Major League baseball, the NFL, the NBA - there's a fantasy league out there for most major sports, so why not boxing?
Starting with heavyweights and working down in weight, here are several potentially great fights that for the most part, due to different eras, could have never been made. Even though it's impossible to pick a winner, at the end of each matchup I'll try to predict a winner.
HEAVYWEIGHT
Rocky Marciano, 49-0 (43 knockouts), vs. Jack Dempsey, 61-6 Ð8 (50)
Weighing between 180-190 pounds, both fighters would've been better suited for the cruiserweight division. Both knew only one way to fight: straight ahead. Both had fantastic knockout power and both came from hard times.
Winner: This is a toss-up, but I'll go with Marciano by decision. De mpsey had the speed, Rocky the brute strength and undefeated record. Perhaps the best fight that could ever be made.
Marciano vs. Sonny Liston, 50-4 (39)
Liston had alleged Mob ties and some of his fights were allegedly thrown. He had a telephone-pole jab, but he was a bully and most bullies don't like wars. He was only slightly larger than Marciano, with about a 3-inch height and 25-pound weight advantage.
Winner: "The Rock" by decision. He knew no fear and hit harder than anyone Liston ever faced.
Liston vs. Ernie Shavers, 73-14-1 (67)
Perhaps the two hardest hitters in the history of the sport.
Winner: Shavers had the "puncher's flaw," i.e., no chin. Liston by knockout.
Jack Johnson, 78-13-11 (49), 20 no-decisions, vs. Dempsey
There was a reason Dempsey avoided black fighters. Johnson could box like hell.
Winner: Johnson by decision. But it would've been one helluva fight.
Johnson vs. Marciano
Johnson could box, but not as well as Ezzard Charles or Archie Moore, both of whom fell to Marciano.
Winner: Marciano by decision. "The Rock" was too tough and too well conditioned.
Marciano vs. Joe Frazier, 32-4-1 (27)
"The Rock" and "Smokin' Joe' could only have one resolution: a knockout. Frazier was a couple inches taller at 6-foot and about 20 pounds heavier.
Winner: Frazier was perhaps a bit too fast and strong. He'd bust up Rocky for a TKO on cuts.
Frazier vs. Mike Tyson, 50-6 (44), with 2 no-contests
Young Tyson was hell on wheels. Although a couple inches shorter than Frazier, he was 20 pound s heavier.
Winner: Frazier. Smokin' Joe could take it as well as dish it out. Late KO for Frazier.
George Foreman, 76-5 (68), vs. Tyson
George was too big, too bad and had a flagpole pole of a jab in his comeback.
Winner: If he could stop Frazier, he would've stopped Tyson. Foreman by KO.
Foreman vs. Larry Holmes, 69-6 (44)
At 6-foot-3, Holmes was an inch shorter than Big George, but he had the best jab in the heavyweight division and could box as well as anybody but Muhammad Ali.
Winner: Styles make fights, and "The Easton Assassin" had the jab and style to stay away from Foreman's power to take a decision victory.
LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT
Archie Moore, 194-26-8 (141), vs. Roy Jones 49-4 (38)
This would've been a more marketable fight before Jones got knocked cold by Antonio Tarver and Glen Johnson. It would've been Jones' speed and athleticism vs. "The Mongoose's" craft and power.
Winner: Moore by late KO. Too much power and experience.
Moore vs. Michael Spinks, 31-1 (21)
Spinks was unorthodox as hell and his "Spinks Jinx" was a nice equalizer.
Winner: Moore by KO. If Tyson crushed Spinks, so would've Moore.
Moore vs. Bob Foster, 56-8-1 (46)
Foster was a freak at 6-foot-3, had superb power and notched a division-record 14 title defenses.
Winner: "The Old Mongoose" was as crafty and hard-hitting as they came and would've taken advantage of Foster's questionable chin. Moore by KO.
Spinks vs. Foster
Both were tall, gangly and could bang. This would've been a close one.
Winner: Foster by TKO. Like Spinks, Foster also campaigned as a heavyweight. Even though he lost, Foster fought tougher guys in a tougher era.
SUPER MIDDLEWEIGHT
Jeff Lacy, 21-0 (17), vs. Joe Calzaghe, 40-0 (31)
We'll see this one on March 4. Both can punch and Calzaghe is a southpaw and can box a bit as well.
Winner: Lacy's too strong and has youth on his side. I'll take him by TKO inside of eight.
Lacy vs. Nigel Benn, 42-5-1 (35)
"The Dark Destroyer" could slug with the best of them.
Winner: Benn also had a questionable chin. Lacy by KO.
Lacy vs. Jones
At 168 pounds, Jones was a sight to behold. The only question would've been if Lacy could've landed.
Winner: Jones by decision. Lacy hasn't developed yet to the point Jones had at 168.
MIDDLEWEIGHT
Marvin Hagler, 62-3-2 (52), vs. Bernard Hopkins, 46-4-1 (32), 1 no-contest
"The Executioner" had 20 successful title defenses to Hagler's 12.
Winner: Hagler by unanimous decision. Hagler was too rugged, didn't wait for openings all night or let rounds go by without menacing his opponents.
Harry Greb, 115-8-3 (51), 180 no-decisions, vs. Hopkins
Hopkins thinks he's old school. Greb, who defeated heavyweight champion Gene Tunney, didn't get a middleweight title shot until his 251st fight.
Winner: Greb by decision. 305 fights by age 32 with only eight losses is all you need to know.
Hagler vs. Greb
Here 's a case of Hagler's strength and punishing attack versus Greb's old school toughness and experience.
Winner: Hagler by decision. Close fight, but Hagler was too powerful and his modern skills may have been too much for Greb.
Sugar Ray Robinson, 175-19-6 (109), vs. Greb, Hagler, Hopkins, Jones
Winner: Robinson was the greatest. Period. Too fast, too powerful, too much skill.
Well, we've run out of space before we covered the other divisions. I'll cover those other divisions at a future date. You may not agree with all of my selections or winners, but they do make for one hell of a fantasy. Keep your football, baseball and basketball fantasy league. I guarantee this list of fights would outstrip all of the other sports combined.