Thread: What are the top 5 fastest boxers of all time?

Rate them from 1 to 5 in order of their speed.

I know number 1 has to be Roy Jones Jr, Pacman is damn fast too, Macho Comacho was fast as hell, who else.

How many punches per second can these guys throw?

Mosley used to be pretty fast and Naz could fire off some fast combos when the time called for it. Hard to judge really, some fighters looked exceptionall quick when fighting guys without a chance, Calzaghe looked blistering at times. Not really sure about top 5, would Robinson be up there?

Ray Robinson, Ray Leonard, have to be in the mix.

Floyd Patterson in terms of hand speed was arguably the fastest at the HW division. Meldrick Taylor was pretty damn fast too. There are so many guys in boxing history with blistering hand speed at their weight class, so it's kind of hard to make a top 5 list.

Having fast hands.... and having fast, powerful hands.... are two different things.

RJJ certainly had both: incredibly fast hands, and power in each hand. SRL had deceptive power. He could pitter-patter you... but then sneak a hard shot in the flurry. Mosley had fast hands, but seemed to have sit down on punches to impart power to them. Pac definitely belongs on the list, and obviously has power in both hands. Camacho had incredibly fast hands, but again.... seemed to have to sit on his punches to put power behind them. For a guy with long arms, Tommy Hearns had deceptively fast hands... and of course, the power to go with it. With Aaron Pryor, I don't know whether to call them fast hands... or just the sheer volume of punches he would throw from all kinds of angles. Zab Judah, although a largely wasted talent, had very good hand speed and power to go along with it.

Tough to hold it at 5
Jones most likely the fastest ever
Leonard
Meldrick Taylor
Pepp
Robinson
Benny Leonard
Gamboa
Camacho
Ali
Patterson
Tyson

All the usual suspects have been mentioned here's some more underrated ones.

Greg Page
Howard Davis Jr
Billy Conn
Aaron Pryor
Larry Holmes
Ike Williams
Zab Judah
Terry Norris
Joel Casamayor

The little guys. They throw way more per round, per minute, per second. With little power, speed and the ability to outscore, cut up and mark your opponent by attrition requires it.

1. Roy jones.
2. Roy jones.
3. Roy jones.
4. Roy jones.
5. Meldrick taylor.

Prime Floyd Mayweather?
Muhammad Ali?

Surprised I had to read that long before seeing Ali's name on someones's list..

Ali
Meldrick Taylor
RJones
Nonito Donaire
Sweet pea
PBF

Are we talking about fast hands only?
Or just overall fast?

Fighters like Holmes, Casamayor, Hearns didn't have fast feet.


Hands only: Meldrick, RJJ, SRL, Pernell, Ali...

Overall: Meldrick, RJJ, SRL, Ali, SRR...

Dunno really, depends on a guys definition. Being fast doesn't translate to good. I mean honestly Eddie Hopson was one of the quickest I've ever seen...but at the end of the day, and or career...who cares. Fast of feet and quality punch selection is another thing. With repsect I'd put Camacho in that class in full hindsight. Tremendous hands but his legs and mind were all self preservation. Thank you El Chapo. If I say Hopson I have to include a Mark Johnson. Absolutley a world class whirlwind with the qickest hands and feet until he fancied himself a slugger.

Taylor until until his warriors code came in, seeing him get hit clean by Ramos was something. Leonard was a beast in both. Jones jr was the clinical definition of pure reflex and handspeed...something that you cannot teach. Raw and natural. Ali early on. Robinson. Guys who set traps with the feet and capitalized with hands. On constant speed...energy shit I'd throw in Johnny Tapia. Always moving, shifting, popping in and out with solid hand speed. Whitaker was that too, he would literally leave guys looking stupid off of fast shifts and turns and swinging at the air but his mentality was box first...and box and box. Running on here

Roy Jones and Meldrick taylor .

Originally Posted by CutMeMick

Are we talking about fast hands only?
Or just overall fast?

Fighters like Holmes, Casamayor, Hearns didn't have fast feet.


Hands only: Meldrick, RJJ, SRL, Pernell, Ali...

Overall: Meldrick, RJJ, SRL, Ali, SRR...

Dokes had very fast hands as well.