Fighters hardcore fans love as much as casuals?

[Nagabilly]

Usually a hardcore fan would like a textbook, technical fighters like B-Hop, Floyd or Winky. But casual fans would find them boring, they prefer someone like Gatti or Ward who are great warriors but lack skill.

But what fighters display both the technical brilliance hardcore fans like but can also attract someone who never watched a fight? An example that first came to my mind is JMM

Sorry for bad English

[Capaedia]

JMM is the one that came to mind for me too

[NearHypnos]

Usually a hardcore fan would like a textbook, technical fighters like B-Hop, Floyd or Winky. But casual fans would find them boring, they prefer someone like Gatti or Ward who are great warriors but lack skill.

But what fighters display both the technical brilliance hardcore fans like but can also attract someone who never watched a fight? An example that first came to my mind is JMM

Sorry for bad English

I think Cotto can be included. While not brilliant, his intelligence is underrated. Cotto tends to fight the right fight (except the Pacquiao fight where he just went about it the wrong way..probably underestimating Pac's power).

Floyd kind of counts too. There was a point where nobody really liked him OR respected his skills because of the hate, but these last few years the casual fan has really taken to him and started to admire his skill, even if they hate him.

Does Whitaker count? He wasn't exactly this ungodly technical boxer, but he's one of few boxers who's defense was a thing anybody could look up to.

JMM is a great example though.

[DarkTerror88]

Its pretty hard to dislike Smokin' Joe Frazier.



Fab 5 of the 80s come to mind as well

[black.ink]

SRL
Hearns

[SBleeder]

Hagler, Hearns, and Leonard all immediately came to mind.

Hagler won over the casual fans with his incredible toughness and ability to brawl with the best.

Hearns was extremely popular for his big knockouts.

Leonard was beloved for his charisma and his occasional flamboyant style in the ring.

Yet all three were truly remarkable technical fighters, unbelievably versatile, and could win a chess match style fight just as easily as a shootout.

Nowadays, Pretty Boy Floyd has a tremendous following among casual fans. Obviously, he's a brilliant technician in the ring.

Jack Dempsey (Manassa Mauler) comes to mind as well. Before I learned much about boxing, it looked to me like he was just a wild savage in the ring. How wrong I was to think that... his style was superb.

[Capaedia]

I'd also like to throw in Lopez, Sanchez and Patterson

[New England]

aaron pryor

thomas hearns

ray leonard

muhammad ali

joe frazier

bobby chacon

manny pacquiao

erik morales




mike tyson in his prime might take the cake. short fights with concussive endings are the lifeblood of the casual boxing fan / fans of the HW division

[SBleeder]

I'd also like to throw in Lopez, Sanchez and Patterson

I agree with the bolded ones. Not sure about Lopez. Unless you're talking Ricardo.

[Capaedia]

I agree with the bolded ones. Not sure about Lopez. Unless you're talking Ricardo.

Oops, yes I did mean Ricardo Lopez