What are 5 heavyweight boxers besides Ali that were good defensively?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by mark ant, Sep 17, 2019.


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  1. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Behind Ali who were the top 5 defensive heavyweights of all-time in terms of hard they were to hit?
     
    mark ant, Sep 17, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 17, 2019
    #1
  2. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    Jack Johnson
    Lennox Lewis
    Mike Tyson in his prime years
    Ken Norton
    Jimmy Young
     
    ETM, Sep 17, 2019
    ETM, Sep 17, 2019
    #2
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  3. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

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    Toney, Moore, Walcott, Charles, Johnson

    Tyson Fury, Gene Tunney, Mike Tyson and Jack Sharkey at all runner ups for me
     
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Sep 17, 2019
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Sep 17, 2019
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  4. GoldenHulk

    GoldenHulk Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The Klitschko's, Lewis, Holmes, Fury.
     
    GoldenHulk, Sep 17, 2019
    GoldenHulk, Sep 17, 2019
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  5. Golden_Feather99

    Golden_Feather99 Active Member Full Member

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    Tyson was the most technically sound defensive fighter in heavyweight history. Ali in his prime was the hardest to hit. Other heavyweights with great defense- Byrd, Frazier, Witherspoon, Charles, Holmes.
     
    Golden_Feather99, Sep 17, 2019
    Golden_Feather99, Sep 17, 2019
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  6. ETM

    ETM I thought I did enough to win. Full Member

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    I forgot about Byrd he has to be in there.
     
    ETM, Sep 17, 2019
    ETM, Sep 17, 2019
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  7. Mendoza

    Mendoza Hrgovic = Next Heavyweight champion of the world. banned Full Member

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    On film? Walcott, Byrd, and Corbett come to mind the way most think of defense. Fast make you miss types.

    But in reality, super heavies who know how to use their height and move their heads and combine this with footwork to keep the best range are very hard to catch clearly. V Klitschko comes to mind. Some might say Fury, but I disagree, look at his last fight.

    Yes Ali was very quick, but he was also tagged quite a few times so his defense is not quite great, I'd use the term flashy.
     
    Mendoza, Sep 17, 2019
    Mendoza, Sep 17, 2019
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  8. AwardedSteak863

    AwardedSteak863 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    This is pretty damn good list. All of these guys were good defensively for different reasons. Some were great at controlling distance with the jab while others excelled at slipping punches and using movement. I would add Chris Byrd to this list for.
     
    AwardedSteak863, Sep 17, 2019
    AwardedSteak863, Sep 17, 2019
    #8
  9. Golden_Feather99

    Golden_Feather99 Active Member Full Member

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    Johnson?? Did you mean Johnny Skhor? :D
     
    Golden_Feather99, Sep 17, 2019
    Golden_Feather99, Sep 17, 2019
    #9
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  10. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Wait, heavyweights can be good defensively!?
     
    roughdiamond, Sep 17, 2019
    roughdiamond, Sep 17, 2019
    #10
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  11. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster On the Italian agenda Full Member

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    Yes, and by "Toney" I meant Tony Anthony

    Or you could consider that Marciano's generation was filled with defensive masterminds
     
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Sep 17, 2019
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Sep 17, 2019
    #11
  12. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Norton got hit quite a lot and Lewis arrte a lot of jabs off Bruno and Mercer.
     
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    #12
  13. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Yes, Ali was a master at slipping shots and using movement in his prime, Tyson was very difficult to hit when trained by Rooney with the peek a boo etc.
     
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    #13
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  14. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ali was really difficult to hit during his first title reign, Walcott was very clever defensively.
     
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    #14
  15. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    James J Corbett
    Tommy Gibbons
    Jack Sharkey
    Young Stribling
    Billy Conn
     
    BitPlayerVesti, Sep 18, 2019
    BitPlayerVesti, Sep 18, 2019
    #15
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