P4P, who has had the best DEFENCE this past 20 years???

Post of the thread by a mile. 100% agree.

 

Really hard to argue aganist whitikar but since the thread said p4p I can't believe chris byrd isn't getting more love on here. ONly 1 mention 1 4 pages of replies. Teh guy was a nightmare at heavyweight. Imagine the kinds of movement and defense he'd have if he were 40 pounds lighter.

 

Whitaker is the most flashiest...


but I am actually going to go with Hopkins as far as the BEST and most effective.

We have seen whitaker stopped after he was well past it. But lets consider that Hopkins is ****ing 44 and we have seen him fight for 20 years and never seen the guy hurt or really ever stunned. I think the worst shot ever landed on him was Echols when he hit him on the break and it was a bit of a cheap shot but thats the best I can come up with.

Even when he fought guys who put a lot of pressure on him and he couldnt match their output, he lost to Calzaghe and Taylor due to activity alone, but have you seen the slow motion replays of Hopkins at 43 years old slipping like 5 punches in a row from Calzaghe who is FAST and throws from all angles?

That is some impressive ****:thumbsup

 

Koki Kameda

 

Whitaker, Winky Wright, Hopkins to name a few

 

Sop hopkins has more longevity that doesn't mean that prime for prime he's better than whitikar defensivly. Bernard isa gymrat that's probably neverhad a wine spritzer and is alwasy in tip top shape. Whitikar wasa partying coke head that was fighting while he was still a shell of himself. Prime for prime he had a better defense than bhop. He could stand right in front of you with his hands down and still make you miss.

Not that I don't think Bernard deserves a mention on here but whitikar is better,.

 

but hopkins is just as effective if not more so. Whitaker is more flashy because he slips shots with his hands low. Whitaker had more physical gifts and speed than Hopkins could ever dream of but Hopkins made it work with less. And yes Hopkins may be a gym rat but at 40+ he is long past his physical prime but its his skills, defense one of them that has kept him in there.

Like I said with the Taylor and Calzaghe fights, he couldnt match their speed and output so he lost because they had physical advantages but his skills still made them miss like crazy and they couldnt hurt him because of his defense.

 

I don't think that it should count against whitikar that he had amazing physical gifts. The fact that Bernard did it with less doesn't negate the fact that whitikar did it better.

 

Campas punch me in the face style of defence was very effective against Trinidad, Hoya, santos, well the guy is a defensice wizzard everyting that his oponent trow gets blocked by his face.

 

SWWEEEEETTTT PPPPPPPPPP

honerable mentions (no order)

- Mayweather Jr
- Toney
- Winky Wright

 

The guy is a perenial contender but seing Ishe Smitch fight is like seeing a boxer triying to hit a turtle in his shell. The guy is so defensive that didn't even bother to trow punches.

 

If Marlon Starling counts for the last 20 years I would throw him in the mix.

 

Whitaker...by a mile

and in no order

Mayweather
Hopkins
Toney
Wright
Calderon

 

Tho I like the arguement you make for Hopkins (especially in a later post when mentioning that compared to Sweet Pea at the top, he has done the most with the least...I disagree, but I like the arguement), I do have to correct you on one thing.

Whitaker was never stopped bro. Only thing close to it was when he hurt his shoulder in training, then completely ruined it in the fight...and had to retire, not just from the fight, but for his career. That had nothing to do with defense...nor should it ever be considered a "stoppage".

 

Great callout, but I think he was pre-20 years...as by 89, he was just about done (tho Honeygan was another very underrated fighter of this past era).