Who were the best innovators? Sugar Ray Robinson, Muhammad Ali, Vasili lomanchenko, for their footwork dancing in the ring? What about George Foreman? Angles, and taking the mustard off certain shots while powerfully picking up the power for other shots? What about southpaws?like sweet pea, They always box good, are slick, hard to deal with. Perhaps Michael Moorer, Antonio Tarver? Who were Thumping southpaws with power in the left hand . What about other fighters who were aware with what their gifts were? What about Evander Holyfield, Bernard Hopkins? Introducing weight lifting to climb multiple weight classes. Or what about Corbett ? Tired of breaking his hands hence created wearing the gloves? Unfortunately he lost his first non bare knuckle fight. Anyway in sociology innovators come along, which were some of the useful ones that introduced new wrinkles in their coat so to speak? Feel free to credit any new nuances that other fighters you love utilize for the first time in the game!
Do you mean a fighter who was able to change his style to deal with an opponent ? I can’t really think of one who stands well above the rest, only individual fights. Zaire is an an obvious one, a non-premeditated rope a door against the hardest puncher that lived. Duran in Montreal showed more to his game in that fight then many thought him capable of, which he needed to beat Leonard. A full arsenal of feints, counter punching and slick defence that he hadn’t ever displayed before. Leonard himself, becoming the boxer in Hearns 1 and pulling it out late on, psyching out a Hagler who past prime would have probably still beaten him easily if he hadn’t felt he needed to prove he was the better boxer. Willie pep losing a deal of mobility and supposedly with one leg shorter than the other still beating everyone not named Saddler. Someone will probably come along with a better example
Fighters like Jersey Joe Walcott, Sugar Ray Robinson and Willie Pep were certainly ahead of their time with their style and grace in the ring with their footwork. Midget Wolgast was also innovative for his time.
I have to respectfully disagree about Duran. He showed the skills you mentioned many times before and after the Leonard bout. Especially in the Palomino and DeJesus III bouts
I won’t argue with that, maybe I should have said he showed skills that weren’t ever on display to such an extent. He feinted a lot against Palomino but I don’t remember him ever ducking and spinning a guy around like he did against Leonard or hooking off the jab so well. Ill have to watch the DeJesus 3 fight again, I’ve only watched it once and can’t really remember much of it.
