What If?? I WAS WATCHING DOUGLAS' DESTRUCTION OF TYSON..?

Question

And I was thinking "What would have happened had these guys hooked up in a rematch?"

Could Buster elevate to the level he achieved that night in Tokyo?

Would Hagler allow Ray Leonard to "steal" another victory from him?

Would Ken Buchanan revenge his defeat at the hands of Roberto Duran? Their first encounter ended in a heated controversy and showed Duran could be one "dirty" fighter.

Three Rematches That Never Took Place-How Do They End??

As always I appreciate analysis on fight progression, color commentating and facts to back-up your decisions. "But BK, you expect too much of us." LOL Ding Ding

As is often the case the first few responses are like the first round of a fight, "feeling out" round, apparently these first two need a few more rounds to get warmed up. And YO Towlee Ban or Osama Ben Drinkin, Are you suffering from some sort of mental disorder? What in the heck are you talking about? Nevermind who cares? (tosses Ben 50 cents) Now go call someone who gives a rats (explitive of your choosing) what you think?

Answer 1

I think Tyson blows Douglas out in 1 or 2 rounds. Buster got paid, got fat and blown out by Holyfield who couldn't punch like Tyson could. If Buster takes the rematch instead of the Holyfield fight, I think he comes in the same weight and in the same frame of mind. He had already pulled off the miracle, he was getting paid millions and he didn't care as much. Mike comes in pissed, focused and he knows he can blast Douglas out. That's the difference between this rematch and the Holyfield rematch. He knew in the Holyfield rematch that he couldn't KO Evander and that Holyfield would fight a controlled, disciplined fight and his overall skills would win so Mike got frustrated, scared and found an easy way without getting KO'd.

Hagler-Leonard.....I think the only way the rematch takes place is if Hagler gets his choice of glove size & ring size. I also think he would not spend the night chasing Ray around and definitely would not let him steal rounds in the last 20 seconds. I could almost see Hagler making the fight real boring and standing in the middle of the ring taunting Ray to come to him and fight. He knows Leonard couldn't hurt him and that chasing him around the ring wouldn't work. So stay in the middle of ring, taunt him to come fight and when he does Hagler's superior power starts to take over. I don't think Hagler can knock him out but I see him winning a close split decision because the judges would favor Ray as much as possible.

Buchanan-Duran would have been interesting. I think Buchanan was taken a little by surprise. He figured he could do to Duran what he had done to Ismail Laguna, twice. He was even told by Laguna before the fight that he would beat Duran easily. That being said, Duran was a great fighter and he just kept coming forward, and since Buchanan didn't have that one punch ko power he was going to have trouble keeping Duran off of him for 12 or 15 rounds. I think Buchanan would have been better prepared for Duran and maybe he takes on the Sugar Ray Leonard persona of the second Duran-Leonard fight and frustrates Duran into making mistakes and trying to knock him out of the ring. If he adopts that strategy or taunting & showboating maybe he wins in the same sort of fashion or earns a decision there is no way he KOs Duran, if he tries to get a KO I think Duran beats him again.

Answer 2

Douglas was inspired by the death of his mother. Lightning doesn't strike twice. Tyson gets revenge and KO's Buster round 6.

Leonard would find a way to win the rematch, like he always did. Leonard by split decision.

Duran was an absolute monster at 130. Buchanan doesn't last as long in the rematch. Duran KO round 9.

Answer 3

1. I don't think Douglas would beat him again. Tyson was still at the top of his game. Douglas was unable to defend his title, and I believe he lost it in his next fight. If the rematch took place, Tyson's whole life may have gone in a different direction, and the classic upset that happened that night may have been tainted. I'm glad there was not a rematch.
Prediction: Tyson in 3.
2. Unless Hagler knocked out Leonard, he would not get the decision. It was obvious Leonard was the favorite of the judges. But I do believe Haglar was a MUCH better fighter at that time. Prediction: Leonard - Split Decision
3. Really can't speak of the Buchanan / Duran fight - didn't see it.

Answer 4

Tyson/Douglas 2 - this is a volatile rematch. Tyson showed that he could fight a tight, disciplined fight in the rematch with Ruddock, but that was someone he'd already beaten. Against Holyfield, we all saw what happened.
I'd have to go with Mike, as Douglas was too inconsistent.

Hagler/Leonard 2 - would've, could've, should've. Hagler was outsmarted by a genius, who had won the fight before the ink was dry on the contract.
A rematch? Leonard wins again. Whatever Hagler brought to the dance, Ray would've been one step ahead.

Duran/Buchanan 2 - Duran said the fight with Buchanan was the toughest of his career, thus, no rematch.
Had there been a rematch, Duran would've prevailed again. Too much fury and too much ring savvy.

Answer 5

If Buster had come in the ring out of shape like he did against Holyfield, Douglas would have gotten KO'ed.

Hagler was a smart enough to realize that he lost the first fight because of the following reasons:
1). size of gloves
2). length of bout
3). size of ring
4). Hagler switching stances
5). letting Ray steal rounds at the end of the round
Hagler would not let that happen again

I have always thought that Duran won the Buchanan fight on a low blow foul. In the rematch, Buchanan would be looking for revenge.

Answer 6

I think Tyson was embarrassed by his loss to Douglas in Tokyo. I take nothing away from Buster, he was in the best shape of his life at 231lbs and he fought a very inspired fight in that he wanted to win for his deceased mother, but as we all saw in his 1st defense against Holyfield, he couldn't get that inspired again and i think Mike would have killed himself in training and got himself in tip top shape and would've gotten a better trainer and would've been much better prepared and he would've knocked Douglas out early in the rematch. I think Leonard would've beaten Hagler by decision again because he would've been that much more confident off the 1st victory and i think Marvin had slipped a lot from even when he fought Hearns just 2 years earlier. Ray fought a splendid fight, but Marvin looked slow, lacked any real snap on his shots, and it just looked like he aged in that fight to me. Duran takes out Buchanan again in my opinion, Duran was an animal and he would've wanted to show the world that he could beat Ken controversy or not. I think Duran knocks him out in the middle rounds in the rematch.

Answer 7

i gotta give cheers to brent and smitty for excelent points; jeers to ric(whassup buddy, are you trying to be witty or something? i don't understand any of your answers). anyways, no doubt, tyson would've blown buster out in the rematch. there comes a time when a fighter is "in the zone" and fights the fight of his life: ali vs liston/forman/frazier3, etc.; sugar ray vs hagler; douglas the night he fought tyson. that was an apparition, and buster was never the same fighter, before or since. he would never have been able to repeat that performance and tyson would've come in w/seriously bad intentions, like he did against tyrell biggs...it would've been personal and he would've demolished douglas in the rematch

leonard v hagler. ray would always be too smart for hagler. had they fought again, i see marvin trying to take away sugar's edge and coming out, much like he did against hearns, against type, to try to overwhelm ray at the beginning and blow him out, taking the judges out of the equation....would it have worked? possibly, but not likely. ray was way too smart and would've found a way to survive those early rounds to score another decision victory. however, as you see, after that loss, marvin would never lower himself to get back in the ring, methinks that so pissed him off and disillusioned him, so he walked away

can't speak to duran buchanon, sorry, never saw that fight.

Answer 8

I think Mike Tyson would have won the big rematch against Ray Leonard if the rematch was set at 154lbs in the mid' '90's. Tyson was in his prime as a junior middleweght. I know people are all talkin' smack about Tyson after Antonio Tarver KOd him in 2 a few months ago, but he'll come back big. And call me crazy, but if Tyson made the move up to heavyweight, he could be champ. Everybody says Shannon Briggs is the greatest fighter who ever lived, but he has flaws. Tyson is a smart fighter, he is pretty much capable of anything.

Answer 9

Tyson announced...on Donny Deuctch....that he wants to box a female next....umm sign me up.....I'll bite him and we'll see who wins.....

Answer 10

if you were i would say go **** yourself