Which Modern Fighter has given us the most different looks stylistically?

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by Bogotazo, Nov 20, 2011.


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  1. Bogotazo

    Bogotazo Amateur Full Member

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    As the title asks, which fighter within the last 30 years or so has given us the most varied set of skills and stylistic elements throughout their career?

    For me, it has to be Oscar De La Hoya.

    We first see him as an imposing boxer-puncher with an effective peekaboo and a vicious body attack at 135 and 140 (as seen against Camacho, Chavez, etc.) His defense is present, but not a priority.

    Then he evolves into a more sophisticated boxer building on the fundamentals of his amateur days, developing a strong jab and more sophisticated combinations (as seen against Whitaker), and later adds on good defensive lateral movement (as seen against Tito). He adopts this style once again to (as many saw it) outbox Mosley in their rematch.

    In the first Mosley fight, he showed he could still stalk as well as he could at the lighter weights and take punches as well as he could dish them out out from behind a high-guard.

    Then, against Vargas and Campas, he shows the capability to employ a defensive philly-shell at times, land hard right hand leads, and control the punching angle by pivoting out to the side and counter-punching. His head movement and boxing skills are markedly smoother and more defensive-oriented.

    By the time he reaches the end of his career, we see him take on Mayorga and Mayweather with a patient, stiff, straight-up style, with a defense that relies on a slightly lower parrying guard, and subtle ducking bends at the knees that come from dually pointed toes, as well as straight-lined shuffles that carry him in and out of range. His style at this point is more basic, working behind a flicking jab, picking his shots, and landing between the body and head with frequency.

    Who else comes to mind when thinking of fighters that have switched up their game a number of times throughout different periods?
     
    Bogotazo, Nov 20, 2011
    Bogotazo, Nov 20, 2011
    #1
  2. Goro

    Goro Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Oscar is a good pick.
     
    Goro, Nov 20, 2011
    Goro, Nov 20, 2011
    #2
  3. Dirty Bastard

    Dirty Bastard Dirty As Hell Full Member

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    Agreed.

    Shoutout to Barrera who was a slugger that was transformed into a boxer seemingly overnight :) when he faced Hamed
     
    Dirty Bastard, Nov 20, 2011
    Dirty Bastard, Nov 20, 2011
    #3
  4. Jeff Young

    Jeff Young Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Barrera, Oscar, Hopkins?
     
    Jeff Young, Nov 20, 2011
    Jeff Young, Nov 20, 2011
    #4
  5. JunitoJab

    JunitoJab Antagonist Full Member

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    Nice
     
    JunitoJab, Nov 20, 2011
    JunitoJab, Nov 20, 2011
    #5
  6. bailey

    bailey Loyal Member Full Member

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    Good post. Oscar was very good at changing his style to suit who he was fighting, and I think deserved to beat Mosely 2, Mayweather, Sturm, Trinidad and that Mosely 1 was a draw
     
    bailey, Nov 20, 2011
    bailey, Nov 20, 2011
    #6
  7. HawkFan16

    HawkFan16 Unshot/In My Prime Full Member

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    Oscar was a great pick. I remember watching the Vargas fight and being surprised at how accurate his right hand had become, and how he even unveiled an effective shoulder roll at times when he was on the ropes.

    One wrinkle I remember him showing against Whitaker was he turned Southpaw a few times, and enjoyed some success in finding Whitaker when he did so (more than he seemed to have while he was in Orthodox on the whole, actually). I always thought he should have tried to do that more often, especially because he was a natural southpaw, and it really could have befuddled opponents if he was switching stances throughout the fight.
     
    HawkFan16, Nov 20, 2011
    HawkFan16, Nov 20, 2011
    #7
  8. Azzer85

    Azzer85 Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Lennox Lewis.

    He could blast you out of there early like Ruddock, Golota

    He could take you to school like Tua, Tyson

    And he coudl take part in give take wars like Holyfield, Mercer

    Lennox had a lot of tricks up his sleeve
     
    Azzer85, Nov 20, 2011
    Azzer85, Nov 20, 2011
    #8
  9. JN43

    JN43 Guest

    Pacquiao
     
    JN43, Nov 20, 2011
    JN43, Nov 20, 2011
    #9
  10. JCC_is_overated

    JCC_is_overated FACT Full Member

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    Hamed

    He could box, brawl, potshot, be 100%, be less than 100%, you never know which version of Hamed would show up.
     
    JCC_is_overated, Nov 20, 2011
    JCC_is_overated, Nov 20, 2011
    #10
  11. koki_kameda

    koki_kameda Koki Kameda Full Member

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    Koki Kameda
     
    koki_kameda, Nov 20, 2011
    koki_kameda, Nov 20, 2011
    #11
  12. Slacker

    Slacker Big & Slow Full Member

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    Froch impressed me by switching to a technical style to beat Abraham, and I thought he fought a perfect fight.

    Gatti, for a while, showed a more technical style, but would get into trouble and start brawling again. If he had a different coach from early stages I think he could have had a good technical style...plus the ability to go guns blazing if need be. A lot of unrealized potential there.

    Mayweather is great at making adjustments mid-fight, but his style is basically always the same.
     
    Slacker, Nov 20, 2011
    Slacker, Nov 20, 2011
    #12
  13. Maxmomer

    Maxmomer Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The ****?

    I suppose you feel his bouts against Hopkins or Pacquiao resulted in mere SD losses as well?
     
    Maxmomer, Nov 20, 2011
    Maxmomer, Nov 20, 2011
    #13
  14. IntentionalButt

    IntentionalButt Guy wants to name his çock 'macho' that's ok by me

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    IntentionalButt, Nov 20, 2011
    IntentionalButt, Nov 20, 2011
    #14
  15. Bogotazo

    Bogotazo Amateur Full Member

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    Funny that discussion ended up championing SRL. He was my second pick; just unsure as to how "modern" people consider him. Definitely switched templates consistently.
     
    Bogotazo, Nov 20, 2011
    Bogotazo, Nov 20, 2011
    #15
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