Great fighters without great jabs

Tyson and Roy Jones ? Marvin Johnsons jab was somewhat underutilized

 

Roberto Duran’s jab was mostly just used to measure.

Bazooka Limon wasn’t much of a jabber.

 

Manny Pacquiao
Wilfredo Gomez
Joe Frazier

Roy Jones Jr wasn’t really a jabber himself but he did show a great one when he beat Vinnie Pazienza.

 

Mickey Walker

 

I don't think that there is such a thing. You get an idea in your head about what a jab should look like when what really matters is how it works. When Quarry took away Frazier's hook with his right hand, Joe used his jab pretty well. Gene Fullmer had a very ugly jab but he used it effectively when he chose to. Duran used his jab very effectively.
You really need to define what is 'great' about a jab. In my mind, if I'm throwing my jab and not hitting you but using that to open up lanes for a right hand or a hook, then my jab is working great. If you define a great jab by landing a high percentage of them, that is a whole other thing.

 

Tyson had a good jab for his height and dimension. He's scored a few knockdowns with jabs and outjabbed 6'5 Tony Tucker.

RJJ chose not to use a jab but did show when he wanted to that he could use a jab effectively and showed a very good one vs Pazienza.

 

Tyson had an excellent jab. Especially in his first go around he would outjab taller opponents for portions of his fights.

 

Nigel Benn

 

Holmes and Marciano.

 

Very few. Some fighters did not utilize their jab as much as they should have. Like RJJ or Iron Mike. But they could jab.

 

Maybe Joe Frazier.

 

Roy Jones Jr.

 

Tyson actually had a great jab that had big power. But his lack of reach limited its usage, so he'd usually just use it to close distance. Put him in with a dude his height though and he could have put on a jabbing masterclass if he'd wanted.

 

In his prime, Tyson used his jab very effectively, usually out jabbing much taller
opponents .
Reach and height is a bonus when using the jab, But not a prerequisite.
Intuition, speed, and timing is far more important .
That's developed by countless hours in the gym.
A prime example of this fact is Pernell Whitaker,
who in general was usually smaller than most of
his opponents and had a shorter reach.
Yet he usually out jabbed them.