Jose Napoles a defensive fighter?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by techks, Feb 15, 2010.


  1. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

    19,779
    696
    Dec 6, 2009
    He knew how to slip punches but I want to know do y'all consider him a defensive fighter? And if not state why and name a defensive fighter you like and try to think out of the box and come up with a name most people might not know. Just want your personal opinions so don't hurt me!;)
     
  2. GPater11093

    GPater11093 Barry Full Member

    38,034
    86
    Nov 10, 2008
    He balanced defence and offence perfectly it is hard to say if he was defensive or offensive
     
  3. teeto

    teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

    28,075
    52
    Oct 15, 2007
    That's it. It's not just like he was on the verge of offense or defense, at times he could excel in both. At times.
     
  4. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

    19,779
    696
    Dec 6, 2009
    :deal Yeah it's hard to label him as either as he slipped and avoided punches well and to add to that, his offense was pretty good too.
     
  5. teeto

    teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

    28,075
    52
    Oct 15, 2007
    My man his offense was impeccable.
     
  6. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

    19,779
    696
    Dec 6, 2009
    Is their enough of footage of him in his prime?
     
  7. teeto

    teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

    28,075
    52
    Oct 15, 2007
    There's a vid of him at lightweight it's unreal, someone on here must be able to find it. Wait there i'll do the classic forum mating call and someone will respond with the vid.
     
  8. TommyV

    TommyV Loyal Member banned

    32,127
    41
    Nov 2, 2007
    I wouldn't say he was defensive, but he was the definition of smooth. Defensively he was very capable, but as Greg says it all about the balance.
     
  9. Sweet Pea

    Sweet Pea Obsessed with Boxing banned

    27,199
    88
    Dec 26, 2007
    No. He was an offensive fighter that remained perfectly balanced and aware the entire time. He boxed the way you're supposed to box.
     
  10. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

    19,779
    696
    Dec 6, 2009
    Thanks guys! I'll try to get his career set soon:good
     
  11. teeto

    teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

    28,075
    52
    Oct 15, 2007
    That last sentence, i say that about fighters like Napoles all the time, who are not defensive minded but just box and have a good defense as one of their many tools in their box. I say it about Whitaker in many of his performances, just with a different style.
     
  12. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

    19,779
    696
    Dec 6, 2009
    Whitaker kept his hands down often and usually got away with it because of natural ability. All in all I love both boxers and am still studying Napoles but know of Sweet Pea and seen pretty much all of his fights.
     
  13. teeto

    teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

    28,075
    52
    Oct 15, 2007
    Yeah he did crazy stuff like that in the ring but what i mean is the difference between a defensive moinded fighter like say Cory Spinks, whose priority is defence, compared to Whitaker who could just box mid ring and dominate with jabs and a variation of combinations, whilst dominating the centre of the ring stepping round his man all the time. That's a ring general. I know he had his defence minded performances like the Azumah Nelson fight. It's like Tommy Loughran if you see him, he'll stand there jabbing his man's head off and if they tried to rush him he'll just step once and he's behind them ready to counter. That's a bad example but i'm just contrasting between someone who's constantly trying to get of the way and a guy who just has a great defense as part of his arsenal, which to me is what Whitaker was in many of his fights.
     
  14. techks

    techks ATG list Killah! Full Member

    19,779
    696
    Dec 6, 2009
    I agree with this. Whitaker had an underated body attack too and fought at times like in the Roger Mayweather fight. With Loughran he had a good jab and I thought he was winning the Sharkey fight until he got caught:-(. I like a bit of both offense and defense like what Marciano was able to do because he used his size as an advantage by crouching down to be a tough target to hit and ready to punish his opponents with hooks and his Suzie Q.
     
  15. teeto

    teeto Obsessed with Boxing banned

    28,075
    52
    Oct 15, 2007
    Yeah nice post there. I'm off for a few hours now, later.