Most Talented Fighter of All Time: The Official Poll

Honestly I think Duran @ lightweight was. With SRR, Roy Jones and SRL not far behind him. Guys like Tyson, Pac, Sweet Pea, Hamed, Pep, Jofre and Chavez, among others, not far behind that lot.

My application of the term "talented fighter" is different to most, A lot of guys consider a really athletic fighter to epitomize talent but its not how I just think of it. Athleticism is a big part of it but I look at natural ability to absorb punishment and go for the kill. I include strength, ring smarts and a natural aptitude to master the offensive and defensive skills in boxing in my criteria.

And I think a prime Duran has all that.

Being a great fighter and boxer takes more than speed, athleticism and flash.

 

QFT

 

I agree with some of your statements except one, I dont believe strenght should be included in discussing talent. You can be the strongest man alive and have 0 talent. I agree with the other attributes. Its hard to really define talent. Alot of people will see talent in other ways, I see it as the boxer that can get away with stuff that there not supposed to be able to get away with thus why I picked Jones Jr. Btw can't argue about a Prime Duran though :bbb

 

What I mean by that is the ability to push around or not be pushed around.
To use your strength in a smart way to win a fight.

Its a debatable one, I know what I mean by it but its hard to get the point across.
I think strength can be a physical attribute that can help greatly in boxing and some guys are born with more than others.

 

Ohh I understand what your saying. Like you said its debatable, depending on how you classify talent. Some see it one way some see it another. I wouldn't mind having a 1/10th of talent either one of them had :shock:

 

Rpy Jones kicking Sugar Ray Robinson's ass?? Heck, I wouldn't even put him above Sugar Ray Leonard!!

This poll is a JOKE. THe fanboys must be out in full force, stuffing the ballot box!!

 

I got Roy. Very closely followed by Pea. And believe it or not, Tyson in next... And why no Ali? Probably deserves a mention... At least over Hamed!

Funny how the poll is very heavilly favoured in Roy's favour, yet Roy isn't considered Top ten, even Top 20 (or 30) by most...

Not saying that he should be. I read a post just before (think by Requiem) where he mentioned that for somone like Floyd to match someone like Robinson in terms of accomplishment, he would have to have fought Freitas and Casamayor at superfeatherweight, Spadafora and Stevie Johnston at lightweight, possibly Mosely at lightweight too, and Tsyu at light welterweight. Plus move up to welterweight and take on the best there...

And he's right!

Can you honestly imagine anyone in today's world of boxing that would ever do something... Or even attempt something like that? Money, business, promoters, managers... The game's changed, and for that, despite the fact that the athletes are arguably more talented, they still can't be rated as better than those of yesteryear.

I like Bert Sugar's approach to ranking all time, by ranking a fighter based on how dominant he was in his particular era, taking into account that era's level of competition.

 

Where is Ali ?

Anyway, I voted Jones Jr.

 

Taylor and Chavez should be nowhere near that poll.

 

In terms of natural talent, Taylor was EXTREMELY talented. I don't think he's the most talented of all time, and probably agree that he shouldn't be on this list. But hey, hamed is! I still can't get over that... And I reckon Hamed was an awesome fighter

 

Taylor is a slapper similar to Calzaghe but is inferior in every way, except on par speed wise perhaps. He is extremely talented though I agree.

A poor mans Joe Calzaghe is still world class.

 

RJJ hands down.:deal

 

He was a lighter fighter, Calzaghe's inverse P4P speed was as good.

He had not more of a speed advantage against his peers than Calzaghe.