24.11.03 – By Jim Amato: Well right now the big hoopla is the proposed Mike Tyson-Roy Jones Jr. meeting. If these two do hook up it will be a box office bonanza. I want it to happen. I still have my doubts that it will come off. Nevertheless it is the fight that the fans want to see. If it does take place, will it live up to our expectations ?
So many so called “Super Fights” have turned out to be “Super Duds” over the years. True several have provided us with heart stopping thrills. Still some have left us cold and unfulfilled as one party of the match didn’t quite live up to their end of the deal.
I have come up with twelve such contests that left me most unsatisfied at their conclusion. I’m sure other fans can think of many more that had a similar effect on them.
1) Salvador Sanchez-Wilfredo Gomez- Sanchez was a young, solid champion but Gomez was…Gomez. The man that desroyed the invincible Carlos Zarate. Well Salvador proved to the world and Gomez that he was an all time great. Wilfredo was down in the first and outclassed the rest of the way.
2) Donald Curry-Milton McCrory- Curry had been long considered a pound for pound best. Milt was to be the second coming of Tommy Hearns. Milt was flattened in two rounds !
3) Michael Nunn-Sumbu Kalambay- Nunn was the heir apparent to Sugar Ray Leonard. Kalambay was a solid champion with wins over Mike McCallum and Iran Barkley. One well timed Nunn left hook ended what looked to be a competitve contest in one round.
4) Thomas Hearns-Roberto Duran- All I can say is OUCH !!! Roberto had just gone fifteen with the great Hagler. No one before or after ever did what Tommy did to Roberto that day.
5) Floyd Mayweather Jr.-Diego Corrales- NO CONTEST !!!
6) Lennox Lewis-Mike Tyson- A contest for one round.
7) Bob Foster-Vincente Rondon- When this generation realize that Foster would have kayoed Roy Jones Jr.?
8) George Foreman-Boone Kirkman- Boone was so overhyped…This was almost laughable.
9) George Foreman-Gerry Cooney- Swan song payday for likeable but undeserving Cooney. Easy cash for George.
10) Mike Tyson-Michael Spinks- What were people expecting ? At that stage of Tyson’s career, he was an ANIMAL !!!
11) Jerry Quarry-Earnie Shavers- Not quite what we expected was it ?
12)Eder Jofre-Vincente Saldivar- If they only would have met years earlier before Vincente was a “shot” fighter. It could have been a classic !