Who is the best defensive boxer of all time?

Question

who is the best defensive boxer of all time and which defensive style do you guys feel is the most effective?

Answer 1

I would put Niccolino Locche up there with the best of them. They didn't call him 'El Intocable' for nothing.

Answer 2

A little known welterweight contender from the late '50's named "Irish" Mickey Crawford. His career was cut short , but they say "you couldn't hit him with a handful of BB's"!

Answer 3

probably willie pep

he was really hard to hit and i dont konw if its true but they say he won a round without throwing a punch.

Answer 4

mohamad ali

Answer 5

Either Mayweather or WInky Wright

Answer 6

KID GAVILAN

Answer 7

several get my vote

Roberto Duran

Marlon Starling

Willie Pep

Answer 8

winky wright

Answer 9

pernel whitaker

Answer 10

willie pep

benny leonard

pernell whitaker

Answer 11

There were several fighters that come to mind for me that are considered defensive specialists.  Pernell Whitaker was very difficult to hit with a clean shot and a very clever defensive fighter.  Another was the great Willie Pep who it has been said once actually won a round without throwing a single punch.  Now that'a impressive. In my opinion, Nicolino Locche was probably the best defensive fighter of all time, as he was nearly impossible to hit cleanly blocking and slipping punches expertly while deftly moving around the ring.  His nickname was El Intocable (The Untouchable)  There were some other fighters with great defensive skills like Wilfred Benitez with his natural skills, along with Winky Wright, Jack Johnson who was an expert at parrying punches, Gene Tunney, and Muhammad Ali with their excellent ring movement, but my pick is Nicolino Locche.

Answer 12

Pernell Whitaker was the best I've seen, he could be aggressive while being defensive - I think thats what sets him apart from other guys being named.  James Toney is second.  

The mark of great defensive fighters is their ability to move up weightclasses and be successful despite size and strenght disadvantages.

From a purely techincal standpoint though, I don't think you can say anyone is more well schooled than Floyd - he's been perfecting his craft since he was about 5 years old; he has that shoulder roll, he can pick punches off with his gloves and arms, he has quickness, speed, excellent reflexes, and being in the ring is probably as natural as sleeping to him.

Answer 13

welford benitez was the best defensive fighter of all time.

Answer 14

There are a few good equal candidates for this but I'll go with the great Muhammad Ali! He probably had the MOST impressive showings in this department over the course of a LONG PERIOD of time. Jack Johnson would be a close second!

HOWEVER

The single most impressive defensive performance in one fight has to go to Chris Byrd in a August 2001 IBF Title Elimination battle with the deadly David Tua

Tua was coming off his embarrasing loss to Lewis and many fans were beginning to diss him

Tua was more motivated than ever to prove the critics wrong.

He went in to an INTENSIVE millitary style training camp that made Kevin Barry proud.

David came in to the ring in the absolute best shape of his entire career and he was EXTREMELY motivated!

The Terminator threw everything INCLUDING the kitchen sink at Chris Byrd! Tua was the fastest he'd ever been! He wailed bomb after bomb with one purpose in mind. To knock Byrd senseless and regain his top status

When Chris Byrd was growing up he used to train by locking himself and one of his brothers in a small closet and allowing his fighting brothers to to try to hit him.

He had to learn to fight with no where to move. He had to learn to fight at very close quarters.

Most of all he had to learn how not to let his opponent hit him with full force!

Then the idea was to use your opponents own leverage against him and then quickly nail him with rapid shots AFTER he was already exposed and out of position. This gave Byrd very quick hands!

He needed every bit of that closet training experience TONIGHT!

The fight was close, competitive, and full of action! It often looked like Tua was very close to putting Byrd away with one big one! But Byrd never allowed it and he quite often made David pay for trying!

In the 12th round a frustrated Tua let IT ALL HANG OUT and tried to litterally kill Chris! Chris actually made him pay yet again for this!

Chris not only survived this night, BUT he won in style

A defensive wizard's masterpiece!

Answer 15

Wilfredo Benitez, he was called the Radar