Impressive conservative displays from generally non-conservative fighters?

Leonard's rematch with Duran and against Hagler.

Holyfield in Bowe2 and Tyson

Urango had Hatton on the backfoot, not sure it was that impressive though

 

:dealGreat examples....especially Holyfield vs Bowe 2 and Tyson.....

 

From what I understand, Walker was known to box like that occasionally, especially when carrying an opponent (which he freely admitted to doing with some regularity), but we only really saw that on film with Hudkins. Still an amazing document, else we might not believe him capable of that kind of retreating mastery at all.

Gene Fullmer was another who was absolutely capable of turning cutie when the situation warranted such tactics.

 

Olivares vs Castillo rubber match


What about painfully inept conservative displays from non-conservative fighters? Can anything compete with Cuevas vs Hearns?.

 

Well, with Froch against Abraham we really saw him make use of his jab more often, and after digging to the body he'd step back out.

The opponent allowed it of course (plodding, no workrate) but it was impress considering Froch has no defence and managed to stay out of range for most (clipped in the 12th) of the fight. It was obviously pre-meditated, and was a good call. Not all that impressive though. Although I picked Abraham to starch him, he just wasn't/isn't all that as a fighter, just a standard European fighter but with big power.

 

Arguello vs Watt

 

For long stretches of his fight with Rocky Lockridge, Chavez was content to stay on the outside, play counterpucnher, and use hit and don't be hit style boxing. There were periods where it was a phone booth fight, but larger periods Chavez effectively used one or two punches at a time, particularly using his uppercut as a lead punch, and kept Lockridge at range.

I've heard rumors (including here on ESB) that part of it might have been Chavez suffering a hand injury, and one of his eyes which had some surgery done on it was cut early, so that may have been the reason.

Here's a bit from the later rounds to give you an impression of what I mean:

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mc-dhvzGH2A[/ame]

(Gotta say, even as a Chavez fan who feels that people tend to mis-characterize him as a brawler or a take 3 to land one, it's still a little strange to see Chavez dancing a little on the outside, landing 1-2s and then dipping, ducking, and dodging away from his opponent's attempts to respond).

 

Chavez vs Ramirez is a good example as well in my opinion.....

 

Pryor boxing and jabbing against Arguello 1.

 

Ben Villaflor vs Kuniaki Shibata II