Five Fun What If's....Could boxing history be changed, and for better or worst?

Question

What If Gerry Cooney had beaten Larry Holmes?

What If Thomas Hearns had beaten Sugar Ray Leonard?

What If Roy Jones had retired after the first Tarver fight?

What If the Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Marvin Hagler fight had been 15 rounds?

What If Oscar DeLaHoya got the decision against Felix Trinidad?

Please give detail to any or all as to how the reverse of fortune effects each fighter...

Have fun!!!

Keep Your Hands Up!!!

Big Nate Dog.

Answer 1

Cooney wins:   Cooney certainly would have earned that $100 million Larry often talked about for a rematch.  However, he would not have fought Holmes right away.  Styles make fights.  The only way Gerry could win is if he somehow went the distance.  Larry should have been ahead by a mile but the fight was actually very close on the cards.  

It really stunk because, as Holmes once said,  Don King sold racism and the public ate it up.   Perhaps the most shameful was Sports Illustrated, who never did a great job of covering boxing.  The worst part is how the media turned its back on Cooney when he lost.   He never wanted any part of the ''White hope" hype.  He just wanted to be champ.  Cooney would have taken a few safe tune-ups and lost the rematch.  

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Hearns wins:  As much as I like Leonard, Hearns might have won had he not over-trained.  He came in at 145.  That's MUCH too light for a fighter as tall as he.  Ever wonder why Leonard never thought of facing Hearns at 154?  Leonard would have wanted a rematch had he lost.  Hearns would insist to meet at 154.  Leonard would hit the deck once and lose a decision by a wider margin.  He would then retire................for a while.

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Roy retires:  I could see that happening.  Antonio whined and, in my opinion, Roy should never have taken the rematch.  He was killing himself after taking off 20lbs of muscle weight.  He certainly had nothing to prove.  He beat Tarver the first time.  He didnt look good in the early going but he dug deep and "Took" it from Tarver.  

I could see Roy bowing out and doing various work with sports endorsements and music.  

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15 Rounds:  The question should be "What if Marvin never listened to Leonard and got conned out of the title before bell one?"  Gotta give Ray credit.  He pulled a "Batman" on Marvin and the Marvelous one fell for it.  

In a 15 round fight,  Leonard would have paced himself better.  However,  I have always wondered if it would have been enough.  I think Marvin would come on strong in the later rounds and scored a close decision after shaking Leonard in the 14th.  

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Oscar should have gotten the decision.  He would do what he has always done after a close win,  avoid the rematch.  Either Oscar would go on to lose a close one to Mosley or Mosley runs into Tito and suffers a few knockdowns in losing a decision, prompting Oscar to avoid him longer.  

Trinidad, who killed himself to make 147 for at least 2 years BEFORE Oscar, would certainly have moved up to 154.  Then he would never get his rematch.  Well, he didnt get one anyway.

Answer 2

Thanks for the questions!

1.Rematch with a sliced and diced Cooney losing by late round stoppage.

2. The only way I could see this happening is by KO. Sugar Ray retires to pursue more commercial advertisement.

3.RJJ retires as PFP King

4.Not to much changes. Marvin gets shown up a tad more subjected to more last minute flurries.

5. DLH goes on to defeat Mosley by popular tidal wave decision.