Who had the better defense, Floyd Mayweather or Pernell Whitaker?

Pernell no question.

He played with De La Hoya, Jose Luis Ramirez, and Chavez. Outboxed Nelson. That is a combined 227 KO's that never got anywhere near touching Pernell.

The guy has possibly the great jab in history. Pivot was unmatched, Parry was right there with Pep, Footwork with Pep, shoulder rolling wasn't neccessary because no one ever got that close and when they did he would go shoulder to shoulder and work with them.

Seriously...Mayweather defense is good but not great. It would have been standard in the time the Pernell fought. Maybe above average because how effective Mayweather in his prime was at it.

 

I think you can make a case for mayweather being the more technically sound defensive fighter. Pernell was a defensive wizard, almost impossible to hit in his prime, but i think he relied more on his catlike reflexes and superb athelticism than floyd. Mayweather has never looked as impressive as Sweetpea did in his prime, but he keeps not getting hit year after year.

 

Willie Pep and Sumbu Kalambay had the best defense out of Pernell and Floyd.

 

Floyd'd defense is all shoulder roll which limits his jab hand to being tucked away when it could be used as a jab or hook and the jab hand is tucked away and not able to be used to parry/block punches. The shoulder roll also leaves you open for a right hand. It is dangerous if you don't have great timing and reflexes.

Whitaker used his jab, parried, ducked, slipped, leaned away, pivoted, on top of that he had as you said catlike reflexes.

 

Whitaker imo

 

Whitaker was a better fighter, no argument there. But he tended to do rahter foolish things aswell, like almost sitting himself down when he was agaisnt the ropes, defensive maneuvers that wouldnt have worked for anyone less talented whereas floyd never goes out of his comfort zone these days. Boring perhaps, but also a quality in a way. Also i believe Floyd is very skilled at blocking punches, to say he is all shoulder roll is taking it a bit far.

By the way, i always felt that the jab would be the key punch to get at floyd.

 

Whitaker never paid for his foolishness even against elite competition. He was simply having fun at their expense. Mayweather has been popped and buzzed pretty good by Chop Chop Corely, Mosely, and Judah. Mosely would be excusable but Mosely was pretty well shot by the time he fought Mayweather.

 

When Whitaker started to slip and his reflexes dimmed he got hit plenty, while Floyd still has an almost impregnable defense, despite being visibly slower than he was and basically the same age as Pernell was when he lost to Trinidad. He hasnt faced the same quality of opposition as Whitaker did in his twilight career though, so we'll just have to wait and see I guess.

As for Mosley, yeah that was a good right hand that caught him. But still, it was one big punch. Everyone gets caught at some point.

 

I think they are the two best I have ever seen.

 

Uncle Roger would have something to say about this.

 

Not true, Floyd squares up against southpaws and is very keen at controlling distance. If he was all shoulder roll he would be an after though by now. His boxing IQ is through the roof.

 

Pernell and Pep though totally different, were imo more skilled defensively then Floyd and a few others of that high caliber.

 

He squares up against southies...yes, and was getting tagged ruthlessly by Chop Chop Corely and Zab Judah for squaring up. His boxing IQ is through the roof but, it is all shoulder roll. He is doesn't move around the ring like he did against Corrales.

He has a nice jab, he ducks well, but you are more likely to see him with his back against the ropes rolling rather than slipping, ducking, and pivoting. The more we discuss this, the less impressed I am with Mayweather's defense. He is also fighting inferior competition compared to Pernell. Not his fault but when he steps up in competition he gets hit more.

Against De La Hoya Whitaker stood right in front of Oscar and made him miss. This was a past prime Whitaker against a fresh 5 year pro Oscar. The Oscar that Mayweather fought was one fight from retirement, still he was all over Mayweather. Mayweather had to fight hard and move and still his back was against the ropes.

Mayweather can be cornered but because his roll is so good and his in-fighting is so good he can deal with it like he did against Hatton. But there is a big different between Hatton and Chavez.