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. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    I was just joking Mark haha.
     
    roughdiamond, Sep 18, 2019
    roughdiamond, Sep 18, 2019
    #16
  2. red cobra

    red cobra VIP Member Full Member

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    Jimmy Young...better than any of them defensively...it was his specialty
    Gene Tunney
    Jersey Joe Walcott
    Tommy Gibbons
    Ezzard Charles
    at times, the quirky Jack Sharkey
    Lennox Lewis
    Larry Holmes
     
    red cobra, Sep 18, 2019
    red cobra, Sep 18, 2019
    #17
  3. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Byrd, Walcott, Holmes, Johnson and Frazier
     
    George Crowcroft, Sep 18, 2019
    George Crowcroft, Sep 18, 2019
    #18
    The Undefeated Lachbuster likes this.
  4. The Undefeated Lachbuster

    The Undefeated Lachbuster I check this every now and then Full Member

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    3 comments

    1. Good call on Byrd
    2. I'm surprised you didn't mention Charles
    3. In what universe does Frazier have Bette defense than Tyson
     
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Sep 18, 2019
    The Undefeated Lachbuster, Sep 18, 2019
    #19
    ETM likes this.
  5. George Crowcroft

    George Crowcroft Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    3 replys

    1. Thanks
    2. I class him as a light heavyweight
    3. Imo it was more predictable. Joe was very erratic with his bobbing and weaving. But it's very close, I was considering swapping Johnson for Tyson
     
    George Crowcroft, Sep 18, 2019
    George Crowcroft, Sep 18, 2019
    #20
    swagdelfadeel likes this.
  6. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    I think people are overestimating Tyson's defensive abilities. He was hard to hit however his head movement had a set rhythm as opposed to a Frazier who was more unpredictable with it. Add to that that Tyson all but abandoned his head movement in the later rounds (granted he rarely ever had to go there) and I don't think Tyson's defensive is overly impressive at all.
     
    swagdelfadeel, Sep 18, 2019
    swagdelfadeel, Sep 18, 2019
    #21
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  7. swagdelfadeel

    swagdelfadeel Obsessed with Boxing Full Member

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    Agreed. Read my post above.
     
    swagdelfadeel, Sep 18, 2019
    swagdelfadeel, Sep 18, 2019
    #22
  8. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    What was so good about Sharkey`s defense?
     
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    #23
  9. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Not while he was trained by Rooney.
     
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 18, 2019
    #24
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  10. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    BitPlayerVesti, Sep 18, 2019
    BitPlayerVesti, Sep 18, 2019
    #25
  11. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    No Ali had the best reflexes of any heavyweight in history during the 60`s, he was far quicker than Vitali and much shorter.
     
    mark ant, Sep 19, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 19, 2019
    #26
  12. mark ant

    mark ant Canelo was never athletic Full Member

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    Ali was better defensively than Jones and proved it against better fighters, at the age when his license was taken away during his first reign as champ he hadn`t taken more shots than Vitali had at the same age, Byrd`s output wasn`t that high he was never known as a good offensive fighter when compared to his defense, Sanders wouldn`t have landed a glove on Ali, Sanders was slower than Frazier.
     
    Last edited: Sep 19, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 19, 2019
    mark ant, Sep 19, 2019
    #27
  13. Gazelle Punch

    Gazelle Punch Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Frazier
    Byrd
    Moore
    Harold Johnson
     
    Gazelle Punch, Sep 19, 2019
    Gazelle Punch, Sep 19, 2019
    #28
  14. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Yeah but Vitali looked as awkward as hell even though I heard he started off as a kickboxer which I found amazing since in his boxing career he often displayed footwork that looked like it came from the Frank Bruno living stature handbook while Ali in the mid 1960s looked like a disco dancer before disco had even been invented. But you are right about Ali actual defensive skills been way overrated and based almost entirely on his speed and reflexes rather than any Whitaker or Mayweather type defensive skills or moves. Once the legs lost their bounce and his reflexes declined in his late 20s he did get hit far more than was healthy for him though it was only then that we found out what a great chin he had.
     
    JackSilver, Sep 19, 2019
    JackSilver, Sep 19, 2019
    #29
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  15. he grant

    he grant Historian/Film Maker Full Member

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    ALi was not technically good defensively .. Ali had lighting reflexes in his prime .. when he lost the edge his lack of skill showed in how often he was actually hit ..

    Corbett
    Johnson
    Dempsey surprisingly for a swarmer
    Gibbons
    Tunney
    Loughran
    Walcott
    Archie Moore
    Holmes
    Witherspoon
    Wlad
    Vitali
    Byrd
    Young
    Larry Donald
     
    he grant, Sep 19, 2019
    he grant, Sep 19, 2019
    #30
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