The Finest Finishers in Boxing History

I'm feeling this topic at the moment, and there's nowhere better to discuss a topic you're high on.

I trust the board in the main know the meaning of the term 'finisher'. Who do you admire for their ability in this area of the game? Do you think it can be learned, as in an artform, or are the greatest the ones who 'smelled blood', as in smelled a finish, naturally, and honed that natural ability with experience? Tyson certainly looked the latter imo.

By the way, number one in most people's opinions would be Louis, i rate Trinidad so so highly here.

 

Come on everyone, this is a great thread!

I always felt Duran was a very good finisher, when he hurt a man he upped even his own rate of output and at lightweight normally put them away. When he had Cuevas reeling also he just kept throwing but looked composed at the same time as he caught Cuevas even though he was unwillingly being maneuvred weirdly around the ring.

 

You know what i have been taking this topic a bit lately and never mentioned Leonard! But he's a given here most definitely. On another thread i just mentioned how Robinson is never mentioned here, unreal, his finishing and Leonard's where very much in a similar mould it seems. In my opinion Robinson wouldn't let a man off the hook, his hands were too fast, powerful and precise to. He would finish a man at any point of the ring, something which Louis did also, a lot of people had a guy backing up and then finished them, whereas Robinson and Louis could consistently turn out the lights anywhere.

On the subject of Leonard, great choice, if he got a guy backing up it was precise rapid combos and the power was too much.

 

Yeah good post, there's always Tyson aswell. I suppose he fits that bill of when they smell blood they are like a pitbull and go for the kill.

I'm trying to rack my brains. Archie Moore was good, very good.

 

Good one i agree, surgical type of ability to end a bout.

 

Yeah good mentions, sometimes i didnt know if Arguello had particularly great finishing skills, or more of just an ability to take guys out with tremendous power. I know he must have been a decent finisher, but more timing a killer shot was his best asset.

Olivares was something special, he'd hurt you and then just plant the feet and finish it.

 

Yeah i suppose so, its in a different way than what i meant, but i understand it's a different aspect of 'finishing', more in a gameplan/strategy type way. I mean as in he went about it from the get go rather than looking to box defensively or something else. From the get go he was looking to break them up and get them out of there with some tremendous hitting.

Good insight there.