When one thinks of Muhammad Ali one of the last things one thinks of is strength yet Ali was possibly one of the strongest heavyweights that ever lived .. I have read this coming from the mouth of Holmes, Norton and Foreman ... here is a clip of the first round of the Ali Bonavena fight ... Oscar was known as a brute who gave Frazier fits yet watch how Ali manhandles him in the opening round ... What are some skills that are historically underrated about your favorite fighter ? [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NMrJEloGGao[/ame]
Ali's strength would literally be my first pick in this category. He was freakishly strong, enormously strong in his second incarnation. Stronger than every fighter he faced, probably. The only guy I can remember handling him was Frazier, and that was very obviously sheer momentum and not strength. I think his strength is partly balance related, but we're talking functional, obviously.
If it's about my favourite fighter, I think B-Hop's power is underrated by some. Not that I think he has one punch KO, concussive power by any means but I think that part of the success he has had using his refined style is the power with which he hits opponents. With his low output in general in fights in recent years, the accuracy and snap in the shots he lands are a key component in him being able to dictate the tempo of a fight and not being overwhelmed by opponents. Calzaghe is probably the exception to this as it was being out hustled and outworked which saw him lose but the first round was still oviously an indicator to the pop he can generate when he lands clean
With Ali, I think it's his ability to roll with and ride punches. That was one of the big secrets of his legendary chin. He almost never received the full impact of a blow, and those times he did (Cooper and Fraziier I) he showed some truly amazing recuperative powers.
But my main mention here goes to RJJ:s ability to read an opponent and be a step ahead of him. His freakish skill aided him, absolutely, but his ability to land seemingly precticable and very risky leads was very much down to how he feinted and tricked the other guy.
Mayweather's bodypunching. His jab to the body is used like a jab to the head. He slowly wore Hatton down with right uppercuts to the body, and absolutely pulvarized Ricky's body in round 8. He likes that sneaky little right uppercut to the body, and also is adept at rotating his body to get angles on other bodyshots, like the left hook.
Erik Morales' straight right hand to the body should be considered one of the best punches in boxing history. His right hand to the body wasn't really a crippling shot like Hearns' straight right or Olivares' left hook but it was absurdly accurate, it was thrown from a difficult angle and virtually impossible to block, guys rarely anticipated it, it carried good crunch, and it's a punch you rarely see thrown effectively. It was essential to him beating Zaragoza and Junior Jones and it really some steam off Pacman very early in their fight well racking up a lot of points. He also used it to great effect against Ayala, Maidana, and Barrera in all three fights. It made it punch arsenal that much more versitile and it really helped his combination punching.
And Sandy Saddler's foot movement deserves more credit. Honestly I don't know how this guy got his reputation as a 'feet in cocrete' plodder. The guy cut off the ring on Pep and Elorde, two of the greatest movers in boxing history for Christs sake.
I would put him in the same category as George Foreman in his younger days. Both very good at cutting off the ring and rough-housing their opponents. Saddler also had an awesome ability to take a punch. Not too many lanky guys like him who could take the punches on the chin as he did.
Aaron Davis was a top fighter for a long time though not exactly elite. His 1-2 was a thing of absolute beauty but unfortunately he was a little unimaginative and he was managed terribly.
Tony Canzoneri's testicular fortitude has to be lauded. Anyone else besides Roy with their chin dangling out there would have been stretched repeatedly.
No doubt, and he wasn't tall either. The great majority of his opponents were several inches taller than him. But it was perfect for his reactionary, counter-punching style. Lloyd Marshall later used a similar daring style, challenging his opponents to hit his chin, slipping the punches by the smallest margins and countering back with sharp punches. Many of the old timers used such tactics in the days when single punches usually did the job.
..ali's short fast right hand. he used it especially effectively against jerry quarry in both of their fights. ..as for fritzie zivic's strategy i think his thumb in the eye, his head butting and scraping with the lacings are well known and not underrated... emile griffith's left jab....had no trouble out jabbing a taller fighter...
I still don't know how he stayed on his feet after the knockdown. Frazier caught him flush on the chin against the ropes 3-4 times:vonnecunt...