Aesthetically Pleasing & Ugly Fighters

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by Thread Stealer, Jul 25, 2015.


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  1. Thread Stealer

    Thread Stealer Loyal Member Full Member

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    Keep in mind there's a difference between being aesthetically pleasing and being exciting. I'm talking more about the movements, punching style and form, technique, grace, balance, etc....

    For example, Floyd Mayweather can stink out the joint at times, but is aesthetic in the sense that his movements, punching technique, defense, form, etc...are all a pleasure to watch. I find him artistic to watch.

    On the other hand, Michael Katsidis was not aesthetically pleasing, he was ugly to watch, but was in a lot of good exciting action fights. He would throw a right hand in a downward motion, and on the follow-thru his elbow would often make contact with his opponent's head. One of the ugliest right hands you'll see. But also was tough and gutsy and involved in some terrific fights. Loved the Joel Casamayor war.

    Matthew Saad Muhammad was someone who made exciting two-way action fights and I found aesthetically pleasing. He had a good punching form IMO, he threw one of the most best uppercuts ever when he took out Lottie Mwale. And he was arguably the most exciting fighter ever.

    Aesthetically pleasing:

    Floyd Mayweather
    Salvador Sanchez
    Sugar Ray Robinson

    Donald Curry: his left hook that dropped Milton McCrory still might be the most beautiful left hook I've ever seen.

    Mike Tyson: beautiful punching technique, his famous right hook to the body, right uppercut to the head is a sight to behold. The way he finished Pinklon Thomas was great, all sorts of punches thrown from different angles, thrown with speed and leverage. His defense when he was younger was good to watch as well.

    Alexis Arguello: No wasted motion. Loved his killer straight right, left hook (check out the rematch with Escalera), maybe the best uppercut to the body you'll ever see.

    Joe Louis: maybe the best combination puncher ever. Had pretty much every punch in the book. Threw them with textbook technique and wonderful precision

    James Toney; very smooth, the shoulder roll was beautiful to see. In that sense, he's like a more stationary Floyd Mayweather, who let his hands go more often in combo, and a master on the inside, which often made him a joy to watch.

    Not aesthetically pleasing:

    Jermain Taylor
    Sergio Martinez
    Junior Witter
    Carlos Monzon

    Vitali Klitschko: sort of fights like a HW Monzon,

    Joe Calzaghe: punching style was mostly just terrible to watch. I did like the Jeff Lacy fight though.

    Jeff Fenech: could be pretty ugly to watch, mainly he did this thing where he'd square up and throw these arm punches as fast as he could. It was just ugly. Like the quick Wing Chun center line attack, but the Wing Chun move looked much better.

    John Ruiz: no explanation needed.

    Amir Khan: fights like the Energizer Bunny on speed. Just an ugly re****ed style, particularly with those arm flurries. He sometimes looks as if he's practically running into his opponent when he throws a right hand and falls onto them, resulting in a clinch.
     
    Thread Stealer, Jul 25, 2015
    Thread Stealer, Jul 25, 2015
    #1
  2. zadfrak

    zadfrak Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Gene Fullmer isn't winniing any awards for being aesthetically pleasing. Nor would other middles like Lamotta or Roldan or Antuofermo.

    Bazooka Limon did everything wrong as well. I can't think of a guy that got beat to the punch more than him. Most guys that get beat to the punch are out of there but that Limon would just soak that stuff up and then do things like a Rocky movie and throw 3 wide left hooks in a row.
     
    zadfrak, Jul 25, 2015
    zadfrak, Jul 25, 2015
    #2
    The Morlocks likes this.
  3. bladerunner

    bladerunner El Intocable Full Member

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    Paddy Demarco one of the worst looking fighters i have seen,he makes Mayorga look like Willie Pep. I wonder how he managed to beat quality fighters such as Kenny Lane,Jimmy Carter,Ralph Dupas,Sandy Saddler and Orlando Zulueta.
     
    bladerunner, Jul 25, 2015
    bladerunner, Jul 25, 2015
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  4. Bulldog24

    Bulldog24 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Aesthetically pleasing: Eubank, Michael Nunn, James Toney, Jose Napoles, Pep, Pernell Whitaker, Reggie Johnson.

    Ugly: Ketchel, Steve Collins, Aaron Pryor.
     
    Bulldog24, Jul 25, 2015
    Bulldog24, Jul 25, 2015
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  5. Rafaman

    Rafaman Active Member Full Member

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    Ugly:
    Marciano: as his trainer famously said he has "two left feet but can punch like a son of --".

    R Mayorga: Arms flail wildly when he punches

    Oscar DLH: Late in his career his style was all over the place. Never comfy with the shoulder roll. His upperbody was very stiff.

    Kelly Pavlik: With his huge feet he looked awkward and heavy like he was wading through water.

    Fernando Vargas - He looked slightly pigeontoed in some of his footwork.

    Vic Darchinyan: Crab hunchback stance says it all. Possibly the worst looking jab I've ever seen, over turns the wrist with the elbow so high up and was slow to let it come back to the guard. Just weird looking.

    Ken Norton - ugly right parry hand so far out there and upperbody tilted awkwardly forward

    Aesthetically pleasing: Terry Norris. Man that guy looked good doing everything. So fluid and natural.

    Zab Judah: So relaxed in his south paw stance. nothing is overly forced. The punches flow naturally.

    Michael Carbajal: Compact bombs that looked effortless like he was throwing a jab. He was always well balanced and everything came back to the guard.

    Johnny Tapia: Free flowing soft footwork, so coordinated and relaxed.
     
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
    #5
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  6. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    He really did,...and I've made this observation before.
     
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
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  7. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Jose Napoles was one of the most aesthetically pleasing fighters I've ever seen.
     
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
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  8. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    Joe Calaghe's performance vs Lacy was EXTREMELY aesthetically pleasing, at least to me....what a masterful shutting down and dominance. It would have been so much better for Lacy if Joe actually could punch.
     
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
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  9. Rafaman

    Rafaman Active Member Full Member

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    Ivan Robinson was one smooth customer. Everything in unison.
     
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
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  10. Rafaman

    Rafaman Active Member Full Member

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    Juan Roldan muscled and forced his punches so violently. Nothing soft or graceful just smashing his right hand through an opponent. Gil Clancy called him "a bag of muscles".
     
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
    #10
  11. Rafaman

    Rafaman Active Member Full Member

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    Amir Khan overreacts to punches. At times he is panicking whilst backpedaling and looks a complete mess. He also will take a very exaggerated first step forward and his back right leg will raise up off the ground. He also bounds in then a big leap out - a carry over from his amateur career, he doesn't sit down and calmly box its all animated and hyper.
     
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
    Rafaman, Jul 25, 2015
    #11
  12. mrkoolkevin

    mrkoolkevin Never wrestle with pigs or argue with fools Full Member

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    Aesthetically pleasing: Clay/pre-ban Ali, Finito Lopez, Edwin Rosario, Pernell, young Hector Camacho, Roy Jones, Rigondeaux

    Ugly: Trevor Berbick, Froch, George Foreman, Shavers, Starling, Ottke?
     
    mrkoolkevin, Jul 25, 2015
    mrkoolkevin, Jul 25, 2015
    #12
  13. salsanchezfan

    salsanchezfan Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Excellent stuff!
     
    salsanchezfan, Jul 25, 2015
    salsanchezfan, Jul 25, 2015
    #13
  14. FreshPrince

    FreshPrince Member Full Member

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    yeah, great original post. It almost seems like this thread is more about "technical" fighters more than aesthetically pleasing fighters though.

    Anyway, why hasn't anyone mentioned Ezzard Charles? He looked amazing in the ring. I always thought of him as a less smooth and heavier version of Robinson.
     
    FreshPrince, Jul 25, 2015
    FreshPrince, Jul 25, 2015
    #14
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  15. red cobra

    red cobra Loyal Member Full Member

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    :goodEzz was awesome!:good
     
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
    red cobra, Jul 25, 2015
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