By Sanjeev Shetty BBC Sport Online

Boxing fans wondering why the long awaited showdown between Lennox Lewis and Mike Tyson failed to attract a capacity crowd have their answer.

Pugilist specialists all over the world were saving their hard earned cash for a much bigger event - Larry Holmes versus Butterbean.

That's right, fighting grandfather Holmes has been lured into one last slugfest by the fighting veggie (honest - Butterbean's weight has been amassed without meat)!

As fans await this titanic match-up, scheduled for 27 July, BBC Sport Online would like to whet your appetite with thoughts of other great matches which could still be made.

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Max Schmeling v Saoul Mamby

Schmeling, the oldest living former champion, comes out of retirement at the age of 96 to fight Mamby, still punching away at a youthful 55.

Who would take on Schmeling in his prime?

"People may moan that I'm fighting past my prime, but I've lost more bouts than some of these modern contenders have had fights," claims Mamby, whose record shows 32 defeats.

This is a battle between former champs - Mamby lost his WBC junior welterweight title in 1982 and Schmeling dropped his heavyweight title in 1932.

Schmeling remains low key in the build-up to the big one and his dedication is rewarded when he knocks out his foe with a right hand after just 10 seconds.

"So he knocked me out - Schmeling is a heavyweight and my best days came at junior welterweight," moans Mamby.

After losing to a man 41 years older, Mamby investigates whether he can revoke his professional license and rebuild his career against 14-year-old amateurs.

Don King v Bob Arum

After years of verbal jousting, the two veteran promoters finally agree to get it on.

The bout is not officially sanctioned, after it is revealed that boxing judges have unanimously agreed to boycott the bout.

The pre-fight banter is the highlight, as expected from two 70-year-olds.

When asked whether the fight is dragging boxing's name into the gutter, Arum ponders the question before replying: "Boxing credibility is an oxymoron."

Not to be undone King uses the words of his favourite author to embellish his contribution to proceedings.

The King of verbal jousting

"In the words of Shakespeare's Measure for Measure 'Let us be keen, and rather cut a little, than fall, and bruise to death'".

After that, the fight turns out to be a massive disappointment - King's massive height and reach advantage take him to what looks like a convincing victory.

But in the absence of proper judges, ex-fighters have been recruited to score the brawl.

Judges Witherspoon, Dokes and Lewis score the fight a draw.

The trio also announce that they are forming their own promotional company 'Axe to grind' and declare their interest in making King-Arum 2.

"We wuz robbed," says King, struggling to find the right phrase from his Shakespeare omnibus.