best inside fighter?

Tim Witherspoon and Riddick Bowe come to mind for me.

 

If you are trying to learn, watch Buddy McGirt. He liked to fight outside but could be very effective in close, particularly before his left shoulder went bad on him. Watch how he turns his shoulder and works for position inside.
Chavez was better inside at 130 and 135 than he was later on because he worked more. Later in his career he was less active, if that is the word I'm looking for.

 

Jose Luis Castillo deserves a honorable mention......

 

Braxton/Qawi not only deserves a mention but a couple of gifs as well

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I have never seen a fighter this cocky before

 

Marlon Starling.

 

In his early 140lbs days, Chavez was still great on the inside...In the Taylor i think he did very well on the inside, although Taylor was winning the fight, he also was very solid on the inside as well and his insane handspeed and workrate also helped. Chavez also displayed some excellent in-fighting in the Haugen bout, but as the years went by after that he started getting lazier, yeah.

 

Qawi was such a badass.

 

Duran sticks out... Cute, slick debilitating body shots, hold one arm while he worked with the other. And nail tough too. There were lots of great ones on the inside, but Duran was the king...

 

Bowe was the best for a big fighter,tall... Frazier was the best of the heavies, but Bowe was thisclose. No suprise there, Eddie Futch taught them both. Go back and watch Bowe/Holyfield 1 and look at how Bowe tore up Holy on the inside, who was no slouch inside either...