Best jab in boxing history?

Best three I've seen: Holmes, Liston, Lennox. Not sure what order I'd put them in, but I think Liston's was the hardest.

 

I'm no fan of Golovkin but I've definitely acknowledged his jab on a number of occasions, he beat Canelo twice (IMO) off the strength of his jab alone. It was effectively a cross.

As far as Wlad, Wlad's jab is up there with the greatest HW jabs of all time (Liston, Lennox, Holmes, etc..)

 

Winky Wright
Kovalev

 

Primo did this very deliberately. The footage makes that clear. Carnera wasn't stupid. Da Preem got up quickly from his first career knockdown in Sharkey I, then dropped down to a knee to obtain the full benefit of a nine count which was extended when Sharkey foolishly rushed over to protest to the referee. (When Jerry Quarry did the same thing after Chuvalo decked JQ, Jerry stayed on his knee a second too long, costing him a match he was easily dominating. But it proved George could punch.)

Later, Carnera shrewdly pulled Max Baer down with him repeatedly to buy time after the Larruper kept clobbering him. Primo worked hard, conditioned himself well, was recognized as well coordinated rather than clumsy, and knew his limits. (Jack Bodell could be described as having clumsy footwork.) Primo stomped on Loughran's feet early to compromise his mobility, then was able to corner him late to belabor and roughhouse him as he tired. Tommy might have been expected to be able to keep his quick feet from underneath Carnera's, but he couldn't do it.

This was an era where referee Dempsey could award a 20 round decision to Uzcudun over Madcap Maxie because as the Old Mauler told the Larruper afterwards, "Paulino did a better job fouling than you did, Max!" Both Carnera and Baer developed fine backhands. Galento and Fritzie Zivic were legendary for their cheating, and KO Magazine deemed Jack Sharkey as the dirtiest of all Heavyweight Champions.


Yeah, Primo typically pushed his jab, but because of his reach, it did score. One situation where he really snapped somebody's head back with it was when he decked Schaaf. Granted, Ernie had absolutely no business being in the ring with a swollen brain from influenza, and should've stayed in his hospital bed, but in slow motion, at 0.25 speed on the YouTube setting, it really struck Schaaf hard.

 

Wladimir Klitschko had a great jab. So did Larry Holmes and Sonny Liston and Lennox Lewis. My Grandfather was fond of saying that Sonny Liston could reach out and jab his opponent from his stool, before the bell rang. Hahaha.

 

Recently, I thought Cotto had an amazing jab.

 

Sonny's was certainly the most consistently hardest, and Louis had a jab which was nothing to sneeze at, but for at least a single outing, Larry really pounded Ocasio with his. First, he wobbled Jaws with it at 24:35, then at 24:56 Holmes decks Ossie with another jab which puts Jaws on the deck for nine seconds on the YouTube timer which the Puerto Rican has to struggle to beat the count from. (The fourth and fight ending knockdown at 26:30 comes courtesy of a left hook, a punch Larry was not particularly noted for.)

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Granted, Ocasio had 13 bouts at this point, but his last two outings had him going 20 rounds with Jimmy Young, preparing him as well as possible for dealing with a first rate jab. He did try defending against Larry's very actively, dodging, ducking, slipping, picking off and parrying it, but it just wasn't enough.

Of Louis and Liston, it was said they could knock out someone with their jabs, but this was the closest I saw of a heavyweight actually putting a world class opponent down in Championship competition with a jab for a full count. (I don't think Carlos Padilla let it go on too long, as Jaws unloaded a couple punches between the third and fourth knockdowns. Ossie was up seven seconds after the fourth knockdown, but he had now become a basketball, so no point in continuing the match.)

Although Ocasio later became the first Championship Distance World Cruiserweight Titlist of consequence, he came in for Larry at 207, only seven pounds less than Holmes.

In a print account I read decades ago, it was stated that Sonny put down Bethea with his jab alone, but the YouTube footage reveals it was actually a long hook. Jack Palance said during Ali-Quarry II that Muhammad might be able to knock someone out with his jab under the right circumstances, but that was the hardest I recall Ali's jab being. (He did come close to decking Jerry with it at one point, really knocking JQ back with it.)

 

Funnily enough, Bowe's jab is pretty underrated, despite how good it was. Maybe due to him losing his heart to jab it out at a certain point and tending to just brawl for no reason.

 

Short, rare clip of Ali sparring in 1064.

Rare not just because it’s a less oft seen clip but also for the fact of Ali being accented on offence without fooling around.

Look at the jab here and occasional follow up, heavy right hands. Beautiful.

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I'm not saying Gatti hand a great jab but in his rubber match against Ward he broke his right hand in the 4th and pretty much won the fight with his Jab. I think that deserves a mention.

 

And here was me thinking that controversy over age was the domain of Liston, Pug

 

I actually rate Ali's overall jabbing package at #1 for heavyweights, first career.

 

When I first read your reply Greg, I thought what the?...then I read my own post....lol.

To think, just 2 years later, The Battle of Hastings went down. Perhaps some footage of that will turn up one day also.

 

Very strong argument for # 1 JT.

Also, while some jabs might’ve had more oomph in general, Ali could shoot a very powerful jab when properly set.

 

It's all about sharpness when it comes to the jab.
Tim Witherspoon stated that Pinklon Thomas had a harder jab than Larry Holmes (Likely because he was a converted southpaw), but Holmes had more success with his because of the piercing power of it. Straight out, straight back, very effective.
I think that's the main determining factor when we're talking about the best jabs, guys like Ali, Holmes, Bowe, that's it.