If you were a young boy, what all time great would you like to be taught by how to defend yourself?

Sonny Liston

 

when i were a young boy ...
... i would have loved to be taught be muhammad ali and he would have been the only one i would have listened to, since i´m part of the ali generation.

fast forward 45 years later, looking at it with today´s eyes:
if i were a young boy today (knowing what i know now) ...
i would probably go for a fighter (of) my own weight league
and would emphasize on longevity and a happy life in older age/after a fighting career.
i may chose chris eubank sr.
we are of the same generation and i always liked his understated and philosophical approach out of the ring. the way he presented himself as peaceful and non-violent out of his profession attracts me and he had some intelligent things to say in an interview i read at this very forum just a few years ago, like: "a good fighter always adapts to the situation he finds himself in during a fight" (paraphrasing).

 

Moore, no doubt

 

Mike Tyson

 

Sorry to hear brother.

 

Great man, great boxer and obviously a good teacher. He’d be my real pick if I’m using my head and not just picking guys I’d want to meet though he’s on that list.

 

Got to be Floyd Mayweather.

 

Duran
LaMotta
Dempsey
Liston
John L. Sullivan might be #1

 

I would vote Moore too because he certainly could handle the boxing/self-defense angle, but something tells me as supremely cool as he was, the Old Mongoose probably also had some experience with broken beer bottle neck/“let’s get it on”/no quarter street fighting and could pass a few of those tips along as well.

 

JJW

 

Great question. It depends on if you want to be taught to properly participate and compete in the sport of boxing or just to be well equipped on the street.

I’m thinking either Jack Johnson or Joe Louis (the latter as a depository, conduit and living example of the wisdom and knowledge of Blackburn).

In the street, the Louis power gets it over and done with asap and you would look sensational in the process.

If they tried to come to grips, then Johnson’s ability to hold, neutralise but still launch his own punches at close proximity would be very handy. And again, you would look very cool in the process - even throwing out smiles and chatting to onlookers all the while.

Can I have them both please?

 

Harry Callahan.

 

People on this forum would be crying for Inspector Callahan to be DQ’d for fighting dirty.

But those people need to pause and ask themselves:

Did he shoot six shots or only five? Well, in all this excitement he kinda lost count himself. But being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world, and would blow their heads clean off, they’ve got to ask themselves one question: Do they feel lucky? Well do ya, punks?