Emile Griffith and Benny Paret both came into mind for me. Old school boxers were more hungry and amazing to watch then the new school fights from today. In my opinion, I think the era of old boxing was literally the platinum era of all eras. So many greats we never discovered, I want to watch as many as I can so give me a huge list of fights or boxers you want me to check up because I WILL FOR A FACT!
With Rooney and his original team , from 1985-1988, Mike Tyson had incredible handspeed. Joe Louis was really slow afoot, but you cannot underestimate his fast hands. Both fighters punched fast and hard. That’s a difficult combination to deal with. Especially when those fast punches come in bunches, in good, solid, combination Michael Dokes had truly blinding, incredible, speed. His handspeed at his brief peak rivalled any fighter not named patterson, tyson and Ali, and his foot speed was impressive as well. But Dokes, drank, drugged, and ate his way out of the top. Same thing with Tommy Morrison and Shannon briggs who, according to Lennox Lewis, were able to close the gap very quickly and that allowed them to get off the big punches. And so on.
Not any particular fighter but I enjoy watching any film I can from the 40s and 50s era, so long as it's decent quality. Can't really say that the fighters were better from that era per se, I think they just fought each other more, which paved the way for greater rivalries. Benny Parret does have some good fights on film. He has a pretty good brawl with Gene Fulmer you can find the complete fight on youtube
LOL, I don't really have to be specific of which era is it. As long as people can understand me, then that's it.
You mention Griffith and Paret - so are the 60s "old school", in your opinion? Most people would probably point to the 20s and 30s, as being the greatest real old school era. Also, why do you want to say Henry Hank? I don't believe, he was particularly known for having fast hands. Not saying he was a bad boxer or anything - only that hand-speed isn't the first thing that comes to mind, when you watch him.
