5 Greatest Defensive Fighters of All Time (List)

[Taffturner]

Didnt willie pep once win a round of boxing without throwing a punch?! Winkys a great shout too, probly one of the most avoided fighters of recent times

Pep has always been my favourite, followed by Sweet P. I also think Winky had an awesome defence.

[Taeth]

Half of that stuff is just based of legent. Nocche and Pep there isn't enough full footage to really say how good defensively they were. We can't compare fighters where there is little film to guys who's whole careers have been on film.

THe fact that Ali is up there makes me believe this list is crap. Ali had great reflexes and athletic ability for his time, but he never was a defensive great. Just watch his fights with Frazier for examples of what I am talking about.

I think Hopkins should be on any top 5 p4p defensive list. Not just for the % of punches landed on him, but because he reduced his opponents output so much.

[ElTerribleMorales]

Half of that stuff is just based of legent. Nocche and Pep there isn't enough full footage to really say how good defensively they were. We can't compare fighters where there is little film to guys who's whole careers have been on film.

THe fact that Ali is up there makes me believe this list is crap. Ali had great reflexes and athletic ability for his time, but he never was a defensive great. Just watch his fights with Frazier for examples of what I am talking about.

I think Hopkins should be on any top 5 p4p defensive list. Not just for the % of punches landed on him, but because he reduced his opponents output so much.

just because there isn't much film or footage doesn't mean you just rule them out or disregard what they have accomplished

Pep and Sweet Pea are IMO leagues ahead of anyone after them

[Galaxy]

Half of that stuff is just based of legent. Nocche and Pep there isn't enough full footage to really say how good defensively they were. We can't compare fighters where there is little film to guys who's whole careers have been on film.

THe fact that Ali is up there makes me believe this list is crap. Ali had great reflexes and athletic ability for his time, but he never was a defensive great. Just watch his fights with Frazier for examples of what I am talking about.

I think Hopkins should be on any top 5 p4p defensive list. Not just for the % of punches landed on him, but because he reduced his opponents output so much.

just because there isn't much film or footage doesn't mean you just rule them out or disregard what they have accomplished

Pep and Sweet Pea are IMO leagues ahead of anyone after them

I agree, & Whitaker was outstanding

[Taeth]

Half of that stuff is just based of legent. Nocche and Pep there isn't enough full footage to really say how good defensively they were. We can't compare fighters where there is little film to guys who's whole careers have been on film.

THe fact that Ali is up there makes me believe this list is crap. Ali had great reflexes and athletic ability for his time, but he never was a defensive great. Just watch his fights with Frazier for examples of what I am talking about.

I think Hopkins should be on any top 5 p4p defensive list. Not just for the % of punches landed on him, but because he reduced his opponents output so much.

just because there isn't much film or footage doesn't mean you just rule them out or disregard what they have accomplished

Pep and Sweet Pea are IMO leagues ahead of anyone after them

How can you deduce their level of defensive skills when there is so little to work with, when it concerns guys like Pep. The round he didn't throw a punch, we didn't see that round, legitmately if the guy even landed one punch he should have won it.

Also how is sweet Pea leagues ahead of everyone else? His defense was great, but watch his fight against Roger as an example of him getting repeatedly. He got hit a lot more than Floyd or Bernard, and imo that's what defense is about. He was just in an era where defense wasn't a big priority. In the early 80's and 2000's there have been far better defensive fighters then there were in the late 80's and early 90's. Most of the top guys in this period where largely offensive.

[Taeth]

Also two other guys who were great defensively were Ivan Calderon, I think he was one of the best defensively, but just was never in the spotlight. Also Wilfredo Benitez, especially considering how little he trained for fights. It would be scary to imagine how much sharper he could have been with a proper training camp.

[ElTerribleMorales]

Half of that stuff is just based of legent. Nocche and Pep there isn't enough full footage to really say how good defensively they were. We can't compare fighters where there is little film to guys who's whole careers have been on film.

THe fact that Ali is up there makes me believe this list is crap. Ali had great reflexes and athletic ability for his time, but he never was a defensive great. Just watch his fights with Frazier for examples of what I am talking about.

I think Hopkins should be on any top 5 p4p defensive list. Not just for the % of punches landed on him, but because he reduced his opponents output so much.

just because there isn't much film or footage doesn't mean you just rule them out or disregard what they have accomplished

Pep and Sweet Pea are IMO leagues ahead of anyone after them

How can you deduce their level of defensive skills when there is so little to work with, when it concerns guys like Pep. The round he didn't throw a punch, we didn't see that round, legitmately if the guy even landed one punch he should have won it.

Also how is sweet Pea leagues ahead of everyone else? His defense was great, but watch his fight against Roger as an example of him getting repeatedly. He got hit a lot more than Floyd or Bernard, and imo that's what defense is about. He was just in an era where defense wasn't a big priority. In the early 80's and 2000's there have been far better defensive fighters then there were in the late 80's and early 90's. Most of the top guys in this period where largely offensive.

Bernard and Floyd don't have the balance and footwork that Pernell had, how many times has either been able to make the guy a foot away from them miss every single shot with crazy upper body movement and dips, Whitaker didn't really have to sacrifice punch output to help out his defense something B-Hop and Mayweather can't say

[BIG H]

Half of that stuff is just based of legent. Nocche and Pep there isn't enough full footage to really say how good defensively they were. We can't compare fighters where there is little film to guys who's whole careers have been on film.

THe fact that Ali is up there makes me believe this list is crap. Ali had great reflexes and athletic ability for his time, but he never was a defensive great. Just watch his fights with Frazier for examples of what I am talking about.

I think Hopkins should be on any top 5 p4p defensive list. Not just for the % of punches landed on him, but because he reduced his opponents output so much.

I've got all 3 Saddler fights.

[ICB]

Best defensive fighters i've seen.

Pernell Whitaker
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Nicolino Locche
Winky Wright
Wilfred Benitez
Marlon Starling
James Toney
B-Hop
Willie Pep

[Master]

Herol Graham was Britain's.

[FinitoElDinamita]

Herol Graham was Britain's.

yep. he just forgot to defend himself against Julian's right hand.

[Master]

Herol Graham was Britain's.

yep. he just forgot to defend himself against Julian's right hand.

That is what most people remember him for, just his luck to get caught by the biggest puncher in history.

Eubank, Benn and Watson did not want to know as he would have made them look silly.

[ICB]

Herol Graham was Britain's.

At times he could be but he did get hit alot vs Kalambay and Pazienza at times aswell.

[FinitoElDinamita]

Best defensive fighters i've seen.

Pernell Whitaker
Floyd Mayweather Jr
Nicolino Locche
Winky Wright
Wilfred Benitez
Marlon Starling
James Toney
B-Hop
Willie Pep

Good list... Assuming it's not in order..

[Taeth]

Half of that stuff is just based of legent. Nocche and Pep there isn't enough full footage to really say how good defensively they were. We can't compare fighters where there is little film to guys who's whole careers have been on film.

THe fact that Ali is up there makes me believe this list is crap. Ali had great reflexes and athletic ability for his time, but he never was a defensive great. Just watch his fights with Frazier for examples of what I am talking about.

I think Hopkins should be on any top 5 p4p defensive list. Not just for the % of punches landed on him, but because he reduced his opponents output so much.

I've got all 3 Saddler fights.

You're so full of shit, they weren't all taped. And his defense looked horrible against Saddler.