Thread: Which two boxers had the best footwork in the entire history of boxing ??

Im going with ali- not very orignal , i know. But come one he used the ring like a dance floor!

close 2nd sugar ray leonard.

but then again these two our my best boxers so maybe im biease ...who do you lot think and why ?

Hi,i agree Ali must of been one of the best in the footwork department of the noble art game.How about Jersey Joe Walcott from the 1950s?He was slick for a Heavyweight.I've got some old archive of him sharping up his fancy footwork on VHS and it's really impressive stuff!

You people are crazy the greatest footwork,handspeed,punching power,chin is SUGAR RAY ROBINSON.How dare you guys to name someone who inmatated his style of fighting LOL J/K.No contest for me their can't be two only one who has the best footwork and without a doubt it's Walker Smith A.K.A. Sugar Ray Robinson.

SRR
SRL
Ali

Willie Pep Benny Leonard different but superb both.

Originally Posted by Scrap

Willie Pep Benny Leonard different but superb both.

I think aside from Ray Robinson those guys are the best

Pernell Whitaker could never figure how he was so elusive.

One that should be mentioned is RJJ.

RJJ could switch directions in a split second...

Interestingly Lyle, Robinson couldnt work going right, the thing with him is he could punch hard in clusters and that negated the other guys thought process. Those that had the Bottle, beat him, just the good points he had outweigthed the bad ones. Not saying he wasnt a great fighter I am saying he wasnt perfect.

I hear you Scrap, Robinson still had good footwork though.


I think power punchers get overlooked when it comes to footwork...it takes good footwork to land good hard punches. Using footwork for defense is all well and good but for offense is just as effective and needs to be appreciated.

Get your point, but he wasnt good going right. Anybody taking him that way had success.

...very few were able to do that

I am going to make two separate lists divided by let's say 1975
Before 1975
Ali and Billy Conn had the best footwork I've seen
Ali is the most fluid mover boxing has ever seen, and what was more special is that he could move and throw punches without ever slowing down... even after his 3 years out of the sport I still think that he had the best movement when he wanted to show it(like Patterson 2, Knorton 2) the only problem was he was slightly easier to predict and counter because he came in from so far away, but he was still amazing
Billy Conn- watch him against Joe Louis in their first fight

other greats
Willie Pep(true artist), Ezzard Charles, Jersey Joe Walcott(the welterweight), Ray Robinson( could have used a little more defensive footwork), Gene Tunney, Jersey Joe Walcott(the heavyweight).

After 1975
1. Roy JOnes Jr: even though when he moved up to LHW he put himself in the corner way too much he had the fastest feet I've seen p4p, He could leap in from anywhere because of that speed, he would move into the perfect place to get the angles he wanted, he was never off balance... He had it all speed, balance.
2. Bernard Hopkins: I know people are like WTF, but Hopkins uses footwork like Billy Conn, and some of the smarter boxers to ever fight, what he did against Trinidad was truly amazing, how he fought Southpaws was also amazing... Hopkins once he started being a counter puncher always knew how to not let his opponent never get their feet set, yet he was always on his balance point to counter with a hook or straight right, I truly think he has unbelievable footwork.

other greats
Mayweather(too linear, despite all his speed how many times did he get caught on the ropes?), Leonard(he couldn't throw punches while moving like Ali could, he stayed too far away, and he was too excessive with his movement when he didn't have to, but he would be 3rd on my list), Whitaker(great footwork, but he sometimes went backwards with his hands down and lots of time he didn't use enough footwork), Prime Mike Tyson( coming forward with the speed he did, but still being able to bob and weave, it was incredible, he also used to have great timing coming in), Ricky Hatton(its amazing how he chances angles on his opponent while they are on the ropes, he has the best pressure fighter footwork I've ever seen), Wilfredo Gomez(enough said he was amazing), Manny Pacquaio(lightest guy on his feet I've seen, he used to like a pin ball getting in and out, unfortunately he lack of balance at times would make me put beneath everyone else on this list)

other guys: Calderon, Nunn, Oscar De la Hoya, Benitez,

Mike Tyson had really good footwork when it came to being able to get full power from combination punches especially with all the head movement. As he stopped training his footwork went to the wayside and therefore his power became lacking and even his handspeed slowed down because he wasn't able to set his feet as quick as before.



But that is just MY opinion...as a power puncher myself I realize how hard it is to get big power and stay balanced while positioning yourself to throw another power punch

I just mentioned Tyson . IT was also amazing he could maintain his speed while bobing in, Same with Joe Frazier, I don't see how they came forward so quickly.

Anyways, I would change Billy Conn for Willie Pep, he truly had the best footwork of the olden days, even Ali couldn't compare.