Best jab per division

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Dorrian_Grey, Jul 25, 2025.

  1. Dorrian_Grey

    Dorrian_Grey It came to me in a dream Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2024
    Messages:
    2,756
    Likes Received:
    4,648
    From heavyweight to minimumweight (or just the big 8 if you prefer), who had the best jab per division? I would probably go something like that:
    • HW: Larry Holmes
    • CW: Steve Cunningham
    • LHW: John Conteh
    • SMW: Andre Ward
    • MW: GGG
    • JMW: Thomas Hearns
    • WW: Floyd Mayweather Jr.
    • LWW: Antonio Cervantes
    • LW: Joe Brown
    • SFW: Alexis Arguello
    • FW: Eusebio Pedroza
    • SBW: Celestino Caballero
    • BW: Fighting Harada
    • SFW: Kazuto Ioka (?)
    • FW: Masao Ohba
    • JFW: Kenshiro Teraji
    • MW: Wanheng Menayothin
    Thoughts?
     
  2. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

    Joined:
    Jul 25, 2015
    Messages:
    10,100
    Likes Received:
    19,247
    For JFW I highly recommend checking out Joey Olivo, especially against Yuh. Absolutely insane jab on the man. @PhillyPhan69 was quite big on him iirc.
     
  3. Mandela2039

    Mandela2039 Philippians 2:10-11 Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2025
    Messages:
    692
    Likes Received:
    859
    Middle gotta be Ray Robinson, it was so versatile, fast as hell and could set up big left hooks with it
     
    Bronze Tiger likes this.
  4. themaster458

    themaster458 Well-Known Member Full Member

    Joined:
    May 17, 2022
    Messages:
    2,475
    Likes Received:
    3,079
    I'll just do the main ones:
    HW: Holmes for sure
    LHW: Someone's probably gonna name Foster so I'll go with Bivol
    MW: McCallum or Golovkin
    WW: Jose Napoles
    LW: Whittaker
    FW: Not sure about this one tbh
    BW: Fighting Harada
    FW: Canto
     
  5. Dorrian_Grey

    Dorrian_Grey It came to me in a dream Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 20, 2024
    Messages:
    2,756
    Likes Received:
    4,648
    There are plenty of elite MWs with superb jabs, it's far from a foregone conclusion that SRR has the best jab. Golovkin, Monzon, Jermall Charlo, Joey Archer, Emile Griffith, Hagler, Kalambay, even LaMotta had a very educated jab. 160 is probably the toughest division to pick imo.
     
  6. Mandela2039

    Mandela2039 Philippians 2:10-11 Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 8, 2025
    Messages:
    692
    Likes Received:
    859
    Robinson and Lamotta were consistently and constantly outjabbing one another in their sixth bout, it was a pure thing of beauty seeing Lamotta jab into Ray's jab and Ray sniping him with the flicker..

    Think i've gotta agree with you on this one, MW is the hardest one to pick
     
    Dorrian_Grey and Bronze Tiger like this.
  7. clum

    clum Member Full Member

    Joined:
    Jan 4, 2017
    Messages:
    387
    Likes Received:
    680
    If you're struggling looking for a great jabber at superfly, check out Gilberto Roman.
     
  8. Saintpat

    Saintpat Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 26, 2009
    Messages:
    23,135
    Likes Received:
    26,124
    Michael Spinks had the best jab at light heavyweight imo.
     
    Bronze Tiger likes this.
  9. scartissue

    scartissue Boxing Junkie Full Member

    Joined:
    Mar 2, 2006
    Messages:
    10,310
    Likes Received:
    12,578
    These are very good. Without really delving into them, and off the top of my head, I would say I always liked the Ali jab best. John Conteh's jab was outstanding but i would also have Willie Pastrano's right there as well. At welterweight Ike Quartey's was very impressive but i have always liked the Luis Rodriguez jab best. And at lightweight - for me anyway - Ken Buchanan's was tops.
     
  10. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

    Joined:
    Feb 11, 2005
    Messages:
    61,030
    Likes Received:
    45,258
    Heavyweight has to be Wlad. He ran the division behind that jab for a decade.

    LHW: Maske.

    Monzon for MW.

    Benny Leonard for LW.

    Gonna say Pep for FW but you could give me an argument.

    Y'all can have all those pocket pet divisions.
     
    swagdelfadeel and Bronze Tiger like this.
  11. Mike Cannon

    Mike Cannon Boxing Addict Full Member

    Joined:
    Apr 29, 2020
    Messages:
    4,079
    Likes Received:
    7,253
    Hi scart.
    Just seen this from the op, and was just about to say exactly what you put, Pastrano and Buchanan, great minds.....
    stay safe buddy, chat soon.
    Mike.
     
    Greg Price99 and scartissue like this.
  12. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2005
    Messages:
    52,580
    Likes Received:
    43,896
    • HW: Muhammad Ali
    • CW: Usyk
    • LHW: Bob Foster
    • SMW: Anthony Mundine
    • MW: Carlos Monzon
    • JMW: Thomas Hearns
    • WW: Thomas Hearns
    • LWW: Antonio Cervantes
    • LW: Pernell Whitaker
    • SFW: Alexis Arguello
    • FW: Willie Pep
    • SBW: Wilfredo gomez
    • BW: Fighting Harada
    • FW: Miguel Canto
     
  13. JohnThomas1

    JohnThomas1 VIP Member

    Joined:
    Apr 27, 2005
    Messages:
    52,580
    Likes Received:
    43,896
    I had Buchanan down and changed it last second to Whitaker. The Rodriguez jab is perennially underrated but up against such tough competition.
     
    scartissue and Mike Cannon like this.
  14. Flo_Raiden

    Flo_Raiden Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

    Joined:
    Oct 12, 2010
    Messages:
    18,134
    Likes Received:
    28,259
    • Heavyweight: Larry Holmes
    • Cruiserweight: Oleksandr Usyk
    • Light Heavyweight: Michael Spinks
    • Super Middleweight: Anthony Mundine
    • Middleweight: Gennady Golovkin
    • Jr Middleweight: Thomas Hearns
    • Welterweight: Ike Quartey
    • Super Lightweight: Antonio Cervantes
    • Lightweight: Ken Buchanan
    • Super Featherweight: Alexis Arguello
    • Featherweight: Willie Pep
    • Super Bantamweight: Naoya Inoue
    • Bantamweight: Fighting Harada
    • Super Flyweight: Gilberto Roman
    • Flyweight: Sot Chitalada
    • Jr Flyweight: Hilario Zapata
    • Strawweight: Ricardo Lopez
     
    surfinghb, Dorrian_Grey, OddR and 5 others like this.
  15. robert ungurean

    robert ungurean Богдан Philadelphia Full Member

    Joined:
    Jun 9, 2007
    Messages:
    16,147
    Likes Received:
    15,107
    I like this list alot. Outstanding
     
    Flo_Raiden likes this.