Which pre 1960s fighters had a influential impact,on boxing technique?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Fergy, May 11, 2025.


  1. Fergy

    Fergy Walking Dead Full Member

    30,277
    37,233
    Jan 8, 2017
    There's the universally acknowledged greats ,such as Willy Pep for footwork
    and Louis for his power ,but which pre 1960s fighters had a uniquely influential impact on boxing?
    That we still see traces of in fighters today?
    Can you name any guy's that have fought in recent times that were influenced by some much older fighters?
     
    Pugguy likes this.
  2. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

    10,305
    19,761
    Jul 25, 2015
    Iirc Floyd Mayweather Jr's style goes back to a guy called Daryl Williams, who was already 65+ when he trained Floyd Sr.
     
    Fergy and Journeyman92 like this.
  3. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    23,743
    27,390
    Jun 26, 2009
  4. greynotsoold

    greynotsoold Boxing Addict

    5,578
    7,212
    Aug 17, 2011
  5. bolo specialist

    bolo specialist Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,092
    8,174
    Jun 10, 2024
    Willie Ritchie's technique would fit seamlessly into any era, despite being more than a century old.

    This content is protected

    This content is protected

    This content is protected
     
    Fergy likes this.
  6. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s banned Full Member

    19,748
    21,712
    Sep 22, 2021
    Taught Bill Miller his stuff
     
    Seamus and Fergy like this.
  7. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    23,743
    27,390
    Jun 26, 2009
    At one point in the 1930s, he had worked with all eight world champions in the original weight classes.
     
    roughdiamond, Fergy and Journeyman92 like this.
  8. Marvelous_Iron

    Marvelous_Iron Active Member Full Member

    1,152
    1,454
    Jul 9, 2022
  9. mr. magoo

    mr. magoo VIP Member Full Member

    51,471
    25,972
    Jan 3, 2007
    I think some of Jack Dempsey’s fundamentals were benchmarked and used by future generations . Tyson’s fighting style was partially inspired by it
     
  10. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s banned Full Member

    19,748
    21,712
    Sep 22, 2021
    Whitey was the real deal you’re a boxing guy but here’s a little trivia for you… did you know that Bill Miller was best friends with Ezzard Charles? (They both famously loved Jazz)
    Toney also said that he used to workout with Walcott and Moore, that he was also training Gerald McCellan and Hearns and was Emmanuel Stewart’s amateur trainer. I wish Bill had written a book or been more public with his experiences - lots of guys go largely unrecognised unless they make a spectacle of themselves, it’s very likely he knew more then Stewart and Whitey knew more then Bill but Bill and especially Whitey are usually far away from conversations to do with the great trainers the man who trained JCC Snr I had to write his name down I kept forgetting it. I don’t know you but I hope you got your props as a trainer SP.
     
    George Crowcroft, Fergy and Saintpat like this.
  11. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    23,743
    27,390
    Jun 26, 2009
    Training boxers was a thrill for me. I learned a lot and hope I taught a lot.

    But I am in no way, shape or form worthy of being in the same sentence, paragraph or conversation as Whitey Bimstein, Bill Miller, Manny Steward or anyone on that tier. Even if I had that potential, guys like that devoted their lifetimes to boxing and I devoted several years. They all forgot more than I will ever learn.

    I get my props, however, from the guys I trained when I run into them, or when one calls me and says, ‘Hey coach, I’ve got a problem, I’d like your advice.’ That’s more fulfilling than a wall full of trophies. I’ve had more than one occasion to tell someone going through tough times, ‘I know you. You’re a fighter. You will always be a fighter. You’ve been through tougher than this. You need to fight through this like you fought through things when I was training you. And I am always in your corner. No matter what.’
     
  12. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

    4,277
    7,751
    Apr 29, 2020
    Benny Leonard and Gene Tunney are the prototype for " modern " boxing I would suggest.
     
  13. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 Mauling Mormon’s banned Full Member

    19,748
    21,712
    Sep 22, 2021
    And yet no modern boxer is even close?
     
  14. FThabxinfan

    FThabxinfan Well-Known Member Full Member

    2,423
    2,041
    Sep 12, 2024
    I remember that a Jew fighter named Dutch Sam invented the uppercut,I wonder how the uppercut looked like for the first time,and how didn't anyone think of it back then?
     
    Fergy likes this.
  15. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

    10,305
    19,761
    Jul 25, 2015
    Does anyone have any knowledge on Tony Canzoneri's trainer(s)? I've always been interested in how he developed and how much of his style was 'him' vs trained.
     
    Fergy likes this.