Where do you rate Jim Driscoll?

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by BitPlayerVesti, Jan 16, 2019.

  1. BitPlayerVesti

    BitPlayerVesti Boxing Drunkie Full Member

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    Just watching this, not one I've really looked into. Curious on what you think of him.
     
  2. mcvey

    mcvey VIP Member Full Member

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    Possibly on a par with Attell,ie highly.
     
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  3. louis54

    louis54 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Obviously one of the best ever
     
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  4. roughdiamond

    roughdiamond Ridin' the rails... Full Member

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    Bump.
     
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  5. The Funny Man 7

    The Funny Man 7 Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I've always felt that its difficult, almost impossible to compare fighters from radically different eras, given how much the sport has evolved: skintight gloves vs. modern gloves, 20+ rounds vs. 12 rounds, going to neutral corner vs. standing over a guy and belting him when he stands up.

    With that in mind I don't feel comfortable predicting how a fight would go between Driscoll and modern featherweights.

    But I do feel comfortable saying that he was one of the greats. Within his own rich era he was considered a titan of the ring, a guy who combined rare athletic gifts with a genius level ring IQ. Ring Magazine or KO or Boxing Monthly placed him as the 3rd greatest British fighter ever. That's a little too high for me.

    I think Bob Fitzsimmons, Jimmy Wilde, Ted Lewis, and Lennox Lewis represent the 1A tier of UK greats, while Driscoll, Freddie Welsh, and Joe Calzaghe are a slight rung lower in the 1B category.
     
  6. Tonto62

    Tonto62 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    Well considered post!
     
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  7. ChrisJS

    ChrisJS Boxing Addict Full Member

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    He’s great. I think the footage of him is fantastic too and shows why he was held in such high esteem. Probably a top 5 Brit and for sure a top 10 Featherweight.
     
  8. Tonto62

    Tonto62 Boxing Addict banned Full Member

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    That lazer like left thudding into Spike Robson's face.Driscoll could bang a bit with his right too.Not everyone knows that he was originally of Irish heritage.
     
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  9. Tin_Ribs

    Tin_Ribs Me Full Member

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    He looks wonderful in that footage, he really does. Been a few years since I watched it. He's arguably a top five featherweight imo, definitely top ten on cursory thought. He looks much better on film than Attell does to me, that sharp fencing style is beautiful to watch.

    His footwork, balance and judgement of distance were otherworldly. Loads of little multi-directional shifts, slides, half steps and pivots to either keep out of Robson's range or keep Robson in his own, and able to set or unset his feet in a nanosecond.

    Like Tonto says, that fecking jab. I love how he spears his weight into it, ducks his head down and to the side and half extends his right to slip and catch any counters and/or smother Robson. It puts him in a bang on position to shove Robson off balance too. All time great right hand too, a very accurate, well timed and debilitating punch.

    He has that air about him that great fighters have when they know they're great. I'd say he's a top 3 Brit along with Kid Lewis and Wilde.