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.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Willie Pep Benny Leonard different but superb both.

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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.:D

...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.

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Originally Posted by Scrap

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.

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Well if you say Robinson couldn't move right well how about Ali not moving good to the right.Look what happens with Henry Cooper,Ali steps right boom caught by a left hook and down he goes.A few years later Ali moving backward against Frazier then tries to sidestep right then BOOM almost on cue down by a left hook.The only good punch thrown from him moving right was the old step and fetch which caught Liston but that to me and many was tainted as a fix.

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Originally Posted by Taeth

other greats
Jersey Joe Walcott(the welterweight), Jersey Joe Walcott(the heavyweight).

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Just thought I'd point out that "The Welterweight" was not "Jersey".

He was just Joe Walcott or also known as "Barbados Demon" or "Black Demon" Joe Walcott.

Arnold Raymond Cream is Jersey Joe Walcott.

The obvious that have been already mentioned...Ali, Leonard, Pep, etc,,,,

Some others are

Hector Camacho...The guy moved around the ring like he was on a cycle...Some called it running but it takes skill to manuver the way he did

Roy Jones..Like Mick said Roy could change directions mid step

Apollo Creed...He could dance his ass off....worked his jab great whole doing so:D

Ok I may be thinking out of the box here But I believe one guy that had superb footwork at times ...ecspecially and specificaly early on was Evander Holyfield. That constant bounce ,step/slide, and plant was capped off with effective sharp stiff shot's. No, Not of all time Indeed,Its when his feet stopped moving that It got thick in there but he had nice movement and angles early on.

I think RObinson had amazing offensive footwork, and he was on balance most of the time coming forward, but he had poor defensive skills in general, and he didn't think tactically in a defensive sense.

The feet are there to direct Oral cavity perception no more no less, theres the clue to the whole thing ;D

Well this is going to sound pretty disgraceful and I might get some backlash but....

George Foreman...


Yeah you read right. He had exceptional ability at cutting off the ring as a young heavyweight. Although his footwork never had the polished look that Pep, Wilde, B Leonard, Ali or Robinson's the movement that he needed he did naturally and to great effect.

So giving that heavyweights are usually seen as crude skilless sluggers, George actually had one good area of technical ability.

Watch him in training to fully see this in action.

pep and ali

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Originally Posted by Scrap

Willie Pep Benny Leonard different but superb both.

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How did i forget willie pep yeah he was a dancer in the ring, indeed, after all he is the only boxer who won a round without even throwing a punch , but awarded purley because of his footwork in a few rounds
this was willie pep v jackie graves if you havent seen that fight ,watch the 3rd round great footwork .

Well for me Sugar Ray Leonard and Hector Macho Camacho .........;D What do all you think?..........;D

I would like to name a few that haven't been mentioned, some of these boxers on this list have underrated footwork IMO.

Floyd Patterson
Evander Holyfield
Ricardo Lopez
Ruben Olivares
Terry Norris
ODLH
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Bernard Hopkins
Ivan Calderon
Juan Manuel Marquez
Willie Pep
Billy Conn
Mike Tyson

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Well this is going to sound pretty disgraceful and I might get some backlash but....

George Foreman...


Yeah you read right. He had exceptional ability at cutting off the ring as a young heavyweight. Although his footwork never had the polished look that Pep, Wilde, B Leonard, Ali or Robinson's the movement that he needed he did naturally and to great effect.

So giving that heavyweights are usually seen as crude skilless sluggers, George actually had one good area of technical ability.

Watch him in training to fully see this in action.

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I agree with you, it's a good example why almost all the greats had great footwork. They have different styles but they always had their feet in position to land their shots properly. While Ali, as a general consensus, had great footwork, it wasn't very efficient and he had to be at his absolutest physical peak to maintain it for 12 rounds. Contrast that too a gifted counterpuncher like Toney, who's movements were effortless (literally;D) but could still be just as effective.

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Originally Posted by ICB

I would like to name a few that haven't been mentioned, some of these boxers on this list have underrated footwork IMO.

Floyd Patterson
Evander Holyfield
Ricardo Lopez
Ruben Olivares
Terry Norris
ODLH
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Bernard Hopkins
Ivan Calderon
Juan Manuel Marquez
Willie Pep
Billy Conn
Mike Tyson

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:cool: Hey ICB and what about Shane Mosley? ;D

Something I don't understand we seem to be leaning towards boxer's and movers as opposed to sluggers beside's Foreman.So why wouldn't we say Roberto Duran,David Tua,Marvin Hagler,Joe Louis,and Jack Dempsey.None of these fighter's were caught off balance in fact they had tremendous balance.Just because they didn't dance around and look good for the camera's dosen't mean they didn't have amazing footwork.Remember a balanced counterpuncher is far more effective than a ballerina.I'm sorry boxer.

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Originally Posted by The Fightfan

Something I don't understand we seem to be leaning towards boxer's and movers as opposed to sluggers beside's Foreman.So why wouldn't we say Roberto Duran,David Tua,Marvin Hagler,Joe Louis,and Jack Dempsey.None of these fighter's were caught off balance in fact they had tremendous balance.Just because they didn't dance around and look good for the camera's dosen't mean they didn't have amazing footwork.Remember a balanced counterpuncher is far more effective than a ballerina.I'm sorry boxer.

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lol i do see your point .But willie pep made his name by his footwork in one fight .But yes !dempsey and duran etc ...i would say they had better techniques and specialitys, then well along with footwork and balance for example duran, i would say, would be pressure , he always came forward to his opponants,and he has power in both right and left hand .

True!;)

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Originally Posted by ICB

I would like to name a few that haven't been mentioned, some of these boxers on this list have underrated footwork IMO.

Floyd Patterson
Evander Holyfield
Ricardo Lopez
Ruben Olivares
Terry Norris
ODLH
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Bernard Hopkins
Ivan Calderon
Juan Manuel Marquez
Willie Pep
Billy Conn
Mike Tyson

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I mentioned Tyson, pep, Mayweather, ODLH, Lopez, Hopkins, Conn before

Pep an Ali

Muhammad Ali
SRL
Larry Holmes

Hagler was not only underrated as a boxer, but his footwork was a work of art. He was the master of cutting off the ring when in his prime. Always in punching range and slick, yes you heard it here...slick


Check 2:10 into this video for an example.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZHIo5ylQA8

Are you talking defense or footwork? because those can be two completely different things. Joe Louis has wonderful footwork in his prime.

But what do you mean footwork or defense?

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Originally Posted by Bomp

I agree with you, it's a good example why almost all the greats had great footwork. They have different styles but they always had their feet in position to land their shots properly. While Ali, as a general consensus, had great footwork, it wasn't very efficient and he had to be at his absolutest physical peak to maintain it for 12 rounds. Contrast that too a gifted counterpuncher like Toney, who's movements were effortless (literally;D) but could still be just as effective.

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Yeah Thats exactly what I'm referring to. Ali had great footwork, he got where he need to go, but because of his flamboyancy and the thought he put inot it it caused him to exert himself.

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Originally Posted by Deanrw

Hagler was not only underrated as a boxer, but his footwork was a work of art. He was the master of cutting off the ring when in his prime. Always in punching range and slick, yes you heard it here...slick


Check 2:10 into this video for an example.

[

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Yeah pretty much the same idea as the Foreman arguement.

Come on guys whats up here no mention of the original dancing master The one The only SUUGAR RAAY ROBBINSOOON

Julio Ceaser Chavez cut the ring better than any version of George Foreman.

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Originally Posted by hitmandonny

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Bomp

I agree with you, it's a good example why almost all the greats had great footwork. They have different styles but they always had their feet in position to land their shots properly. While Ali, as a general consensus, had great footwork, it wasn't very efficient and he had to be at his absolutest physical peak to maintain it for 12 rounds. Contrast that too a gifted counterpuncher like Toney, who's movements were effortless (literally;D) but could still be just as effective.

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Yeah Thats exactly what I'm referring to. Ali had great footwork, he got where he need to go, but because of his flamboyancy and the thought he put inot it it caused him to exert himself.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Deanrw

Hagler was not only underrated as a boxer, but his footwork was a work of art. He was the master of cutting off the ring when in his prime. Always in punching range and slick, yes you heard it here...slick


Check 2:10 into this video for an example.

[

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Yeah pretty much the same idea as the Foreman arguement.

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I agree. Quite often aggressive guys get overlooked in this department. To me it applies to anyone who use their feet in a way so they can gain an advantage over their opponent. It does not have to be fancy looking to be effective.