Best defensive fighter middleweight+

[NChristo]

Winky and Hopkins need some love.

[soul_survivor]

Burley is up there if he counts. The standard Louis, Johnson, Toney etc.

Louis? LOL no

Toney in his prime, RJJ in his prime, Hopkins and Ward to an extent, at heavy Lewis later in his career may get a mention, prime Tyson definitely, Moore was very very good and of course Ali

[soul_survivor]

Winky and Hopkins need some love.

damn totally forgot Winky, and Joe Cal could be pretty good defensively at times

[Humean]

I think Kalambay was probably the best defensive specialist in the middleweight division. Toney probably next. When he wanted to use it LaMotta's defence was also very good .

[Japanese Boxing]

Louis? LOL no

Toney in his prime, RJJ in his prime, Hopkins and Ward to an extent, at heavy Lewis later in his career may get a mention, prime Tyson definitely, Moore was very very good and of course Ali

Do you think that defense is all about reacting and counter punching? Proactive defense is one of the first things you learn in boxing. Louis had a proactive defense. His footwork was superb, the first time, his head was always off the center line, he turned his opposition constantly, and he also started combinations to test reactions so the next time he used the set up he would have a better idea how to finish.

[Humean]

Do you think that defense is all about reacting and counter punching? Proactive defense is one of the first things you learn in boxing. Louis had a proactive defense. His footwork was superb, the first time, his head was always off the center line, he turned his opposition constantly, and he also started combinations to test reactions so the next time he used the set up he would have a better idea how to finish.

Louis' footwork was painstakingly slow.

[Japanese Boxing]

Louis' footwork was painstakingly slow.

I wasn't aware speed meant good footwork. Burley had slow feet too, he never used a lot of movement, but he used what he needed. I think people feel that moving in an out quickly means good footwork, when it doesn't.

[soul_survivor]

Louis' footwork was painstakingly slow.

Do you think that defense is all about reacting and counter punching? Proactive defense is one of the first things you learn in boxing. Louis had a proactive defense. His footwork was superb, the first time, his head was always off the center line, he turned his opposition constantly, and he also started combinations to test reactions so the next time he used the set up he would have a better idea how to finish.

Yeah Louis' footwork was as slow as paint drying but I agree with Jap, footwork isn't all about speed and neither is defence but it helps and when you compare Louis' defence with the upper echelon of great defensive fighters from 160+, he doesn't make a top 20.

Now you can use all the technical terms you want, as if you're the only one that knows boxing but you actually have to look at the fights and Louis was tagged almost consistently by most of his opponents, many of whom were, let's be honest, bums.

Now if we were talking about great offensive fighters then you'd have a case because there was one thing Louis could do better than a lot of great fighters, when he was hurt, which was often, he'd come back harder and stronger and if he caught you, he'd finish you.

[Humean]

I wasn't aware speed meant good footwork. Burley had slow feet too, he never used a lot of movement, but he used what he needed. I think people feel that moving in an out quickly means good footwork, when it doesn't.

Yeah Louis' footwork was as slow as paint drying but I agree with Jap, footwork isn't all about speed and neither is defence but it helps and when you compare Louis' defence with the upper echelon of great defensive fighters from 160+, he doesn't make a top 20.

Now you can use all the technical terms you want, as if you're the only one that knows boxing but you actually have to look at the fights and Louis was tagged almost consistently by most of his opponents, many of whom were, let's be honest, bums.

Now if we were talking about great offensive fighters then you'd have a case because there was one thing Louis could do better than a lot of great fighters, when he was hurt, which was often, he'd come back harder and stronger and if he caught you, he'd finish you.

Foot speed certainly doesn't equate to good foot movement but if you are slow at moving your feet then having good foot movement is unlikely to count for a great deal. Louis got away with it because his opponents were typically as slow as he was.

[TBear]

Surprised no one mentioned George Benton

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HwYnF8SWNjs

good call.