Originally Posted by
Taeth
1. Floyd Mayweather: probably the best statistical defensive fighter there has ever been. He is almost impossible to hit unless your a southpaw, but even then it aint easy.
2. Bernard Hopkins: this guy not only hard to hit when you find the oppertunity, but he uses such good movement, you can almost never plant yourself to actually hit him properly. He isn't necesarrily the hardest guy to hit, but he still has great reflexes and like I said he's the hardest guy to find an oppertunity to throw punches.
3. Ivan Calderon: The second best pure boxer in the world IMO, he is quick, he slick, he's hard to hit. He uses a combination of foot movement, upper body movement to completely befuddle opponents.
4. Winky Wright: He used to be number 2 for me, but he is getting hit a lot more, he's getting countered more, and he isn't rolling with punches at all anymore, he just takes it all of gloves instead of moving a little bit with each punch. Besides that, its almost impossible to get through his "gloved wall" The few times he does peak out you are getting hit by his jab. He is still one of the hardest guys to land on because of his great timing and his unorthodox style.
5 Corey Spinks: say what you want about him, but this guy has mad skills when it comes to not getting hit. This guy is very fast, very fluid defensively, and he's got really quick reflexes, when you do catch up to him, he uses all the tricks to avoid being hit, but with his great footwork catching Spinks is half the battle.
6. Juan Guzman: he is a great defensive fighter, who slips punches almost like James Toney before heavyweight. He uses the shoulder roll effectively, and he's got good enough reflexes he avoids most of what comes his way.
7. JMM: say what you want, he may not be the slickest, but he's still hard to hit. Pacquaio at points didn't know how to land on JMM and that's saying something. Also he went into a boxing shoot out with Barrera and came out the more accurate fighter. He is a legitimate all round guy who is hard to hit... to say the least.
8. Paul Magligwhatever: I didn't see his last fight, but besides the Cotto fight, that I've seen, he has great skills, he is slick, he's pretty tough to hit, and he's got a great chin when he is hit.
9. Steve Molitor: Now this kid also has a great ability to not get hit, he has a built in radar, he is fast, and he has great defensive technique. I think he is the best Canadian prospect out there, and thats saying right now because a lot of talent is coming out of Canada right now.
10. Nonito Donair: I like him, He's got it all, he has the slick moves, the fast hands to counter, and he doesn't get hit very much... it might be too soon to put him in any top tens but I definitely enjoy watching him fight.
Honorable mentions
Roy Jones Jr: He seems to not get hit, in the head, very much now that he actually covers up.
Wladimir Klitschko: whether technique or opposition he seems to almost never get hit since his last KO/TKO defeat. He uses his height and jab well, and enough foot movement to usually not get tagged.
Zab Judah: IF there were no ropes he would be a hard mofo to beat. He has amazing reflexes good technique, but his technique defensively relies on him staying off the ropes because when he ends up on the ropes he doesn't smother his opponent which lead to MAyweather and Cotto pummeling him off the ropes.
Chad Dawson: well schooled, hard to hit, he is tall, fast, and taught by the best defensive trainer in the world.
Oscar Dela Hoya: Since comming to Floyd Snr he hasn't been easy to hit for anyone, event Mayweather wasn't hitting him a whole lot cleanly until the 11 round. Oscar is fast, skilled, and he keeps his hands up... one of the hardest guys to counter.
I'm sure there are guys I've missed out, but this list for me was harder then the offensive one because there are a lot less good defensive fighters than offensive ones.
