ATG Fighters that got by on skill and IQ

Also, I'd like to mention Marling Starling. What an awesome skillset. Great defense.

This content is protected

 

Could probably throw Barrera and Morales in there too, especially later in their careers, these were not guys that came to the ring shredded and flew around like the Filipino whirlwind

 

Charles wasn’t necessarily the hardest puncher but he was definitely a sharp puncher. He’s an all-rounder who wasn’t the fastest or most powerful fighter, but the most technically efficient. I always thought that Charles didn’t have the athletic talents like SRR or Pep since he relied a lot on his boxing craft and IQ.

 

The man on my avatar deserves a mention.

This content is protected

 

Julio Cesar Chavez

 

Meh, someone who can one punch KO Archie Moore has real power imo.

I agree that SRR and Pep were more talented physically, but Charles was as technically gifted. Perhaps moreso.

 

I can see your point. I would compare Charles’ power to JMM. Again, not the fastest or most powerful puncher but very accurate and sharp. JMM isn’t known for real KO power but he was able to one punch KO Pacquiao.

 

Hopkins
Ward
Jmm

 

Chris Byrd.

Edit- just seen the ATG part to qualify lol.

 

Damn, no one's mentioned James Toney!!!

 

Makes plenty of sense good post!
When i 1st started watching him i thought he was a poor man's Hopkins. I don't think he was a great athlete i think he was average as an athlete as far as boxers go. Someone like dawson who he beat was much more athletic than him. I always wanted to see him fight dirrell wno was a way better natural athlete than him as well. Ward like hopkins and jmm had very good timing and high ring iqs that made up for their lack of elite level athletic ability.

 

Hopkins. Maybe above average power and a good chin but that's it.
In his 40s his punch output dropped but he still won fights against guys who were much more athletic.

Although if you watch his fights from the 90s especially when he beat the crap out of undefeated glen Johnson he was really good in a conventional sense but by the time he was 40+ it was all craftyness and veteran experience

 

People love to say Floyd. I totally disagree. He was supremely good at the shoulder roll and had great reflexes and speed. He didn't really need or displayed great ring IQ. But sweet science hipsters always throw his name. I'm not saying it's wrong to mention him, that's just my opinion. I'm just saying some clueless fanboys just drop his name to act like they know something.

Then you got guys like Hopkins. Smart, but also dirty. People pick and choose who they think is dirty and who was crafty. Crafty when they like them, dirty when they don't. Ring IQ and craftiness shouldn't be illegal moves. It's basically come down to saying fighters who are ok with being dirty have more ring IQ than those that refuse to cheat. Nah, that's not real ring IQ.