Teddy Atlas' Top 10 Best Jabs in Boxing history.

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by JohnThomas1, Jul 5, 2025 at 3:23 AM.


  1. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    He puts a huge wrap on Sonny Liston as a fighter, and I've been saying the guy he rates #1 had the best jab in heavyweight history. It's a really interesting list.


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  2. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    1. Muhammad Ali
    2. Willie Pep
    3. Larry Holmes
    4. Tommy Loughran
    5. Gene Tunney
    6. Benny Leonard
    7. Sugar Ray Robinson
    8. Carlos Monzon
    9. Sonny Liston
    10. Billy Conn

    Probably Teddy's best list ever. Of course you could throw in 50 other names but this isn't a bad list at all.
     
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  3. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Hi JT.
    We brits had our fair share of good jabbers :
    Winstone, Buchanan, Erskine, Cullen, Singleton, and Jones who had a very hard jab indeed.
    stay safe buddy, chat soon.
    Mike.
     
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  4. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    What possible justification exists for having Billy Conn on there? What makes his jab half the jab that Roman Gonzalez? What film exists that makes it remotely comparable to that of Mikkel Kessler? It's just the most absurd, bizarre selection. I suppose i'll have to have a listen see how he possibly justifies it.
     
  5. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    OK he seems to have selected Conn because "not enough fans, especially young ones, know about these great fighters...we want to make them available." It's absolutely no reason to have him on a jabber's list, but it makes more sense than saying he has the tenth best jab of all time. Probably not among the top 30 jabbers of the 1940s :lol:
     
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  6. dmt

    dmt Hardest hitting hw ever Full Member

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    I know there are a 100 names we can throw in here but one guy who deserves a strong mention is Marvin Hagler. He had this gazelle power jab that was almost like a hook. He could just leap into it. Amazing power punch.
     
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  7. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Hi Mike, some sweeeeet jabbers there my friend. I'm going to raise you a John Conteh.
     
  8. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Bob Foster is in the mix too. The audio is actually worth the listen on this one. I think his son convinced him Foreman should have been in there and Teddy goes on for quite some time about him. There's also some really great technical points made in the video.

    You could do a list of 10 and no matter what quite a few other names would come up from people. There's a lot of great jabbers out there. I too thought Conn was the outlier. He's not even in the mix. Michael Spinks had a better jab at 175, not to mention Foster.
     
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  9. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

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    DOH !!!!
    Where is my head at ......
    thanks JT.
     
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  10. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Anytime Mike, he had a great left hand, very educated.
     
  11. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 LONG LIVE WASHINGTON Full Member

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    Should’ve had him on his chin list or something… Conn has the Louis highlights and a couple other minutes? he’d have an educated left hand just as a byproduct of being class but he isn’t who I’d think of as a “jabber” though while “greatness” is something I’m not sure Atlas “gets” in a way us Forum people jive with, his understanding of actual boxing is top shelf and these lists should hold more weight then anyone here who isn’t in boxing, much as I disagree a bit with his list.
     
  12. Ioakeim Tzortzakis

    Ioakeim Tzortzakis Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Conn instead of Canto and Whitaker ?

    Also gotta love how Teddy goes "you guys don't appreciate this guy enough" when mentioning Tommy Loughran as his 4th pick, while not actually providing any reason at to why he is there :lol:

    Feels like he just heard an old timer say Loughran's jab was great and just put him on the list without really digging into it, which begs the question, why isn't Joe Gans there instead of Conn ?
     
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  13. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

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    Gans is in the honorable mentions. This video is worth watching in it's entirety.
     
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  14. Dorrian_Grey

    Dorrian_Grey It came to me in a dream Full Member

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    Bit of an odd list but, then again, Teddy Atlas is an odd man.
     
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  15. Journeyman92

    Journeyman92 LONG LIVE WASHINGTON Full Member

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    Sonny Liston LOL not even the best of his era or division let alone competing with Canto, Arguello, Louis, Lopez, Rose etc.