best defensive boxer of all time

[bruiser187]

True... Pernell Whitaker is also a candidate

yep sweat pea gets my vote

[BennyST]

As far as the boxers I have seen, Whitaker and Leonard were pretty good.

Leonard wasn't really that great defensively. I mean he was good, very good, but I can think of a lot of fighters who were much better. He had great ring movement which kept him from being hit and amazing speed which enabled him to hit and then get out of harms way quick enough that the other guy wasn't able to hit him. In terms of pure defense though, there were quite a few guys who were better. Whittaker, Loche, Benitez who he fought, also Duran was better defensively, who he fought also of course. Toney, Nunn (who styled himself after Leonard but had much greater defense), Hopkins...It was more his ring movement combined with his offensive speed which kept him from being hit much rather than his actual in the pocket defense which is more what this is about I think.

Edit: That reminds me. I haven't seen Duran mentioned here yet I think. The guy was a defensive master. Wasn't as obvious as someone like Whittaker or Mayweather because he was so much more offensive minded but when you take that into consideration he was a genius. When he stood back and tried not to get hit he was impossible to hit cleanly, if at all. As shown in the Duran/Leonard fight when he was trying to mock Leonard (who was one of the most accurate punchers ever) he would stand back and duck, slip, weave and dodge and Leonard would miss every single punch. Actually up until that point he was very rarely hit cleanly in any fight I've seen unless he was crazed and just storming in without bothering about defense. He had one of the greatest slip and counter punches ever and his head movement was brilliant. I would say he is the best defensive fighter that had an offensive, inside style of fighting ever.

[sterling]

Leonard wasn't really that great defensively. I mean he was good, very good, but I can think of a lot of fighters who were much better. He had great ring movement which kept him from being hit and amazing speed which enabled him to hit and then get out of harms way quick enough that the other guy wasn't able to hit him. In terms of pure defense though, there were quite a few guys who were better. Whittaker, Loche, Benitez who he fought, also Duran was better defensively, who he fought also of course. Toney, Nunn (who styled himself after Leonard but had much greater defense), Hopkins...It was more his ring movement combined with his offensive speed which kept him from being hit much rather than his actual in the pocket defense which is more what this is about I think.

Edit: That reminds me. I haven't seen Duran mentioned here yet I think. The guy was a defensive master. Wasn't as obvious as someone like Whittaker or Mayweather because he was so much more offensive minded but when you take that into consideration he was a genius. When he stood back and tried not to get hit he was impossible to hit cleanly, if at all. As shown in the Duran/Leonard fight when he was trying to mock Leonard (who was one of the most accurate punchers ever) he would stand back and duck, slip, weave and dodge and Leonard would miss every single punch. Actually up until that point he was very rarely hit cleanly in any fight I've seen unless he was crazed and just storming in without bothering about defense. He had one of the greatest slip and counter punches ever and his head movement was brilliant. I would say he is the best defensive fighter that had an offensive, inside style of fighting ever.

yeh i agree with what u saying and some boxers get there defense just from being so fast and elusive e.g. roy jones before he slowed down.

[Brunswick Assassin]

pep, whitaker and locche.

why in the hell is jake lamotta mentioned in this thread?!?

Definitely! The Bronx Bull is widely credited as having the best chin in Boxing history, but that doesn't mean he was a hitting bag. He was a very elusive fighter in his hey-day! Deserves a mention.

[evo]

wudnet say tyson was that gd at defense but he was alrite pep has to win it hands down i mean winning a round without throwing a punch lol ownage

Winky has a pretty awesome defence.

[Banjo7]

This is a silly question its obviously Pep.

[cuzfozzy]

Pep was the best of all time
he taught ali all he knew

[cuzfozzy]

greatest defensive fighter would be mayweather
he so good he ducks fighters completely out of the ring - lol

[Sweet Pete]

Pep was the best of all time
he taught ali all he knew

Ali fought absolutely NOTHING like Pep, and Ali wasn't exactly a great defensive fighter if you actually watched him. But I wouldn't expect you to know that, as you've never watched either of them and are just repeating what you've heard to act knowledgable.

[shawn_]

Ali fought absolutely NOTHING like Pep, and Ali wasn't exactly a great defensive fighter if you actually watched him. But I wouldn't expect you to know that, as you've never watched either of them and are just repeating what you've heard to act knowledgable.

Nicolino Locche!