Best Movement and Footwork of these 3...

fair enough.

 

Footwork and movement are different things where i come from. Ali has the best movement hands down, Leonard has the best footwork imo, Conn puts the two together the best.

 

On the point of Robinson, his footwork is clearly better than Ali's, Robinson's footwork is some of the best on film and is immaculate. Ali's footwork is not the best in my opinion, but his mobility is ridiculously amazing.

Footwork= a technical issue, it really doesn't get better than Sugar Ray Robinson

movement (mobility)= something else, the ability to be mobile and move around the ring. It really doesn't matter if you are doing this technically 'correct' or in a well schooled manner. It really doesn't get better than Muhammad Ali.

 

ah right. i was thinking movement = upper body/head movement.

yeah in terms of overall mobility, ali was unmatched.

 

Oh ok i'm not sure how the thread starter meant it, if it means upper body movement then of these three i would also say Ali. But you get what I mean in my defintions, that's the way i see it anyway. Mobility doesn't necessarily mean footwork, which for me is a technical issue. Ali does have great footwork, but in a technical sense, with all the balance and positioning issues which factor into it, Robinson is unreal. But by the same token Ali is more mobile, the man was a freak of nature in terms of overall movement, as he was for his reflexes also.

 

yeah, not sure either. i would just say that a lot of ali's upper body/head movement relied on his reflexes, and from a technical point of view he often put himself in vulnerable positions (especially when coupled with his mad footwork pre-exile).

 

Yeah, i agree with this. Basically he's not the man technically, but he is the man effectively.

 

oh right... well if we're talking mobility+footwork+speed+balance+technique, ali by a mile.

 

Ok, i stick by my definitions in a personal sense but in terms of what you mean I would probably say Ali. For reasons already mentioned. Leonard for me was amazing at maintaining optimal distance, it seemed that when he was at his best he would keep the same distance (his distance) from his man almost consistently. Fernando Montiel tries to use this style today, he is good with it. Robinson is technically the best of these three in regards to footwork for me, his balance and foot positioning were flawless a lot of the time. But i'll go for prime Ali, his movement was clearly amazing.

 

In terms of technique though i think it's clearly Robinson, that's why his footwork was still the **** when past his prime, whereas Ali had to adapt his style to cater to his decline in physical gifts i.e his natural mobility. Like i say, for me footwork and movement should be separated.

Hopkins=footwork

Jones=mobility

Just my standpoint. I respect yours though Jorodz.

 

Yeah, when you see him against the likes of Basilio, he's not moving round the ring excessivley but that was never his style. He's moving around effortlessly though to engage his man where he wants to and needs to, and his footwork performance against LaMotta is quite astonisihing from a technical standpoint.

It's interesting how mobility came so naturally to the likes of Ali and Jones, but it wasn't necessarily technically correct, that's why they were both superman. But for Robinson it looks like technical perfection came naturally, which is strange and pretty amazing.

Like i say though, in terms of what you are getting at here i say Ali.