Which elite boxers took the least punishment in their careers?

McCallum is a good shout. The only punishing fight he was in was the first Toney fight. Not even in his last two, against Toney and Jones, did he take any bad punishment, even though he clearly lost both.

 

Even though Floyd probably is the one who took the least punishment during his career, Hopkins is still the real marvel for me.

If we make the cutoff point the age at which Floyd met his last world class opponent, 38, I'm not sure that Hopkins had taken more punishment by that stage (Jones and Mercado compared to Castillo and Maidana for most punishing fights). And imagine that Floyd had continued against world class opposition for another 13 years...

But as it is, I have a hard time to coming up with any other fighter taking as little punishment as Floyd did.

 

I would agree. And I also think that needs to be mentioned is that Floyd only had 49 fights .. If he takes on more risk and is more active, he takes a lot more damage ,, Hopkins had 15 more fights than Floyd.. That's significant % wise

 

By hitting the canvas?

 

... with his opponent's prone bodies. Yes.

 

Sweat Pea and Pep ended with problems for the amount of punches they took, usually defensive masters take more punches since they are getting hit since they are kids by bigger men.

 

Floyd, Ward, Calzaghe - the recent names

 

Ward is a good shout also. Bute he didn't have the amount of fights at world class level as the others.

But apart from the stiff jab in the first rd in Kovalev I and the KD in the second rd, I can't really come to think of any hard clean shots he ate.

 

Does it follow that the fighters who took the least punishment met less than the best competition? I say this as I think it would be impossible not to take punishment when fighting other greats eg Ali took loads of punishment over the years but this was because he fought them all in his day, no way anyone survives 3 fights with Frazier without punishment, nobody.

I don't look at how the fighters ended up when they were old either, George Chuvalo took a lot of hits over the years but he is mentally and physically fine today at a fairly advanced age.

Perhaps the only way to avoid punishment in the ring is to retire young or duck the best in your division.

 

I disagree with SRL and Sweet Pea.
SRL: detached retina versus Hearns and lost a tooth versus Norris.
Sweet Pea: broken jaw against Trinidad and dislocated shoulder vs a Mexican club fighter at the end of his career.

Perhaps you could add Winky Wright and Ricardo Lopez to the list.

 

Hopkins was a late starter.

 

Winky Wright

 

Henry Maske was 31 - 1 11 ko.
Was 88 Olympic Gold Medalist and made 10 Title
defense's of IBF 175 lb Title.
He now is boxing commentator in Germany and owns
10 McDonald franchise's.

 

True, but he still had had almost as many fights and title fights as Floyd by the age of 38.