Another Question Who Is Best Defensive Fighter Of All Time

[ICB]

Right folks need your brains to tell me some more options.

[Poom]

Haven't got time to right much, but I definitely would not say Ali, of course he was good and great, but he just took too many punches in his later years, and even when he was younger got knocked down quite a bit.

[ryanman]

tyson?! id be very interested (and impressed) if somebody could make a case for him over pep or graham.

[ICB]

tyson?! id be very interested (and impressed) if somebody could make a case for him over pep or graham.

Just adding all ones i know in his prime he had good head movement with peek a boo style hardly got hit but no i wouldn't rate him with greats like Pep or ect but he had good defense in his prime.

[ryanman]

thats fair enough,in late 80s he was quite evasive,he didnt get hit much,but this was only in part due to his defense.fear factor played a part as did the simple fact that opponents were far more concerned with their own defense

[ICB]

Willie pep dominating at moment.

[ryanman]

yeah,i voted for pep,nearly went for graham.i see pep dominating this one

[Poom]

Heavyweights should almost be in a poll of their own when it comes to defence as I think its really a different game when your that size, e.g. a heavyweight pernell Whitaker just couldn't exist, a big man just can't move that fast

[SweetPea]

I think Pep and Whitaker are the top 2.
I put Whitaker #1 because he moved up thru multiple weight classes, whereas Pep was a featherweight for about his entire career.
Also, Pep was KO'd several times (even in his prime). Whitaker never was.

Whitaker had plenty of fights against world champs where he didn't even have a scratch on him at the end.

[Scrap]

I call a defensive fighter somebody who stays in the pocket and defends. Pep was a mover as was Graham. Whittaker and Burley would make you miss with a handfull of rice and back you up. The thing with Burley he could spark anyone Whittaker couldnt which says a lot for his ability Burley didnt mind giving away 20 lb when the shit hit the fan there was only person getting sparked it wasnt him.

[Swashbuckling Gordy]

Thats why it does my head in when people Say Mayweather is in Pernells class as a defensive fighter when he clearly aint !!

Sweet Peas punch anticipation was second to none and whilst he had fast feet he was great at making the other man lean and reach with their shots all this whilst being right their in front of them !!

Mayweather is an on your bike man !!!

[Taeth]

Whitaker or Mayweather. Also Swashbuckling gordy Whitaker was second in punch anticipation to Roy JOnes JR. NOBODY had faster reflexes p4p than Roy, and nobody got hit less with effective punches. How can you say Mayweather isn't in Whitaker's class defensively? He has gotten hit less, and even though people say crap about Whitaker fighting toe to toe, Mayweather does it more. Mayweather also is able to counter more effectively off his defense, and his defense works anywhere in the ring while if Whitaker ever got caught on the ropes he could be in trouble. Whitaker got hit alot against a young Oscar who was the only quick guy that I've seen him fight, and Oscar was nowhere near to as fast as Judah who did hit Mayweather, but like I said was alot faster than Oscar ever was. I think Whitaker's biggest advantage is he fought mostly brawlers, and come forward guys who didn't have blazing speed like Nelson, JCC, Vazquez. Even Mcgirt isn't all that fast. I guarantee Mayweather would have made Nelson, JCC, and Vazquez look as silly as he made Baldomir(except maybe JCC, but he would still win decisively).

[SweetPea]

Mayweather also is able to counter more effectively off his defense, and his defense works anywhere in the ring while if Whitaker ever got caught on the ropes he could be in trouble.

How many Whitaker fights have you watched?

Whitaker got hit alot against a young Oscar

No he didn't.

[Taeth]

I watched plenty of Whitaker fights, how many have you watched? ALso Whitaker got hit quite a bit by Oscar, and by some clean punches to. Watch the fight again. oscar landed some hard left hooks, and some other good punches during that fight. I saw Whitaker dodge some no names when he was on the ropes, but I never really saw anybody fast enough of foot to catch Whitaker and effectively keep him on the ropes.

[ICB]

I watched plenty of Whitaker fights, how many have you watched? ALso Whitaker got hit quite a bit by Oscar, and by some clean punches to. Watch the fight again. oscar landed some hard left hooks, and some other good punches during that fight. I saw Whitaker dodge some no names when he was on the ropes, but I never really saw anybody fast enough of foot to catch Whitaker and effectively keep him on the ropes.

Whitaker landed 232 out of 582. De La Hoya landed 191 out of 557. Whitaker outjabbed De La Hoya 160-45.