Heaviest Handed Defensive Fighters

You’re not being confrontational at all, and I do apologize if my initial posts did sound like that. Just trying to point something out because it seems like we’re perceiving the terms “counterpuncher” and “defensive” differently. Boxing terms can be pretty confusing sometimes.

For me being defensive and being a counterpuncher are 2 separate things. Counterpunching can be a defensive approach but it can also be used as an offensive tool as well. It doesn’t have to start with just defense. If this thread was talking about Heaviest Handed Counter Punchers then I would have no issue with JMM being mentioned but this is mainly about defensive fighters.

In regards to James Toney and George Benton both guys had a style that is considered defensive because they used a lot of upper body movement, shoulder rolls, slips, and head movement, which made them hard to hit clean. I do agree that Toney has been shown to get hit a lot in some fights but still shows his brilliant defense.

 

I'm liking the Walcott and Burley mentions.

I'm going to thrust forth Eddie Mustafa Muhammad. Very patient brilliantly skilled counterpuncher who if anything sat back too much. His defense was pristine and he had one punch KO power. If he had a bit more mongrel in him like a Holmes he could have been anything.

Second phase Lennox Lewis had a few storming early KO's but often sat back and put forward defensive masterpieces. We certainly know how hard he can punch. Probably stretching it to label him "defensive" but in some fights he certainly was.

Benny Leonard had an excellent right hand and Gene Tunney should find some fanfare among our old timercists.

Michael Spinks often went full lazy and sat back even in multiple light heavyweight defenses before dropping the BOMB. One couldn't label him a defensive fighter tho but at heavyweight he was certainly uber cautious in two fights against Holmes.

 

This discussion is good material for another topic perhaps. Offensive Counter-punchers.

 

Perfect timing to drop Louis, Marciano and Charles.

 

He separated Jimmy Price from his senses in 1 round the way that Julian Jackson had wiped him out.

 

Jersey Joe Walcott. Ezzard Charles, Emile Griffith and Roberto Duran later in his career. As mentioned before by Grey Charley Burley. Archie Moore made a career off sitting back and shooting he had to be defensively minded to do what he did for so long. Heck I am willing to give Old Foreman points in this department. Would you say Mike Spinks is defensively minded? Mm. Mine are all pretty low hanging fruit but would you expect much more out of me?

 

Emile Griffith

 

Yes, the great misunderstood, modern master mechanic.

 

Spinks' uppercut on Pops Johnson was NUTS. Eddie Mustafa might be the most frustrating fighter I've ever watched.

 

If a fighter is heavy handed, the temptation is always going to be to develop them as an offensive fighter.

I suspect that there are more historic than modern examples, because when fighters were not nurtured early in their careers, they often had to develop a style based on economy of effort.

For example I could se Jersey Joe Walcott having a very different style if he came along today.

 

I perceive a counter puncher to be one who, in the act of slipping and evading incoming offence, takes advantage to land their own punch(es) on their temporarily unguarded opponent.

Therefore, I would think the counter punching style is inherently comprised of considerate defensive intent and manifest measures.

You can still have more aggressive, higher output counter punchers like Sal Sanchez - who invite more risk of getting hit than their lower output, less offensively committed counterparts like Floyd Mayweather Jr or going way back in time, the great Jack Johnson.

When it’s done right, counterpunching is a beautiful thing.

Not to say he was a defensive whiz but it seems Ingo was very careful not to launch and put himself at any risk until the “right”lead was made by his opponent - then boom, Ingo gave it all he had with the heavy handed right.

That’s why some of his KOs look all the more stunning - Ingo wasn’t doing a whole of anything before he lowered the boom and badly wounded his opponent.

 

What’s misunderstood?

 

Oh man i agree hard on both counts. They reckon that inside the stadium it sounded like a shotgun blast.

I'm 90% sure this was the fight they played "Another One bites the Dust" after Spinks ended it.

 

Sanchez and Napoles are known as aggressive/proactive type counter punchers as in they move forward and actually draw punches from their opponent in order to counter. As you said. Good post.

 

Feel like McCallum is an interesting pick so I'll go w him if there's no objection.