Is Rigo the best pure boxer in the last 25 years?

RiGOD = G.O.A.T, end of discussion. Picasso, Da Vinci & Michelangelo all rolled in 1.

you're describing well roundedness, not a "pure boxer." No I'm not saying a fighter has to be able to do all these things to be called a pure boxer, I'm saying pure boxing skills can be shown in each of these areas, it's not restricted to outfighting, at least not IMO.

To me best pure boxer has nothing to do with being an outfighter or an infighter, it's about who has the most skills. Take away the speed, power, reflexes, volume, rough house tactics, what's left? Pure boxing skills, which can be displayed on the outside, inside, at mid-range, when counter-punching, when leading, when counter-punching on the move, etc. If you fight long enough and you fight good fighters, chances are you will have to adjust to your opponent because your usual style doesn't work, for one reason or another. Lopez's unwillingness (or inability) to go outside of his usual style almost resulted in a loss against Alvarez. you're describing well roundedness, not a "pure boxer."

it sounds like some of you don't know what a pure boxer is / does.

Rigondeaux is, in term of pure boxing talent, skill, power, speed and everything else, the greatest to ever put on a pair of gloves. I honestly believe he would stop Robinson at 147, that guy was chinny as hell.

Yeah I hate classifying fighters under one style because most of them have so many elements to their game. But from what I get from this thread is they are asking "who employs the pure boxing style" the best. I think what he's really asking is how does Rigo compare to other great pure boxers/outfighters. And like I said earlier, its hard to say because he hasn't really fought a guy to force him to get out of his comfort zone. Let's see how his style holds up when he's in there with a guy like this: It's really disrespectful to think Rigondeaux can compare to that, in no way disrespect but look at the early rounds, Nelson getting popped with jabs, goes in behind a crab defense, gets ripped with lead left uppercuts to the mid, right hooks to the body, by the time he reacts Whitaker is out of there poppin' him with jabs again, RIDICULOUS. That's another example of of the bold, no one is knocking Rigondeaux we're simply saying that what Rigondeaux employs, it's clearly been done better.

um, no......and RJ was not a pure boxer

To me best pure boxer has nothing to do with being an outfighter or an infighter, it's about who has the most skills. Take away the speed, power, reflexes, volume, rough house tactics, what's left? Pure boxing skills, which can be displayed on the outside, inside, at mid-range, when counter-punching, when leading, when counter-punching on the move, etc. If you fight long enough and you fight good fighters, chances are you will have to adjust to your opponent because your usual style doesn't work, for one reason or another. Lopez's unwillingness (or inability) to go outside of his usual style almost resulted in a loss against Alvarez. Yeah I hate classifying fighters under one style because most of them have so many elements to their game. But from what I get from this thread is they are asking "who employs the pure boxing style" the best. I think what he's really asking is how does Rigo compare to other great pure boxers/outfighters. And like I said earlier, its hard to say because he hasn't really fought a guy to force him to get out of his comfort zone. Let's see how his style holds up when he's in there with a guy like this:

He might. He have Frampton a whole lot of problems before the KO. I hope so. Rigo vs. Martinez is definitely a fight I would like to see before the year is over.

All except for Whitaker and Lopez have been lured into brawls and forced to adapt to their opponents style. That speaks well on being more versatile, well rounded fighters but the thread is asking strictly from a pure boxing perspective. Correct me if I'm wrong but I always thought of a pure boxer as an outfighter that controls distance extremely well, relying on his jab and footwork. To me, the best pure boxer is a guy that is able to stick with it and force his opponent, no matter their style to adjust to him. To me best pure boxer has nothing to do with being an outfighter or an infighter, it's about who has the most skills. Take away the speed, power, reflexes, volume, rough house tactics, what's left? Pure boxing skills, which can be displayed on the outside, inside, at mid-range, when counter-punching, when leading, when counter-punching on the move, etc. If you fight long enough and you fight good fighters, chances are you will have to adjust to your opponent because your usual style doesn't work, for one reason or another. Lopez's unwillingness (or inability) to go outside of his usual style almost resulted in a loss against Alvarez.

That's just the stuff you see in the highlight videos man. When you watch a full fight from start to finish, he has his hands up most of the fight and he's boxing in a traditional style. He's not dancing around the ring with his hands down for the full fight.

I don't think Kiko beats Frampton. The problem with Frampton and Quigg is they will sit back and let Rigo get comfortable. The jury is sill out on Santa Cruz. After watching him fight that Puerto Rican kid who was a southpaw with somewhat decent skills, I'm not so sure he would bring the pressure like a lot of people expect him too. The Puerto Rican kid was a 118 fighter so his power didn't really carry up with him but he gave Santa Cruz all he could handle, had him thinking and off balance for most of the fight. You could tell he didn't like dealing with that movement. I would say go up to featherweight but Rigo was 121 on fight night yesterday. That's a huge weight disadvantage going against those over sized featherweights who starve themselves to get down in weight. He might. He have Frampton a whole lot of problems before the KO.

Poonsawat would have been great. Kiko needs to happen soon while he's still at his best. I think Riogndeaux beats him but it will interesting to see how he handles that style against a guy with a solid chin and power in both hands. Totally agree.. Really wish the poonsawat fight happened.. I have been calling for a kiko fight ever since he pulled the big win for his belt.. Also would love to see chemito challenge rigo.. I think that is the one guy that could box on the outside with rigo

sweet p wasn't really a pure boxer first of all. pernell would wrap one arm around his waist and then jokingly jab with the free arm. he would keep both hands down and literally walk towards you and give you free shots (but his reflexes were so quick that you could never get to him) pernell broke all the rules of boxing. and certainly broke the ones of "pure" boxing. but it didn't matter because he was very awkward and had a style of his own. (there are times where pernell would fight in more of a traditional boxing style but that wasn't for the majority of his fights) someone who's a pure boxer are ricordo lopez, rigo, alexis arguello. so on.........

This thread is troll bait.

Boxing is very similar to pro wrestling in that you have to brand yourself and be a bit of a character.. I never understood why arum would publicly bash rigo... Arum should have been hyping him to the moon after the donaire fight.. (Paul heyman voice) "rigo is the best fighter on the planet, bar none, he has demolished doanire, schooled agebako, destroyed young champion Ramos,, the man is a monster, and does things not even Floyd mayweather can do.. Rigo can stand in the middle of the ring and shutdown anyone, I mean anyone,, rigo is the counter punching machine, the boxing ninja, the most homicidal, suicidal, genocidal fighter in the planet today.. We are calling out all fighters, chemito, Santa Cruz, Martinez, mares, anyone of the uk boys... Step to rigo if you dare" Good hype. You should be promoting him.

He does sometimes seem a bit flat, I'd say more disinterested than anything and looks bored. The problem is he is just so far ahead of everyone. What he needs IMHO is for Kiko Martinez to beat Frampton and grow some balls. I have no doubt that is the fight that would silence the critics and bring the very best out of Rigondeaux, providing Kiko doesn't shell up which is always possible. Forget LSC, Kiko is a much better pressure fighter than him and hits twice as hard! Its a real pity the Poonsawatt fight fell through. That is another guy, a very underrated one that could of made Rigo show his real potential. Even in the Donaire fight, I genuinely don't even think Rigo got to show half his true talent. Poonsawat would have been great. Kiko needs to happen soon while he's still at his best. I think Riogndeaux beats him but it will interesting to see how he handles that style against a guy with a solid chin and power in both hands.

how? hopkins is a tricky fighter who switch hits with a sh*t load of tricks up his sleeve. A(he also smothers opponents) mayweather fights according to the style that he's facing (he's been known to get into brawls) and whitaker uses his reflexes and awkwardness to make opponents miss. (but thats not a straight up and down pure boxing style) how are these guys fighting in a "pure boxing" style? rigo is the entire definition of what a pure boxer is...........and nether of these guys are greater "pure boxers" then rigo. Your argument is more triggered towards how much of it is applied on the outside. It's irrelevant to bring that up because the fighters we're mentioning; a very large percentage of their game is applied on the outside. I'm simply saying they are more versatile in how they apply themselves on the outside, whether by combinations or utilizing every punch. So not only do they show us more but they do so against far superior opposition which makes the bolded statement ridiculous.

Rigo is still behind floyd, only because between the two, floyd is more tested.

how? hopkins is a tricky fighter who switch hits with a sh*t load of tricks up his sleeve. (he also smothers opponents) mayweather fights according to the style that he's facing (he's been known to get into brawls here and there) and whitaker uses his reflexes and awkwardness to make opponents miss. (but thats not a straight up and down pure boxing style) how are these guys fighting in a "pure boxing" style? rigo is the entire definition of what a pure boxer is...........and nether of these guys are greater "pure boxers" then rigo. you guys are taking the resumes and you're flipping that into something that has nothing to do with the topic. no way no how are the those 3 guys better "pure" boxers. Agree with most of this except for the comment on Whitaker. For one, you need to have great reflexes to do what Rigo does too. And a lot of the hands down and "hot dogging" Whitaker did was just for show. His style wasn't totally based on that. All in all he was very much a pure boxer.