Floyd Jr, Sweet Pea, Benitez.... I really like Ivan Calderon. And believe it or not I consider Mike Tyson at his peak to have a great defense. Of course his offense was the thing people were afraid of but his head movement was absolutely amazing for a heavyweight.
Its funny how names like Floyd and Sweat Pea come up , but in reality their defences were just ok vs the old timers. Archie Moore had just an incredible defense.
Can't get any slicker than these guys. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Z49zRc46kFI https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_xLilFNcXIM https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SPkh4t1XU30 Its a shame no one knows who these guys are today.
It gets pretty tiring hearing the same names such as Mayweather, Hopkins, Pep, Whitaker, Locche, Ali, Benitez when people ask about the best defensive fighters. Almost everyone in this forum don't even know who Kalambay, Canto, Starling, Benton, Lora, Zapata, etc. Makes me sad...
Obviously chicken boy floyd is number one. But i dont know if running around a ring like a scared chicken is great defensive work.
we don't have enough footage but perhaps Holman Williams and Charlie Burley could have been in the conversation
Sweet Pea end of thread MVC get off Floyds nuts his footwork and defensive skills are good but not on same level as prime Pea. YDKSAB
Ali was not a good defensive fighter. He did everything wrong and relied on his catlike reflexes to get himself out of danger. After the reflexes went he became an easy target.
Whitaker, Locche, Toney, Benitez, Lora, Sanchez could make opponents miss or parry shots very well while standing in front of them. Parrying is becoming a lost art.
