled it early, but Shane was in command late. I believe circa 99-01 Mosley would have stopped Cotto.

 

And still, every mythical Tszyu fight ends via quitting.

I do agree that Chavez would win handily though

 

Holyfield-Lewis
Charles-Marciano

 

Bullshit... outside of MWS, I think Tszyu gets a fair shake more often than not

 

I'd agree with all of those except:

I am one of those people who think Lewis always beats Tyson.

Marciano-Louis is ALWAYS competitive and a close fight imo.

McGuigan won because he was fighting at Loftus Road mate...

Shepherd's Bush for the win. You RRRRRR's.

Now I know I am going to get shit for this and it's fair enough, but I've always thought Calzaghe would be somewhat competitive with Jones. I've never, and let me be explicit with this, NEVER thought he would have won, but I think it would have been Roy's toughest fight before the decline.

 

I do agree he gets a fair shake, he is not underrated and X rates him correctly. I just find it bit odd that when he is overmatched, he would quit every time since he did it in his last bout

 

Calzaghe would cease slapping and close down shop... scared of getting hurt ... then he'd open up a confectionery in Swansea called "Faggot Joe's Swansea Sweets" within three days of his one-sided defeat

 

Maybe, but I disagree.

 

According to who, though? MWS would pick Laila Ali over Tszyu ... I bet if there's been a total of 20 picks of him quitting, 19 are MWS and one is JOM

Here's all the Tszyu matches in MM:

Search Results for Query: Tszyu | FIGHTBEAT.COM FORUMS

 

Well you owe me a queer candy bar from his place then

 

Ali Frazier ONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Ali Norton 1
Ali Holmes
Ali Berbick
Ali Spinks
Louis Charles

 

I thought I was blocked, Stafford? How on Earth can you view this topic?

 

Lewis always had the physical tools to cause Holy many problems. And let's not forget that young Holy was quicker, but not as physically strong.

 

What if the fighter is above his optimal weight class in addition to being past his prime?

 

Roberto Durán vs Everbody that beat him after 1982.

 

Klitschko v Joshua

 

Jones Jr v Calzaghe
Hopkins v Calzaghe

 

Agreed. I hate Wald, but in his physical prime, early on when he was actually aggressive, he smokes AJ.

 

Please. Hearns would have always smoked him like a fat blunt

 

Matchups that would have a different result if the loser was in his prime won't finish the same way.

 

More that I'll add to the list:

Holy-Holmes: Prime Holmes would have outboxed Holy by a clear margin.

Khan-Judah: The Zab that Khan beat was too shot to pull the trigger, and didn't have the reflexes to react to anything Conman did. Judah in his prime was arguably faster than Khan, and definitely would have timed him with a big shot that Khan's crystal chin wouldn't recover from.

Mosley-Pac: I don't give a shit what any Pac groupie says, prime Mosley would have put a bad hurting on Pac.

Vargas-Mayorga: Prime Vargas would have beaten Mayorga handily. The version of Vargas that Mayorga beat was fat, and his back was totally fucked up.

Wright-Williams: Prime Winky would have outclassed Tall Paul.

Haugen-Mancini: Haugen was always underrated, and a damn good fighter, but I feel like prime Mancini would have outfought him and won a decision.

Ken Buchanan vs Carlos Ortiz: Buchanan was a HELLUVA fighter, but prime Ortiz would have outclassed him. Even the old, shot Ortiz was giving him trouble early.

 

Buchanan always gives Ortiz a fight and I think Holy always makes it tough for Holmes... the rest I pretty much agree with

 

Mosley not beating pacquiao. No version of mosley can beat the pac who destroyed hatton/cotto.

 

I think wright always has major style issues with Williams. A prime version might edge it out but it'd probably be a tough task, not an outclassing

 

2000 version of Mosley KO’s the Pac-Man.