Greatest Defensive Fighter Ever?

[JimmyMac87]

Who would you name? Whitaker, Willie Pep, Nicolino Locche.......

[Polymath]

Wladimir Klitschko.

[Duodenum]

Locche.

[GPater11093]

i love defensive fighters they are my faveourites

rating them on only there defensive skills for me

1. Willie Pep
2. Niccolino Locche
3. Pernell Whittaker
4. Floyd Mayweather Jr
5. Miguel Canto

[markedwardscott]

Joe Gans and Jack Johnson

[Only registered and activated users can see links]

[the cobra]

Locche.

[pryorgatti]

No order

Locche
Pep
Whitaker
Canto
PBF
B.Leonard
Toney
Wright
Duran
Tyson

[GPater11093]

No order

Locche
Pep
Whitaker
Canto
PBF
B.Leonard
Toney
Wright
Duran
Tyson

good picks there mate especially like Duran and Tyson they were real hard to hit

Benny Leonard is another great pick but you could also add Jim Driscoll who i think is better than Leonard defensivly.

what do you think of Wilfredo Benitez he would be in my top 10 of defensive greats

[smitty_son408]

Benitez has to also be mentioned in the top tier IMO, just to add on to others opinion.

[Chinxkid]

In recent times, Paul Spadafora was/is one of the most elusive I've seen. He has that fluidity, almost zen-like spirituality that makes him approach invisible.

[GPater11093]

yeh Spadafora is a great pick. he retired undefeated didnt he

[Chinxkid]

I'm not even sure if he's truly retired. Moved up to Erie I heard, after he got out, maybe to get away form bad influences in Pittsburgh. If he ever could have developed a swat, as much as that kinda thing can be developed, he might have been something very special.

[GPater11093]

yeh he was good but lacked something have you seen him spar FMJ

[Chinxkid]

I've only seen him fight once or twice, but what he lacked for one thing, I saw right away, was any kind of swat. In the upper ranks, sooner or later you're gonna have to bring enough to stop these guys.

[GPater11093]

I've only seen him fight once or twice, but what he lacked for one thing, I saw right away, was any kind of swat. In the upper ranks, sooner or later you're gonna have to bring enough to stop these guys.

watch him sparring FMJ on Youtube its intriguiong stuff

[MAG1965]

Whitaker and Benitez come to mind.

[natonic]

I like Benitez due to the fact that he made guys miss with so little effort. This skill allowed him to remain in position to punch back effectively. I rate Canto over Locche for a similar reason. I just think he was a little more offensive off of making a guy miss.

[SuzieQ49]

Spadafadora did not impress me vs Leonard Dorin. In fact I scored that fight live for Dorin.


Alot of good choices here, I like Willie Pep because he had the dazzling footwork the others did not possess.

[Mantequilla]

I think the '70s and '80s may have been the best period for great defensive fighters.

Locche still around, plus Benitez, canto, Zapata, Starling, Lora, Whitaker, kalambay...

[GPater11093]

70s and 80s were a great era

but Pep is still the best IMO his footwork has never been surpassed

i know not an ATG defensve wizard but what do you guys thuk of Jose Napoles

[rusty nails]

duran and toney.
easily the best at rolling with a punch i have ever seen

[flamengo]

A young Tyson was incredible. Balance, timing, power and reflex, combined with evasion and precision made a perfect picture for defensive attack.

..... then, by the time of 23, his brain was mentally mushed-up emotionally.

[GPater11093]

how do you guys rate Jim Driscoll

[flamengo]

how do you guys rate Jim Driscoll

'Peerless'..... lol.


P.S. sent that tape off to be burnt this morn. Please make it available to everyone free of charge. You'll be a better man for doing so.

Cheers mate.

[GPater11093]

dont worry Flamengo wont hoard it

[McGrain]

Pep is the greatest fighrter of all time known primarily for his defence.

Locche had the best defence of all time for me.

[Nigel_Benn]

Sweet Pea Whitaker that man would stand in front of you have 8-10 punch combinations thrown at him and avoid them all and make the other man pay the epitome of the sweet science.

[red cobra]

1. Locche
2. Pep
3. Whitaker
4. Benitez

[HomicideHenry]

Benetiz and Whitaker are the best of more modern times, but going back into WW2 era and prior, Pep was arguably the best of the bunch.

[red cobra]

70s and 80s were a great era

but Pep is still the best IMO his footwork has never been surpassed

i know not an ATG defensve wizard but what do you guys thuk of Jose Napoles
Composing a list of the greatest "whatever", in this case greatest defensive fighters is not too satisfactory in that MANY great fighters are shortchanged in the process, like Napoles, Driscol, Canto, Ortiz, etc.,..as well as great fighters who may not be credited as much for their defensive capabilities like the top 5 everyones mentioning, who nevertheless, over a longer period, over the length and breadth of their careers were absolutely defensive masters, maybe in a less picturesque, less spectacular way, that had more to do with sound technique and less from natural gifts, like Billy Graham, Joe Maxim, Joe Giardello, Carlos Monzon, Sammy Angott, Tommy Loughran, etc,....

[GPater11093]

i agree completly about that and i hold many of the guys you mention in high regard in terms of defence

[MagnificentMatt]

Hopkins never got hit clean very often..

[Cobra33]

I always really liked Marlon Starlings defense-not as flashy as others but very effective.

[kolcade4]

james toney hands down

[heehoo]

Nicolino Locche. I don;t think I ever saw a claen shot land on dude's head.

In his second fight with Antonio Cervantes, at the end of round 9, Cervantes threw a jab that grazed Locche's head. That was the only time I ever saw any punch touch Locche's head, he was a true defensive wizard.

[Jersey Joe]

Ray Arcel once described Locche as "defensively more talented than Willie Pep"! Check out rd 15 of the Cervantes fight, Locche puts his glove under his chin and just stands still, taunting his opponent to hit him. Cervantes tries numerous times to land a jab, and keeps missing, despite Locche hardly moving his feet at all. It was like a matador baiting a bull.

[Mantequilla]

I always really liked Marlon Starlings defense-not as flashy as others but very effective.

Probably the best blocking\parrying defensive skills i've seen.

[TBooze]

It is a disgrace that it has taken 37 posts before the generally recognized defensive fighter has been mentioned; Charley Burley; so good even Robinson decided to avoid him!

[Mantequilla]

[Only registered and activated users can see links]









Worth posting sweet_scientist's zapata highlight again.

[Ischbaad]

I always really liked Marlon Starlings defense-not as flashy as others but very effective.

He wasn't the prettiest of fighters to watch, but he was definitely very effective. He very rarely got hit cleanly.

If Starling had a bit more focus in the ring, he would have accomplished even more as a fighter.

[jaffay]

After watching Locche against Cervantes, I would say that Nico was the best. Didn't saw many Pep's fights though

[round15]

Benny Leonard, Willie Pep, Pernell Whitaker, Jack Johnson, and James Toney should be considered at the very top all time as defensive fighters.

I've never seen him fight, but by virtue of reputation, seniors and trainers I've spoken to mention Benny Leonard as one of the best defensive fighters of all time, arguably right beside Willie Pep.

Honourable mentions, Ali, Wilfred Benitez, Chris Byrd.

[MrMarvel]

Locche was freaky good. Whitaker could be really slick, but not as slick as Pep. Duran was very difficult to hit cleanly, with one huge exception. Well, two, actually. Of course, Pep was blasted by Saddler. Locche was rarely touched.

[Bill Butcher]

Willie Pep is a good choice, Id also pick him as the best all round boxer ever.

[leverage]

benitez, locche, mayweather, duran, ali