Who was the best infighter: Armstrong, Duran, Chavez, or Toney?

I think when it comes to in-fighting skills these 4 would be the first to be mentioned as the best up close. Out of the 4 who would you say was the most effective/skilled in the pocket? And how would you compare all 4 of their inside fighting game?

 

I think Duran. If he was in range of anyone he could hit them. I was amazed when he fought Hearns, even though he lost, he hit him a couple of times right when Tommy came in, so Hearns regrouped and stayed outside. You never give Duran what he wants. Toney was good, but Prince Charles was working him over even though he was stopped.

 

Duran narrowly over Hank who is himself narrowly above Chavez. And Chavez was probably a small peg above Toney, who was still an outstanding close-range fighter. He just didn't have the workrate and relentlessness of the other three.

 

Toney was very good but I'd say that Armstrong, Duran and Chavez were by definition in-fighters - that was the core of their game whereas Toney was just as happy to work on the outside and counterpunch so I don't think he is defined by it as much as the other three.

Armstrong was probably the greatest in-fighter of all time at his peak so he's the obvious choice.

And choosing between Duran and Chavez just on the basis of their inside game is like being asked which arm would you rather lose, the left or the right? I can't pick.

 

Armstrong for me. He made a career out of it. Duran was awesome in there but more multi faceted and fought from all ranges. Armstrong was the epitome of an infighter. He lived for it.

 

Duran holds top spot for me. He had the most versatile inside game of the bunch.

 

Chavez for me followed by Armstrong and then Duran.....Lol at Toney in this discussion

 

Great answer. Toney has to be discounted because he could be outworked in-close and I always got the impression he went inside as often as he did because he simply didn't have the physical resources or stamina to do anything at times but lay inside and slip and slide and counter sporadically. A lot of his fights were closer than they should have been because of how he fought inside.

 

i'd say Duran because he was defensively sound with his aggressive in-fighting. Hammerin Hank, he was 2nd, Id' go with Chavez 3rd, and Toney forth.

 

Duran's defensive positioning and angling of his body at close range was freakish; I've never seen anyone better at locking down and tangling up an opponent from an impenetrable position while still putting out a fluid and varied two-fisted attack upstairs and down. Armstrong was of course remarkable and a force of nature with underrated defensive ability as well as his relentless, smothering mauling and clubbing power, but I think Duran was just a bit more multi-faceted. Just my opinion though.

 

I see it like this... Offensively - Hank, Defensively - Duran followed by Toney, Combining both - Duran.

 

Great explanation Ribs!

 

Duran narrowly over Armstrong,then Chavez.

 

That's how I see it

 

Defensively and technique wise I thought Toney was the best. Offensively Amstrong was the best.

Overall Duran is the best, combining defense and offense in most effective way.