The greatest's defensive boxers of all time?

Eventhough I prefer fighters that will take a couple punches just to land one, (Gatti, LaMatta, Ward, Cooney, DeMarco) The Answer is without question Willie "Will O' the Wisp" Pep. Pep alledgedly won a round on all the judges scorecards w/out throwing a punch, Thats defense! That is actually a Myth.

Haven't seen enough of the old guys to make an informed opinion on who was the best of all time, but Whitaker had the best defensive skills that I have actually observed.

someone has most likely said this already but i'll say it again... Willie Pep

For me, it's Mayweather

Christ, there have been some strange picks in here. BTW, there is an entire 150 post thread on this exact topic in boxing history. Anyway, it's great to see Duran in here. As someone mentioned he would be, without a doubt, the greatest defensive fighter that was offensive based. Unlike the fighters that made defense their prime weapon like Whittaker, Locche etc Duran was in there, coming forward and throwing but very rarely ever getting hit. One of the best slip/counter fighters and also his ability to know when he was going to be hit and then roll with the punch was simply astonishing. Just check out DeJesus 3 or Leonard 1 for some of the greatest ever fighting combining defensive genius and offensive brilliance in one package! As for purely defensive fighters some of the classic guys would be: Pep, Toney, Locche, Whittaker, Canto, Benitez, Leonard (Benny), Graham...On Graham, I saw someone else mention him which was exciting! Herol Graham never got his dues for his fighting ability. He was an exceptional defensive genius and fought in one of the best middleweight eras ever. A very underrated fighter and brilliant defensive great. Of course there is Mayweather in todays era and Hopkins also. Those saying Mayweather is the greatest need to get out and watch some more boxing. He is great but there are many, many fighters as good and better defensively and offensively. Not trying to take anything away from him as he may well become this eras best fighter but in this era alone there are many fighters as good defensively as him...Hopkins, Toney, Nunn, etc. Maybe go watch some of the guys mentioned in this thread before immediately putting Mayweathers name as the greatest (although it certainly belongs here with these guys). Check out Niccolino Locche against the great Antonio Cervantes for a defensive clinic that baffles the mind!!! Also have a look at Toney vs Nunn. Two stunningly good counter punching boxers both with some of the best defense seen in the last twenty years. Whoever said Nunn was dominating until KO'ed needs to go check it out again. Great close fight with Nunn winning the middle rounds after a close start and Toney coming back to get the KO in a great set-up win. A fight with staggering skills and showing Toney in his young prime days as a fighter to be reckoned with. His first title win against the pound for pound king of the times. Edit: Watch for a section in which Toney just leans back and uses his body and shoulder, while staying side on, to deflect about three or four jabs like they were nothing! These jabs coming from Nunn who had one of the best jabs in the business and was much taller and a southpaw! Incredible!

Floyd for me it was hard to choose between him & Whitaker however i went with Floyd cause i think Floyd is a less active than Whitaker in fights which can only be testiment to Floyd's defence he did nothing in the Dela Hoya fight for 5/6 rounds yet Osacr hardly landed a clean shot i think Whitaker is more mobile than Floyd not much however ,PBF Spends a lot of time in corners on the ropes etc

Yeah, but if you've never been stopped and rarely ever knocked down, and winning most of your fights, then you're having all the defense you ever need, so there's really no room to criticize.Winning most fights - in and of itself - is no evidence of marginal, let alone great defense, which is what this thread is all about. One can win most fights by landing more punches than his opponent, regardless of how many he defends against. I guess a great defensive fighter would be somebody that wouldn't be able to win without having tremendous defensive skills. The way we're classifying it here.Nonsense! Again, winning a boxing match consists of outscoring or stopping one's opponent. I believe someone once said: "The best defense is a good offense." Hmm. I think it might of been Aaron Pryor...;)

I guess a great defensive fighter would be somebody that wouldn't be able to win without having tremendous defensive skills. The way we're classifying it here.

Willie Pep, Sweet Pea, PBF.

Yeah but if your never stopped and rarely ever knocked down and winning most of your fights then you having all the defense you ever need so there's really no room to criticize.

hagler has the best chin.... never been downedA good "chin" is not a reflection of great defensive skills; it is merely a testament to one's ability to take a punch. Hagler could very well have been a skillful defensive fighter; having the "best chin" is irrelevant and inmaterial. Jake LaMotta and George Chuvalo (to name two) had great chins, but they were human punching bags virtually devoid of any defensive skills. The chin fortitude of a great defensive fighter is rarely tested...

hagler has the best chin.... never been downed That's actually a valid point though. How can you criticize his defense when he was never knocked down or anybody that never gets stopped or gets knocked down very seldomly. Hagler was actually knocked down once, not bad though.

Pep, Rosenbloom, Pernell, Tommy Loughran was no slouch, lots of people say Toney but I think he's more of a flashy defensive fighter, he looks like a great defensive fighter because his style is so distincyive. But if we're honest Hopkins is a better defensive fighter because he uses his feet more than Toney does, even if he does it in an ugly way.

some all time greats to me are ali, patterson(underrated in my book defensively), leonard, whitaker of course, jones jr, of course mayweather, whose defense has been the best in boxing for the last decade, pep, duran, a younder tyson(underrated imo my book defensively also), and winky has to be mentioned also. that's it for me, these guys are the greatest in my book./

Willie Pep and Pernell

Roberto Duran is the single most deceptively defensive fighter I ever saw. His defensive skills often went unnoticed as a result of his offensive prowess. He had an uncanny ability to block, slip and counter punches while in attack mode. Most fighters find it difficult to practice defense while on the offensive and often leave themselves open to counter-punches. Not Duran, he was the quintessential multitasker. Most fighters at Duran's skill level of defense (e.g. Pernell Whitaker) are boring to watch because they can only deploy one skill (offense/defense) at a time. In fact I rate "Sweet Pea" second - and not equal to - the "Hands of Stone" because of his propensity for defense and counter-punching instead of taking the offensive initiative. Boring, very boring...You took the words right out of my mind. I would also add that at close range, he (Duran) would use his own arms to arm-lock his opponent's in a clinch and land hooks and uppercuts. With this tactic he would beat his opponent to the punch and dominate the in-fighting. My top 10 defensive fighters are: Roberto Durán Wilfred Benitez Pernell Whitaker Chris Byrd Muhammad Ali* John Ruiz Mike Tyson Corey Spinks Sugar Ray Leonard Floyd Patterson*"Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee; your hands can't hit what your eyes can't see..." RUMBLE, YOUNG MAN, RUMBLE... AHH!

sweet pea and willie pep, end of thread.

Roberto Duran is the single most deceptively defensive fighter I ever saw. His defensive skills often went unnoticed as a result of his offensive prowess. He had an uncanny ability to block, slip and counter punches while in attack mode. Most fighters find it difficult to practice defense while on the offensive and often leave themselves open to counter-punches. Not Duran, he was the quintessential multitasker. Most fighters at Duran's skill level of defense (e.g. Pernell Whitaker) are boring to watch because they can only deploy one skill (offense/defense) at a time. In fact I rate "Sweet Pea" second - and not equal to - the "Hands of Stone" because of his propensity for defense and counter-punching instead of taking the offensive initiative. Boring, very boring... Below is an example of Duran's ability (at age 32) to elude opponent's punches while delivering his own: TF6at28s3wQ

Peeeekaboo...... Floyd Patterson, Marlon Moochie Starling, Donald Cobra Curry, Iceman John Scully, Winky Wright, Livingstone Bramble. Those Guy Used The Wrap Around Defense To Great Effect But Nobody As Consistently As Marlon Moochie Starling Or As Famously As Floyd Patterson.

I love how, looking at some names on the list from 4-28, greatest defensive boxers of all time....the name Miguel Cotto is mentioned.....which if you look at it now.....not even in the top 5 defensive boxers in his division.....hit and not get hit my ass....