You have been asked to write a report about the sport of boxing and what makes it so great. You have to choose 5 boxers (past or present) throughout it's history that define the sport. 5 boxers that had everything, skills, resume, heart, etc, etc...now it would be fairly easy to pick the top 5 ATG's (although not everyone's is the same)...but in your opinion, choose 5 boxers that have made this sport so great, and why they have made it so great. :good
Ray Robinson - Greatest boxer ever Ali - Any thesis on boxing must include Ali Someone like Wayne Mccollough who showed great heart, determination and chin Prince Naseem - For the entertainment, showmen, side of boxing Michael Watson - The tragic side, perhaps
Well i only go as far back as the 90's because of my age. So the list i am going to compile will be more recent than some other peoples. On initial reaction i am going to just reel them off 1. Manny Pacquiao- would concentrate on the whole improvement and adjustments he made throughout his career to become a 7 weight world champion 2. Floyd Mayweather- 1 of the best technical boxers i have ever seen 3.Roy Jones jr- The most physically gifted boxers of all time, winning the Heavyweight title after fighting at middleweight 4. Sugar Ray Leonard- Unbelievable fighter, great chin, stamina, power, speed this kid had it all, pulling off wins against the greats Hagler and Hearns. 5. Roberto Duran- Personal choice as he is my favourite boxer ever, love watching his videos, probably the most entertaining boxer of all time for me.
Good choices. I never really thought about the entertainment side when asking the question...Naseem did take that side of the sport up a notch. :good
for a report you would need a range to give perspective of what boxing is about. 1. Manny Pacquiao - Current number 1. 2. Muhammad Ali - ''The Greatest'' 3. Sugar Ray Robinson - Best p4p ever. 3. A regular day to day Journeyman. 4. Felix Savon - Greatest Amatuer.
Present 1. Floyd Mayweather Jr. The best. 2. Manny Pacquiao. The most loved. 3. Bernarid Hoppkins. Still going. 4. Roy Jones Jr. A past it P4P # 1 5. Danny Jacobs. The future? Past. 1. Ray Robinson. Most consider him to be the best. 2. Benny Leonard. I consider him to be the best. 3. Muhamad Ali. No one matches his popularity. 4. Joe Louis. Probbly the first black person to gain any form of acatpence by white America. 5. Jack Johnson. Possibily boxing's most important historical figure. As I'm writing this it seemes imposible to pick just 5 boxers and to be able to tell the story of boxing.
1.Jack Johnson-the Jackie Robinson of boxing. Broke the color barrier. Great defensive talent. 2.Ali-We all know his story. Great speed, good power, great chin, awsome awareness and ring knowledge. 3.Roberto duran-poster boy for Latino grit and determination. 4.sugar Ray Robinson-speed,power,ring knowledge. Flare and personality outside the ring. Defined p4p greatness. Father of the speed and reflex oriented black-American style.(think leonard,jones,mayweather). 5.Wvlad klitchko-leading the way of a eastern euro domination of the heavy weight division.
This a great post. Good job Anthony. My 5 would be: Bernard Hopkins - longevity, his personal story, ability to neutralize opponents without throwing punches, and the talk of controversial decisions. Floyd Mayweather - Best fighter of the decade, understanding of role play to sell fights, great **** talker, defensive specialist Oscar de la Hoya - gave many fighters exposure even if it meant receiving a beating. Despite losing he was at least man enough to take on the fights in the first place. does a lot for the community with his earnings. Roy Jones - one of the most gifted athletes ever. the epitome of what happens when fighters don't adapt to age and fight off of natural ability as opposed to polishing fundamentals. Joe Calzaghe - shows how anyone can be a star with the right matchmaking.
i would really add frazier and ali too for the sake of rivalry, heart, and everything they bought to the table. pacquiao and trinidad can also contriubute to the beauty of the knock out and the following of a whole country.
I've chosen 5 that transended the sport one way or another: 1. Muhammad Ali 2. Joe Louis 3. Sugar Ray Robinson 4. Jack Johnson 5. ???????? There were great amateurs like Laszlo Papp, Teofilio Stevenson, and Felix Savon, great nemeses and menaces like Sonny Liston, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, and Earnie Shavers. Who could argue with the greatness of Henry Armstrong, Willie Pep, Sandy Sadler, Alexis Arguello, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, Carlos Monzon, Stanley Ketchel, and Sam Langford? There were those that never got their due, like Jim Johnson, Archie Moore, Larry Holmes, Marvin Hagler, Evander Holyfield, Michael Spinks, Pernell Whataker, and Gene Tunney. We don't yet know how history will treat Floyd Mayweather Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Roy Jones Jr., the Klitschko brothers, Manny Pacquaio, Joe Calzaghe, or Marco Antonio Barrera. There were those that captured and captivated an entire generation like Rocky Marciano, Floyd Patterson, Ray Leonard, Oscar de La Hoya, and Jack Dempsey. But there were those who held out great promise and never really delivered like Prince Naseem Hamed, Mike Tyson, and Aaron Pryor. (I apologize for my bias toward heavier weights and American fighters.)