Thread: Boxing history - Bernard hopkins('Slick black fighters', philly shell, etc)

Bernard hopkins is my hero, guy is 50 years old still fights the way he does, this little audio clip where he shares his interesting thoughts about boxing.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUa0...OGP9S3RGgO_hjw

In it he talks about 'slick black fighters', hitting and not getting hit, defense etc etc (Also, does the 'philly shell' fall into this category?)

I was wondering if anyone here can list fighters from that school of thought or from that school of fighting.

I'll start, and you can correct me if im wrong:

Bernard hopkins
Pernell whitaker

(I dont know if mayweather jr falls into that category or not)

Feel free to add more

Hopkins is the best dirty fighter of all time.

Originally Posted by ruthless rocco

Hopkins is the best dirty fighter of all time.

Not by a long shot.

I think Sugar Ray Robinson and James Toney are Philly fighters who fit the bill.

Not sure why Bernard needs to colour code everything. The object of the sport is to be slick, hit and not get hit. Nobody really knows where the shoulder roll defense started or why more people dont use it or cant master it like say Floyd or Locche. Nic was Italian, resided in Argentina and was quite possibly the best defensive fighter the world has ever seen.

Philly claims that style as originating there but that's inaccurate. Personally I think the Englishman Jem Mace was the originator or the first to get behind the shoulder and work from it based on the historic record of the man. This is further qualified imo by the career of Sam Langford who also used that style and he was from Canada and hailed in Boston. To Philly's credit though and underrated fight named Dave Holly also employed the style and he was fighting at the same time as guys like Gans and Langford.

Moving along you run into those in the Murderers Row and especially Charlie Burley and of course Archie Moore. Both employed it to perfection. Later as mentioned Nicolino Locche put his spin on it.

Then came Sweet Pea, McCallum, Taylor,Toney and to a degree Holyfield and the one thing they had in common. George Benton, another Philly fighter who was a master of the shoulder roll and given credit rightly so for Roger Mayweathers use down to his nephew.

The Cuban Rigondeaux is another master and Lara is not to bad either. Cubans actually claim the shoulder roll originated in Cuba. All of these guys put their own take on the style. Some with more success then others but opponents have a lot to say about that. Floyds success is a little overrated because he fights the same style of fighter all the time.

Some good fights on the docket today. Enjoy.

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