Pep, Whitaker, SRL, Floyd - Boxing ability, who takes it ?

No doubt whatsoever that Willie Pep, Ray Leonard, Pernell Whitaker & Floyd Mayweather are amongst the finest boxers thats ever lived if you are going by straight up technique, each man was a virtuoso of his own era... but who was that bit better than the rest ?

My vote goes to Willie Pep, he had IMO the best footwork in history, 1 of the best jabs, excellent combination puncher, superb feints, amazing ability to duck punches, spin an opponent around & make him look like a complete amateur, Willie could infight as well but usually just tied a man in the clinch & got his distance again, he was impossible to outbox from distance & always seemed to be 2 or 3 steps ahead of his opponent.... pure poetry in motion.


http://youtu.be/2a_wt60Wn9M

Willie Pep, probably the best pure boxer in history :good

 

Skill wise

Whitaker
Mayweather
Pep
Leonard

Although I think Leonard maybe the best because of his power/strength/combinations

 

Yup I agree. Pep is the best on this list. But I would also incorporate Duran and Benetiz on this debate. Duran had very subtle defensive skills, and is the most talented and pure boxer on history for me.

But Pep takes this debate.

Pep
Pea
Ray Lenoard
Mayweather

In that order

 

Watanabe

 

For you maybe but to me Pep is a much better pure boxer than Duran.

Ps. I thought of Benitez but I remembered how Leonard outboxed him for 15 rds so I thought Ray was a better choice.

 

I dont think Pep is a better 'pure boxer'. He is better defensively, but Duran was a great defensive master in his own right (a slight turn of the head, stepping in and out half a foot to make opponents not hit him clean). Plus he was better offensively than Pep which has to count for something as boxing is a mixture of attack and defence.

 

Who that

 

Even though Willie is your avatar...... I'm with you all the way on this one,,,... Pep's ability and speed was utterly jawdropping.

 

Pep
Whitaker
Mayweather
Leonard

Leonard still is the best of the lot though.

 

Pep for boxing ability

Whitaker for being a complete fighter

 

Its between Pep and Whitaker. Different skill sets.

Pep defended a lot more with his legs than Pea did. When he was determined and on form, all the film suggest it was truly like catching a ghost. Pea could box on the move, but it wasn't his forte. Edge Pep.

Whitaker has the best head movement in boxing history. Enough said.

I find little to seperate them in my measures of boxing ability. Great jab, great technique, utilization of gifts and comfort zones, footwork, and leverage.

Pep and Whitaker are the winners. I don't think there is enough to seperate them. Every time I see an edge for one, the other has an answer for it.

Both should serve as absolute models for how to be incredibly successful in the ring if you aren't wired as a puncher in there to stop opponents.

 

Whitaker
Pep
Leonard
Mayweather

 

I think Floyd has the most technical boxing ability of the 4. Leonard has the best offense by far with Whitaker having the best defense, i would rate his defense as better than Peps.

The way Floyd combines his defense and offense is what makes me inclined to choose him.

 

Pep had a great offense as well tho, its just his defense was so good that this is what we usually talk about when discussing Pep.

 

Boxing ability....
Pep
Whitaker
Mayweather/Leonard


Greatest fighters....
Pep
Leonard
Whitaker
Mayweather