Rate/discuss these hands down, reflex defence orientated stylists

Most of these guys are a disgrace to the defensive creed. I do find the Pocket Cassius Clay palatable though, probably a little bit owing to the fact that I never considered him to be flying the defensive banner, or living primarily by that facet, though no doubt he had a good D.

 

Ncita seems a bit out of place there.

 

If by "reflex defence orientated" you mean "used his face as a fleshy glove-magnet" then I rate Naseem Hamed particularly highly in this regard and believe he should be placed in a position of prominence within this thread.

 

Fair enough man. They are tricky fighters to categorize for sure.

 

These guys are kind of like the modern version of turn of the century counterpunchers but with more lateral movement and less emphasis on power hitting. The low hands, the emphasis on keeping someone at range with straight punching. The style's concept is pretty simple.... However, I don't see the defensive techniques that a lot of the turn of the century guys used often. Some of them have quick movement in head slips, fast hands, and swaying but the glove blocking, and especially the feinting and drawing that really makes this style effective(and you can see Jones does this to great effect, as well as Ali) is missing. and as a result i think you see these guys end up taking a lot of punishment or getting starched when they slow down.


This style is only really "defensive" in that it's very much dependent on the what the other guy in the ring is doing. I think you'll notice that a lot of these dudes have issues leading and dictating the pace of a fight offensively.

 

Its pretty much all based on foot movement and positioning, rather than upper body movement.

 

Nobody did hands down, upper body defensive work as well as Nicolino Locche.

 

Id go with a prime Michael Nunn at MW, there was a couple fights where he ran and slapped but at his best was awesome. Check his fight out with Frank Tate, looked unbeateable and dominated .. Tate was a good fighter but Nunn made him look like an amatuer.

Welcome Ncita,Herol Graham and Howard Davis too.

How bout prime Mark Johnson,Johnny Tapia? Oba Carr dont get mentioned often just had to fight elite pfp types in title shots against ODLH,Tito and Quartey.. And gave them all a run for the money.

Any body remember ED Hopson? I thought he was gonna be the next Meldrick Taylor but he had a bad chin and faded away.

 

many of them are trying to do what ali did but not as succesful cus ali use to dance which is what made him so succesful at what he did

 

What a breakdown.