Who is the most skillful fighter in boxing history?

I was kidding, due to someone claiming Duran was " susceptible " to left hooks on another thread. However Ali was dropped twice by left hooks pre 67.

I'd say you were almost right when you say he had virtually no weaknesses in his prime, in the sense that his own sublime skills more than compensated for any he might have had.

 

Thomas Hearns anyone ? great boxer and puncher at any weight .
best ever light middle weight .

 

Ali perfected holding and neck cuffing to a fine art.

 

If by skilful you mean great all round ability I would say Mike McCallum, Archie Moore, Hagler.
Mayweather is excellent, too.

 

Agreed.

However if people want to call Foreman's shoving guys back and off balance, so that he could throw his own destructive punches, fouls, who is to say that Ali grabbing guys and turning them off balance by holding them by the back of their necks, so that they couldn't work on the inside were NOT fouls?

I don't profess to know. I'm just asking.

 

Of course the owner of the `Hayemaker` himself,DAVID HAYE !! If it wasn`t for that bad toe, who knows how much greater he could have become !!

 

Tocker Pudwill

 

Nope, Its that world beating SUPERSTAR Earnie ( the ACORN ) Shavers.:good:good

He was actually accused of hitting someone with his left hand once, but no one could remember the date, so the charges were dropped.

 

Hey that`s actually a pretty good one In truth we all need a sense of humor on here...

 

The most skillful fighter in history denotes just one fighter I saw live many times.
Ray Robinson had it all to a degree that no one else had. SRR, could hit with great
speed and accuracy. He could box extremely well. Ray could take a punch and shake
it off. He could flatten an opponent while backing up [try it folks]. He was as John
Garfield put it "a stone cold killer". And his great ego and will to be the "greatest"
made him what he was, "the greatest all around fighter" my eyes have ever seen...

 

As close to "perfect" as I have seen. I would love to have seen him fight "live".

 

Locche for pure skills. Or maybe James Toney.

 

locche had brutal reflexes and awareness, but he is far away from most skillful fighter..

 

Why would SRR want to fight "inside", when he had the great skills and
tools to fight at a distance to USE his unparalleled skills ?.

 

Nah he couldn't drop a slab of bacon. Didn't have the hips. Sure could box though that Loughran.

I know it divides opinions but I'll throw in Brainy Leonard too. Great jab, tricky feints, terrific counter timing, nice uppercut, good combinations, good inside game, used both footwork and body movement (yes body movement, not just footwork.), a real pain to pin on the ropes, could fight on the back foot, could push the guy back.... The whole package really.