Floyd Mayweather vs Oscar De La Hoya II: Golden Boy’s lost fights
ESPN
According to a man very close to one of the participants, a rematch between Floyd Mayweather and Oscar De La Hoya should have taken place.
Boxing’s baddest man Mike Tyson taking on tough Kiwi David Tua also would have been an all-out war between two of the toughest heavyweights of the 1990s era.
Those fights are part of a ten-strong list of lost events revealed by Golden Boy Promotions matchmaker Robert Diaz.
Airing some of his best match-ups that ultimately failed to make it over the line, Diaz outlined an impressive wishlist.
WBN mulls what might have been below.
ROBERT DIAZ FIGHTS WE SHOULD HAVE SEEN:
Felix Trinidad vs. Oscar De La Hoya II
The first bout went down in 1999. Trinidad came out on top by the tightest of margins at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
Trinidad’s majority decision marked a first-ever professional loss for De La Hoya. He never got the chance for revenge.
Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya II
In 2007, De La Hoya passed the Pay Per View torched to Floyd Mayweather in a fight that was firmly the beginning of the next generation.
Mayweather took the mantle and held it for over a decade. In 2015, murmurings Mayweather could bow out in a second fight with De La Hoya dispersed despite bad blood on social media.
Erik Morales vs. Juan Manuel Marquez
No doubting this one would have been a Mexican cracker.
Lennox Lewis vs. Riddick Bowe
We all know the story of this one. Pressured by the WBC to defend against Lewis, Bowe ultimately chose to bin the belt in a public display of defiance.
Miguel Cotto vs. Ricky Hatton
During the mid-2000s, there were several rumors the pair could clash. It didn’t pan out for the fans, who would certainly have been the winners.
Larry Holmes vs. Michael Dokes
Two big hitters in their day, somebody would have been knocked out in this one.
Mike Tyson vs. David Tua
During the mid-1990s, Mike Tyson was on the comeback trail after losing his title and spending time in prison. At the same time. Tua was bulldozing his way through the rankings.
Barring Lennox Lewis and Evander Holyfield in big-money PPV’s, Tyson never really ventured towards the other contenders. Therefore, this fight was sadly never on the cards.
Arturo Gatti vs. Jorge Paez
Gatti vs. Paez would have been a great battle or two warriors.
Ricardo Lopez vs. Humberto Gonzalez
Another Mexican feast that we all should have enjoyed.
Oscar De La Hoya vs. Ricky Hatton
Only weight fluctuations by De La Hoya stopped a battle with his fighter from happening.
Some list from Diaz. We salute you, sir.
In the new age of exhibitions, maybe some could still happen. Who knows?
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