Why did a fight between Johnny Tapia and Mark Johnson never happen? who would win?

Meh, the fight was offered, JMM fought a week or two after what the Hamed fight would have taken place in. Preparing for Daniel Jimenez and preparing for Naseem Hamed are 2 entirely different things.

On a months notice... Meh, the fight was offered, JMM fought a week or two after what the Hamed fight would have taken place in.

Not really. Johnson was a talented fighter no doubt, but people go overboard with claims of how all the non-flyweights were blatantly ducking him during his days at flyweight. They claim that Lopez ducked him, even though they were several divisions apart throughout their careers. They claim that Chiquita ducked him because he didn't move up to face him, even though Johnson didn't even hold a world title at the time. They claim that both Romero and Tapia ducked him when they were Super Flyweight champions, even though those guys did the right thing by unifying titles while Johnson didn't actually establish himself at that weight until after they had moved up. He was going to move down to fight Chiquita, it was going to be at a catch-weight of 110. Johnson wasn't asking for Chiquita to move up 112. Chiquita didn't wanted it...Tapia team didn't wanted it...They just didn't want to fight Johnson at any cost. They ducked him. Nothing like the stupid example of Floyd and Khan.

Right because the guy that was knocked out by marquez was feared right ? I guess his win over lacierva made him boxing most feared man lmao Retards i tell you Yes because the 98 version of Too Sharp at 112-115 is the same version of the 2002 at 118. He was avoided before the Lacierva fight. And, lets ignore that a way past prime Johnson beat an undefeated Montiel at 115 in 2003. So lets not act like he wasn't damn good. Retards I tell you.

Tapia ducked Hamed? JMM turned down 400K to fight Hamed back in 2000...Nacho said it wasn't "worth it" and didn't have the "energy, after the negotiations". JMM said he needed more time. On a months notice...

just fans trying to justify the fact that he was one of the more avoided fighters in boxing at the turn of the century. he was sadly

The fact that so many people can remember him still even though he fought in an irrelevant weight class should be a testament to how popular Johnson was. He was really damn popular, so I don't know where the idea he was relatively unknown is coming from. just fans trying to justify the fact that he was one of the more avoided fighters in boxing at the turn of the century.

The fact that so many people can remember him still even though he fought in an irrelevant weight class should be a testament to how popular Johnson was. He was really damn popular, so I don't know where the idea he was relatively unknown is coming from.

Well your credibility is shot... Good God man, GTFOH. Johnson was going to move up to fight Tapia. No reason to move up for a guy that is ducking you. Especially when you're also trying to get a fight with the likes of Carbajal and Chiquita. You move up, you still get ducked by Tapia and now you really are too big for Carbajal and Chiquita cuz' if they don't want it at 110 they would want it less at 115. Not really. Johnson was a talented fighter no doubt, but people go overboard with claims of how all the non-flyweights were blatantly ducking him during his days at flyweight. They claim that Lopez ducked him, even though they were several divisions apart throughout their careers. They claim that Chiquita ducked him because he didn't move up to face him, even though Johnson didn't even hold a world title at the time. They claim that both Romero and Tapia ducked him when they were Super Flyweight champions, even though those guys did the right thing by unifying titles while Johnson didn't actually establish himself at that weight until after they had moved up.

No one is entitled to anything. Did one side try and reach out to make a fight happen in 98? Yes. The other side straight up refuse to have anything to do with such fight? Yes. That's a duck. Tapia flat out ducked him...I'm sure if it was up to Mi Vida Loca he would have fought Johnson no problem. He would have fought anyone. But, Tapia promoter didn't want that fight. They saw it as too much of a risk...And, even though Tapia would have fought him regardless his promoter decision falls on him like it does any fighter. Tapia ducked Johnson just like Mayweather is ducking Khan. When you're a big name fighter, guys calling you out comes with the territory, but you're not obligated to fight every guy out there, especially when they're not a big draw or even compete in your division. If Johnson was frustrated with the lack of big name fighters at flyweight, he should have moved up earlier and established himself in the higher divisions. He would have likely gotten a high ranking and would have been in line for a title after a few fights, but instead of doing so, he chose to wait until a vacant title was made available.

People throw around accusations of guys ducking each other way too frequently. Johnson wasn't a big draw, and if he really wanted to land a fight with then Super Flyweight champ Tapia, he should have moved up and made noise at Super Flyweight. Instead, he waited for Tapia to vacate the title before moving up. People going to ignore this. I remember Mark but i don't remember him calling out Tapia. So am not that familer with his career. Seen him a few times fight when the western arena was around (i think that was the name). Mark didn't have a following. But, he was on west coast tv a lot so. I don't think he going to jail helped his career much.

People can say that the word "duck" gets thrown a lot...And, that might very well be true. But, Tapia blatantly ducked Johnson...Finito also didn't want it. Neither did carbajal or Chiquita at a catchweight of 110. Top Rank straight up said no to those fights. Finito was a dream match but the negotiations never got far. And, the weight-class was an issue as well...That wasn't a duck. Again, I don't know how you can technically duck someone who isn't even competing in the same division as you. Was Johson deserving of a shot at Tapia? Sure. Was he entitled to it? No.

This is a fight I would have loved to see in the mid-late 90's....both were the best talents of their eras IMO at flyweight-bantamweight.....in their primes they were always seperated by 3 pounds....I think this would have been one of the best most highly skilled fights there ever would have been. Honestly not sure who I'd favor....I always go back and fortth This would have been a great fight. I had great respect for both of them as superb boxers and fighters. Too Sharp was really at his blazing best as a fly and super-fly. By the time he beat Montiel he was already finished and couldn't move around. He had a completely different style in this fight, just trying to deliver a strong right hand. He was then 32 years old and just at the end of his career. he had 4 more fights won 2 and was KOd in his last 2. he should have retired after Montiel, which had shown him he was finished. He actually won the majority of the first 8=9 rounds but faded to the finish and just squeaked out a tight one. I liked both Johnsons, Mark and Stevie. Great fighters, and very under-appreciated.

Perhaps Finito ducked Lopez. He never moved up to challenge him you're right. But, out of curiosity what offer was turned down? What negotiations did Finito refuse to participate with Carbajal? Honest question. Not sure if your asking this question to that guy in an attempt to expose him, but I would love to answer this question. The answer is there were no negotiations as Ricardo Lopez didn't want to move up. In no way was it a ducked, and it's similar to people wanting to see Ward vs Martinez or Bute vs Martinez and Lou and Sergio hearing about it and stating they aren't moving up and will continue to defend his MW strap. Same sh1t with Lopez. Many people wanted to see him move up, but like I stated earlier he was taking the Haglar route in a sense that he wanted to go down as the greatest of all-time in his division by staying there and defending his title.

And Ricardo Lopez ducked Carbajaul. All Lopez had to do was eat one Pancake and he could have had a couple superfights. Sorry, having only Alvarez as his best opponent doesn't cut it. meh, perhaps I don't give a fuck though. Totally irrelevant to the thread. Oh well damn, maybe...I didn't know that. But, yea that was the same time JMM was offered 400k...Crazy they offered Tapia 1.5 and offered JMM 400k for the same date. But, at that time Mi Vida Loca was more known... I like how MAB was overlooked. It was suppose to be MAB early in the year after and then Morales...Yea that didn't happen :lol1: :lol1: correct me if im wrong but I read somewhere that Marquez didn't take the Pacquiao rematch because they had originally offered him more money but then gave him a low ball offer afterwards (700k). Do you know if this is true? dumb move either way.

according to drunk old larry, he was offered $1.5 Million @1:15 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPcD-WVZpyQ user didn't allow embedding The only time Tapia was even close to being on Hamed's radar was around the time he moved up to 122 for his showdowns with Ayala. Tapia had barely moved up, and to be honest the gameplan was Barrera, then Morales, followed by the winner of gainer vs marquez and possible Tapia. HBO was gonna put a lot of money into making Hamed the face of their boxing, had a list of names (the ones I mentioned above) mapped out for him......but Marco Antonio Barrera brought all of that sh1t to an end. Fvkkkk what Merchant I doubt he gave two sh1ts about the lower weight classes.

And Ricardo Lopez ducked Carbajaul. All Lopez had to do was eat one Pancake and he could have had a couple superfights. Sorry, having only Alvarez as his best opponent doesn't cut it. This is not true. Ricardo Lopez took the Hagler route in the sense that he wanted to establish a long reign at 105. Saying he ducked those guys in the higher weight classes is like saying Haglar ducked guys at 168 and 175.

marquez didnt duck hamed. but on topic, a lot of ppl avoided mark johnson thats a fact. He absolutely ducked Hamed. After 2 years of crying that Hamed was ducking him, Frank Warren offered JMM a career high payday to face Hamed. Nacho and Marquez stated that Hamed style was awkward and they needed more time to prepare and wasn't ready for the date Hamed asked for....yet Marquez took less money and fought that same weekend against a lesser opponent. So yes...JMM ducked Hamed.

He also ducked Naseem Hamed like JuanMarpiss.And Ricardo Lopez ducked Carbajaul. All Lopez had to do was eat one Pancake and he could have had a couple superfights. Sorry, having only Alvarez as his best opponent doesn't cut it.

Tapia ducked Hamed? according to drunk old larry, he was offered $1.5 Million @1:15 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPcD-WVZpyQ user didn't allow embedding