-
The Feather Fisted Greats
I should begin this by saying I don't really believe one can be both truly feather fisted and great. If one is fighting top guys one must be able to punch enough to make the other guy think before just rushing in. Any fighter must be able to punch enough to control the ring. But there are men who clearly have shown the ability to win fights against top men without focusing on power punching. In chronological order here are some of them.
Johnny Kilbane-Decade long, WWI era featherweight champ. Kilbane had an exceptional jab, unusual reflexes, exceptional feet and understood the ring like few have. The list of people he defeated is astonishing. Abe and Monte Attel, Johnny Dundee, Rocky Kansas, Benny Leonard, KO Chaney and Freddie Welsh. 25 KO's in 142 fights.
Fidel LaBarba-1920's flyweight champ. Strangely enough LaBarba was a bob and weave attacker with absolutely magical feet. But even on the attack he was very tough to hit. How good was he? In his eleventh pro fight he won the undisputed flyweight title. He was 19 years old. He never lost the crown instead giving it up to go to Stanford. That didn't work out and he ended up fighting for several more years. 16 KO's in 95 fights.
Jack Britton-Three time undisputed welter king is the quintessential guy for this list. Nearly 350 fights and only 30 KO's and yet he defeated HOFers over a dozen times. How good was he defensively? He was KO'd in his second pro fight and then never again. Think about this. He was so hard to hit he was able to fight on average every three and a half weeks for 24 years.
Maxie Rosenbloom-Light heavy king of the 1930's. "Slappie Maxie" was a long distance guy who made the older Joe Calzaghe look like Ernie Shavers. In 300 career fights he KO'd only 19 men. But look at who he beat! John Henry Lewis, Mickey Walker, Tiger Jack Fox, Jimmy Slattery, Ace Hudkins, Jimmy Braddock and Tiger Flowers.
Lou Ambers-Two time lightweight king of the late 1930's. Perfectly nicknamed Lightning Lou was slick, crafty and speedy and oddly, another attacker. 28 KO's in over 100 fights and was only KO'd at the end of his career. So what you say? How about beating Armstrong and Canzoneri and Bummy Davis and Baby Arizmendi and Pedro Montanez and Fritzie Zivic.
Emile Griffith-Three time undisputed welter champ and two time undisputed middle king. It is strange to have a man infamous for killing Benny Paret on a list for being feather fisted, but he really does belong. Griffith was a truly exceptional mover, defender, technician and thinker. The thing he wasn't? A big puncher. Twenty four KO's in 112 fights.
Miguel Canto-Undisputed flyweight champion of the 1970's. He's on this list because he defended his crown fourteen times with not a single KO. Pretty amazing huh? Canto was another of these light punching volume attackers. Canto was a tiny human being. Just five feet tall and a 63 inch reach.
Willie Pastrano-Light heavy champ of the 1960's. A superior jab and great feet. Known for being extremely slick and a wonderful thinker in the ring. Only 14 KO's in over 80 fights.
Sammy Serrano-130 lineal champ of the 1970's. 17 KO's in 56 fights. Not a great fighter, but one of those guys who could do a little bit of everything.
Pernell Whitaker-One of the ATG's. Only 17 KO's in 46 fights. But Sweet Pea is a beautiful example of what I meant in the first paragraph. Nobody EVER rushed Sweet Pea and ask Oscar De La Hoya if Pete could punch. It was like being in another universe when he turned stalker against Diosbelys Hurtado and landed seven straight brutal left hands to finish him.
More recently men like Iron Boy Calderon, Tim Bradley and Myung Woo Yuh would also fit in this category.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
http://photos.mycapture.com/LADN/1209916/35095015E.jpg
One of THE all time great in my opinion. One I'll be telling my grandchildren about...
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
boxingbantz
LOL! i just watch that weigh in on youtube and cotto couldnt keep a stright face for the stare down!
I admit i'm a fan of malignaggi
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Greatest pillow fisted of all time? One of the top 4 greatest fighter of all time. One name: Willie "The WIll O The Wisp" Pep. Fact.
http://cdn.sportsmemorabilia.com/spo...286563-500.jpg
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
Bzzzzzzzt. But thanks for playing! ;)
Willie Pep KO'd 65 men. NOBODY can do that if they don't punch. In addition Pep is very unusual in one respect. His KO percentage in title fights is HIGHER than in non-title fights. Willie saved his hands in his stay busy fights, but when he had to in the big ones? Beware!
Great picture!
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marbleheadmaui
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
Bzzzzzzzt. But thanks for playing! ;)
Willie Pep KO'd 65 men. NOBODY can do that if they don't punch. In addition Pep is very unusual in one respect. His KO percentage in title fights is HIGHER than in non-title fights. Willie saved his hands in his stay busy fights, but when he had to in the big ones? Beware!
Great picture!
65 Ko's sounds great but when one have over 200 fights and that his KO ratio turns around 25%, can we really say that he had any KO power? I kind of think that 25% of KO ratio is quite poor. Sure, some like Paulie Malinaggi have even worst KO ratio but then again, if we talk about the "pillow fisted group", I think that Pep belongs to it otherwise, his KO ratio would be way higher than a mere "25"%.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marbleheadmaui
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
Bzzzzzzzt. But thanks for playing! ;)
Willie Pep KO'd 65 men. NOBODY can do that if they don't punch. In addition Pep is very unusual in one respect. His KO percentage in title fights is HIGHER than in non-title fights. Willie saved his hands in his stay busy fights, but when he had to in the big ones? Beware!
Great picture!
65 Ko's sounds great but when one have over 200 fights and that his KO ratio turns around 25%, can we really say that he had any KO power? I kind of think that 25% of KO ratio is quite poor. Sure, some like Paulie Malinaggi have even worst KO ratio but then again, if we talk about the "pillow fisted group", I think that Pep belongs to it otherwise, his KO ratio would be way higher than a mere "25"%.
I think the telling stat about Pep and his punching power is the KO percentage in title fights. Against the top guys he was 5/14 or 36% and he lost three of those fights to Saddler. Of his wins he went almost a 50% KO ratio in his title wins. That to me clearly indicates an attitude about punching rather than a capability. In other words he saved his hands for when he needed them. You gotta remember that he fought 230 fights in 19 years. In other words he averaged a fight every month for almost two decades.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
It was Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom, not Rosenberg. He called what he did "slushing", a mix between slapping and pushing.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Also, Maxie started out like a killer: 11 of his kos came in his first 18 fights.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
What you call featherfisted is just saving stamina for the sake of quickness bro. Just sayin'. :cool:
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
greynotsoold
It was Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom, not Rosenberg. He called what he did "slushing", a mix between slapping and pushing.
Geepers how'd I do THAT! Thanks!
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
GOAT
What you call featherfisted is just saving stamina for the sake of quickness bro. Just sayin'. :cool:
Some truth in that I think.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Dark Lord Al
Wlad :)
Save a seat on the short bus for Al :vd:
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
While i think it will forever be debated if he was great or not, what about Calzaghe.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
marble are you saying you consider Bradley one of the greats?
Really surprised Loi & Locche are not on there they are usually the 1st names that pop into mind for me...
Honors to Gavilan & Zapata (I consider him a great)
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CutMeMick
marble are you saying you consider Bradley one of the greats?
Really surprised Loi & Locche are not on there they are usually the 1st names that pop into mind for me...
Honors to Gavilan & Zapata (I consider him a great)
Bradley a great? Not on your life. merely feather fisted.
Loi and Locche both belonged, I was just running out of room.
-
Didnt this guy once win a round of boxing without throwing a punch?!? Awsum
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Buzz Bomb
How 'bout Wlfred Benitez
Feather fisted? Ask Mauirce Hope what he thinks? ;)
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
I loved Benitez. I think even he was surprised at the power he unleashed in that one.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Buzz Bomb
I loved Benitez. I think even he was surprised at the power he unleashed in that one.
Yup. I still think George Kimball got it wrong in his "Four Kings." There weren't four kings (Duran, Hagler, Leonard, Hearns) in that time period who fought each other nine times. There were FIVE who fought one another 12 times. Wilfredo Benitez was a joy to behold.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
i honestly feel Wilfred would have beaten SRL if had enough power to make Sugar stay away a bit more. He drove Sugar nuts as it was with his amazing defense
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Buzz Bomb
i honestly feel Wilfred would have beaten SRL if had enough power to make Sugar stay away a bit more. He drove Sugar nuts as it was with his amazing defense
I think if they'd fought each other several times, as in the great trilogies of later years, they'd have probably split the results. Both were superb boxers, with Wilfred's defense being better. He had deceptive power, but chose to dodge punches and play defense, rather than go on the offensive. He seemed to enjoy his nickname, "El Radar de St. Just", St. Just in Puerto Rico being his hometown. This was a case of two All-Time Greats facing each other at, or near their prime.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Taffturner
Didnt this guy once win a round of boxing without throwing a punch?!? Awsum
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
That's what the legend says but there is a bit of controversy around it.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
probably my two favorites from the latter 70's are Benitez and arguello
So sad to what has transpired
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Buzz Bomb
probably my two favorites from the latter 70's are Benitez and arguello
So sad to what has transpired
Arguello feather fisted?
You might want to re-think that one.
"El Flaco Explosivo" means the "Explosive Thin Man" he was far from feather fisted.
62 KO's out of 77 wins.
He has some of the most devastating 1 punch KO's.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
CutMeMick
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Buzz Bomb
probably my two favorites from the latter 70's are Benitez and arguello
So sad to what has transpired
Arguello feather fisted?
You might want to re-think that one.
"El Flaco Explosivo" means the "Explosive Thin Man" he was far from feather fisted.
62 KO's out of 77 wins.
He has some of the most devastating 1 punch KO's.
Sorry Mick, I certainly didnt mean to include Alexix on the list. My bad. I just wanted to insert how those two were my faves.
I saw Alexis starch more than a few on tv way back. you are correct.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Pernell Whitaker if it has not been said before.
The other great German, Henry Maske.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Gene Tunney seemed to go the distance a lot.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Gene Tunney seemed to go the distance a lot.
Gene Tunney won the heavyweight crown with a single right hand in the first round of the Dempsey fight. He walked across the ring and landed a counter right to Dempsey's cheek *(according to plan btw) that Demspey, according to Dempsey, never reevovered from. Gene also KO'd over half the men he fought.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marbleheadmaui
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Master
Gene Tunney seemed to go the distance a lot.
Gene Tunney won the heavyweight crown with a single right hand in the first round of the Dempsey fight. He walked across the ring and landed a counter right to Dempsey's cheek *(according to plan btw) that Demspey, according to Dempsey, never reevovered from. Gene also KO'd over half the men he fought.
Yes he did have a good record, he was very well conditioned, fought the same from the first to the last round.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marbleheadmaui
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
Quote:
Originally Posted by
marbleheadmaui
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Nameless
Bzzzzzzzt. But thanks for playing! ;)
Willie Pep KO'd 65 men. NOBODY can do that if they don't punch. In addition Pep is very unusual in one respect. His KO percentage in title fights is HIGHER than in non-title fights. Willie saved his hands in his stay busy fights, but when he had to in the big ones? Beware!
Great picture!
65 Ko's sounds great but when one have over 200 fights and that his KO ratio turns around 25%, can we really say that he had any KO power? I kind of think that 25% of KO ratio is quite poor. Sure, some like Paulie Malinaggi have even worst KO ratio but then again, if we talk about the "pillow fisted group", I think that Pep belongs to it otherwise, his KO ratio would be way higher than a mere "25"%.
I think the telling stat about Pep and his punching power is the KO percentage in title fights. Against the top guys he was 5/14 or 36% and he lost three of those fights to Saddler. Of his wins he went almost a 50% KO ratio in his title wins. That to me clearly indicates an attitude about punching rather than a capability. In other words he saved his hands for when he needed them. You gotta remember that he fought 230 fights in 19 years. In other words he averaged a fight every month for almost two decades.
I kind of disagree here; Over 240 fights, the Pep had a Ko ratio of only 26.97%, so let's say 27% (according to Boxrec). I don't think that we can state that 27% is great by any mean. I disagree also with the idea that we have to compare the title fights from the non title fights. We have to consider the whole of his career. Vitali Klitschko has a ko ratio of over 97%, title or not title, that says how much the guy can bang. But when overall, the best you can do is 27%, I hardly see how it could indicate any "pop" at all in the punches.
Also, consider this: among his KOs percentage, many of those did happen against questionable opponents that have been knocked out many times already and who did have quite glass jaw. a few examples:
Ray Coleman: 10-21 knocked out 12 times
Sergio Musquiz: 1-7 knocked out 5 times
Tommy Haden: 12-12 knocked out 4 times
Willy Little: 9-7 knocked out 5 times
Manny Castro: 5-9 knocked out 3 times
Don't get me wrong, the Pep is my all time favorite boxer, he had speed, movement and a defense that only ghosts to possess (and no, i don't mean Pavilk;)), but in term of power, he was quite questionable. Sure, some other boxers have even less power (which says a lot) but PEp with his low KO ratio still belongs to the category of the guys who did lack in power but who could compensate with all his other skills.
NOt the most feathered fisted boxer ever but definitely the most successful and most legendary pillow knuckles of all time. I also remember an interview with Bert Sugar in which he said that Pep was one of the greatest of all time but could not be considered the greatest because, among other things, of his lack of power. Will try ot find it back.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Floyd Mayweather and Joe Galzaghe were good fighters who were feather fisted fighters at the end of their careers because of hand injuries. Neither fighter were able to stop a good fighter at the last weight they fought at.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Paulie Mallinaghi may not be an all time great, but feather-fisted he is. Just like most British Boxers....
:D
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
Quote:
Originally Posted by
ykdadamaja
Paulie Mallinaghi may not be an all time great, but feather-fisted he is. Just like most British Boxers....
:D
Yeah that Jimmy Wilde couldn't crack an egg yolk. You have no clue about British boxing or British punchers today or yesterday and by the comments you have made in the last short time has me thinking you live under a bridge. http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/a...anidripred.gif That is the slow and continuous knowledge of you're intent. Woody Woodpecker as an antagonist is not impressed.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
How did this thread get pulled out of the moth-balls? I thought for a minute my bud, Marblehead might be back around. ;)
@ ykdadamaja, Paulie Malignaggi is an Italian American.
BTW, If you believe most British Boxers are feather-fisted you don't know much about boxing or havn't watched much of it.
-
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Mars_ax
How did this thread get pulled out of the moth-balls? I thought for a minute my bud, Marblehead might be back around. ;)
@ ykdadamaja, Paulie Malignaggi is an Italian American.
BTW, If you believe most British Boxers are feather-fisted you don't know much about boxing or havn't watched much of it.
Marblehead was a great poster. I miss his insights.
-
Re: The Feather Fisted Greats
