Better defensive boxer: Floyd Mayweather Jr. or Pernell Whitaker?

IMO, Whitaker marginally.

 

Not really better than one another but simply different. One was a master at being elusive and slipping and the other used the Philly shell to catch and counter.

 

Both great fighters but i prefer Sweet Pea

 

Tough one I think at their best Whitaker was better but Mayweather's style allowed him to fight for much longer while Whitaker started to decline substantially once his athleticism started to decline. So overall I'd have to give it to Mayweather just because of how long he was able to keep fighting with his defensive style

 

Well, the question is better technically - Mayweather and to me it's actually wider than most people will think on surface level.

If you think of the four facets of defense:

• glove and arm placement, parrying, catching, framing and arm manipulation/clinch control
• Footwork and ring placement
• Headmovement and positioning
• Reflexive manoeuvres - rolling with shots, unorthodox movements to avoid/minimise damage when in a disadvantaged position.

Floyd was more consistently excellent and fundamentally sound than Pete. One of Pete's biggest defensive flaws was in his footwork and the crossing of feet, leaving him unbalanced and open to being knocked down but his athleticism allowed him to get away with it for the most part.

Both fighters were supremely gifted athletically, with excellent timing, radar and reflexes. Floyd was more technically consistent but I find Pete more entertaining to watch - there's a ruthlessness in the execution of Floyd's consistency. There's an artistry in the herky jerky lowering of body - Pete used his legs to squat more and his upper body and head movement to slip and sway and roll away from danger whilst his opponent is throwing multiple shots at him are amazing.

I'm not a pure stats man so Compubox is taken with a pinch of salt. If you think of the defensive geniuses such as Pep, Benitez, Locche, Pete etc. Floyd isn't overly excelled at any facet of defence than they are - moreso that they may at times look more impressive on film, but if the goal is to hit and not be hit, then you will struggle to find anyone more consistent in all areas of defence than Floyd.

 

Top post Meta and I think Floyd, because of this reason

Mayweather relied on his legs far less than Pea and that's why he was still hardly getting hit as he got older, superb defence. Although I used to love Pea's 'duck under and swivel behind a fighter then tap him on the head from behind' manoeuvre.

 

Indeed.

Pete had that Ali-esque, I want to make it look artistic when on the defence and Floyd could do the same, but he was more efficient and ruthless in the deployment of his, I think.

I do have to admit tho, I'd much rather watch Pete juking and ducking, running around the opponent, wobbly legging against an Oscar etc. if I want to be wowed. The purist in me though, Floyd's command of his defensive responsibilities as well as his defensive efficiency is everything that makes me enjoy studying tape.

 

Most definitely. I was a big big fan of Pete and one of my favourite fighters of his era (i was a fan of most of the Duva stable) and loved to watch him make a fool of opponents and joke around- that Harpo Marx leg lift thing he did vs Azumah summed up how much he seemed to enjoy himself in there- oh and that jab! Incredible accuracy, like Chinese water torture.

I never liked Floyd and rooted against him for the most part, so it's more of an admiration of his work and defensive brilliance.

 

Pete's jab and underrated inside fighting prowess are some of the reasons why I think he would perform admirably against Duran at LW.

I'm saying this without giving it too much thought - his jab is arguably the best of its era and maybe the best ATG southpaw jab. I'm not married to this suggestion but it was Swiss clockwork good.

 

In his prime, Whitaker. He did things no other fighter can or will ever be able to

 

Any specific examples of things you think no one else has done or will be able to do?

 

Pernell Whitaker - The Defensive Master - YouTube

 

Yeah that doesn't help me understand what you're trying to say at all. What specific things about his style do you feel are impossible for anyone else to do? What specific tricks did he pull off that other defensive greats like Pep, Zapata, Canto, etc couldn't do?

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Whitaker was by far the better fighter. Whitaker didn't duck fighters. It's easy to look good when you choose fights and avoid the real challenges.