Best all time inside fighter

Technique-wise he'd own just about anyone in there, but he didn't have the physical strength of many of the others mentioned here to have protracted exchanges on the inside.

For little stretches though, he could show flashes of brilliance that inside-fighting greats like Julio Cesar Chavez knew nothing about, as we saw.

 

:good Basically what I was going to say. Technically he had the inside game(and just about every other aspect) sewn up, he just didn't have the power or physical strength(though he does get a bit underrated in that regard at times) to match up with someone like Duran, who had the technical skills to go along with those qualities. Whitaker was as crafty as they came though.

 

Thats true, so can we throw Benitez into the mix? You are right about Whitaker. guess I thought this was limited to, power-punching infighters. Benitez could stand right there,in the pocket and make you miss. then tear you up with nice tight shots inside. If you don`t believe me, ask Mo Hope and Carlos Palomino.

 

Qawi and Harada are also worthy of mention

Zarate was very effective inside for such a big guy

 

Qawi and Zarate are excellent mentions.

 

Benitez and Qawi are very good shouts. Not sure I've ever seen a more effective fighter off the ropes than Benitez. Qawi was a unique stylist, an underrated defensive counter-puncher/swarmer, who rolled and slipped exceptionally well inside, leading to perfect counter-punching opportunities. Really difficult to deter in close.

 

I disagree with this a little.

Whitaker was good on the inside, as he was in most facets of the game. I'm not disputing that. I think Whitaker is rather strong physically. I don't recall seeing him bullied in the clinch. He had very strong legs, and a good sense of balance. His punching power is a bit underrated, but he was by no means a puncher. Whitaker's preferred space was not in close. Whitaker's style evolved into one that put opponents in reach, but not chest to chest. Whitaker eventually wanted to keep fighters at arms length at most times. Whitaker wanted to be able to put his hands on his opponents at all times without having to wrestle him.

 

Defensively and for pure inside counters Benitez was great but he just lacks the force and brutality in there to be considered much vs the above IMO.

 

I'm not denying that Pea had some real physical strength, I quite agree with that, I'm just denying that he had the physical strength of some of the others mentioned on this thread. If you are saying that he had the physical strength to stand in with a Duran or Armstrong for a whole fight if he so chose to do it, I would disagree with that.

 

I don't think Whitaker would win a fight by standing in with Duran, or Armstrong, for an entire fight. I do think that Whitaker would be able to push said opponents away at times, and be able to fight his share of rounds on his own terms.

 

If only we had decent footage of Armstrong to produce solid proof of this.

Duran for me.

:thumbsup

 

I havent seen any footage of Armstrong and Duran is the obvious choice but Harada is the definitely the guy that comes to mind for me.

 

Duran, Armstrong, Dempsey.

 

Difficult question to answer.We never saw Harry Greb,so how to judge,Billy Petrolle and Pete Herman were classed as great inside men, also Langford,Tommy Burns was supposed to be without peer inside yet he was a baby in Johnson's arms of those Ive seen ,possibly Dempsey, Duran,Saddler,Armstrong,Lamotta and Zivic were very effective at close quarter work.Of the recent Big Men ,Bowe,Smaller Men Duran.

 

There's plenty of footage of him to provide the proof....