Best backfoot boxers?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mrkoolkevin, Jan 6, 2018.

  1. Sting like a bean

    Sting like a bean Well-Known Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2017
    Messages:
    2,047
    Likes Received:
    1,594
    Well, the reason for that is he's one of the most versatile fighters of all time, which is a large part of what made him great.
     
  2. The Funny Man 7

    The Funny Man 7 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    Messages:
    7,867
    Likes Received:
    2,044
    John Conteh
    Joey Maxim
     
  3. Wass1985

    Wass1985 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2012
    Messages:
    14,436
    Likes Received:
    2,839
    Dwight Muhammad Qawi.
     
    escudo and The Funny Man 7 like this.
  4. Russell

    Russell Loyal Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2007
    Messages:
    43,649
    Likes Received:
    13,045
    Irregardless of his greatness, I don't think that on average Robinson did anything approaching true back foot boxing, if we're going to be literal and serious. He was the smaller man moving up 2 weight divisions past his best, how could he?
     
    mrkoolkevin likes this.
  5. The Funny Man 7

    The Funny Man 7 Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 1, 2005
    Messages:
    7,867
    Likes Received:
    2,044
    Well said. Qawi's old foe James Scott would also qualify.
     
    Wass1985 likes this.
  6. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2005
    Messages:
    52,586
    Likes Received:
    43,914
    Cannot believe Charley Burley hasn't been mentioned.
     
  7. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 30, 2014
    Messages:
    18,440
    Likes Received:
    9,568
    Joe Louis too.
     
  8. Tin_Ribs

    Tin_Ribs Me Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2009
    Messages:
    4,398
    Likes Received:
    3,843
    Robinson was great off the back foot imo plenty of the time despite being an essentially aggressive fighter. Light on his feet with lots of good little slides and half steps to dictate range and create punching room as well as top class peripheral movement. Obviously he was lethal and vicious as all feck when he cut loose, which was plenty of the time, but his approach was quite calculated much of the time with plenty of lateral movement interspersing the carefully timed bursts of deadly combos that he drew incoming fighters onto.

    If you're looking specifically for pure boxers lacking in power as the benchmark for the thread - Pep, Canto etc - then it's different. A narrower focus within fighting off the back foot, though even someone like Pep was very offensively voluminous in spite of his defensive wizardry.
     
    joe brown likes this.
  9. Tin_Ribs

    Tin_Ribs Me Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 28, 2009
    Messages:
    4,398
    Likes Received:
    3,843
    Throwing together a random list with various approaches and skill sets...

    Lora
    Kalambay
    Rose
    Pep
    Canto
    Locche
    Ross
    Ortiz
    Monzon
    Hagler
    Jones Jr
    Lomachenko (for the modern crew.Wizard).
    B. Leonard
    Driscoll
    Midget Wolgast
    Sanchez
    Pedroza
    Marcel
    Laguna
    Loughran
    Harada in boxing mode
    Chucho Castillo
    Ali
    LMR
    Pastrano
    Old Bones
    Burley
    Winstone
    McGowan
     
    mrkoolkevin likes this.
  10. PernellSweetPea

    PernellSweetPea Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 26, 2009
    Messages:
    12,108
    Likes Received:
    5,698
    Benitez what a master. Even though he lost to Hearns you saw his mastery in that fight. I never saw Hearns miss a body punch. He had an anticipation. Had Benitez had lesser guys to fight he would have been undefeated.
     
  11. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2005
    Messages:
    58,748
    Likes Received:
    21,565
  12. bcr

    bcr Well-Known Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2013
    Messages:
    2,563
    Likes Received:
    1,440
    Willie Pastrano was a smooth operator, always moving, impressive considering his size.

    This content is protected


    And don't forget when Sugar Ray Robinson scored one of the best punches of all time while on the back foot.
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2018
  13. bcr

    bcr Well-Known Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Dec 21, 2013
    Messages:
    2,563
    Likes Received:
    1,440
    Right now, Julio Cesar La Cruz, light heavyweight olympic champion, is a fighter that is always one the backfoot and is barely touched during fights.

    Laguna, Pep, Gomez, De Jesus, Toney, Benitez, Kalambay, Graham, Nunn, Ali, Pep also were masters at it.
     
  14. Unforgiven

    Unforgiven VIP Member banned Full Member

    Joined:
    Nov 24, 2005
    Messages:
    58,748
    Likes Received:
    21,565
  15. Cecil

    Cecil Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 22, 2015
    Messages:
    5,102
    Likes Received:
    5,222
    That has to be the most perfectly timed punch in history.