The best left jabs in Heavyweight History

[mickey malone]

I'd say Holmes is the undisputed king of the Jabs, closely followed by Lewis..
Liston had the hardest jab, but not the speed to operate it to maximum effect..

Other mentionables..

Ali
Norton
Machen
Tyson
Wlad
Witherspoon
Bruno
Tunney

[Sugarj]

I would have chipped in Bruno too Mickey but didn't want to face the backlash. For all Frank's other shortcomings his jab was not too shabby, heavy (like a lance!), accurate and he used it well.

[mickey malone]

I would have chipped in Bruno too Mickey but didn't want to face the backlash. For all Frank's other shortcomings his jab was not too shabby, heavy (like a lance!), accurate and he used it well.

I know lol... But don't forget.... I'm terrified of the bully boy posters lol....

Just going back to Thomas... He was darn lucky not to get himself killed that night..
I remember the pre fight interview.. He'd not long been outta Heroin rehabilitation.. His eyes were glazed, & he was having difficulties in constructing a sentence.. Seeing him get KTFO twice (twice meaning once again on the way down).. It's a wonder he's still alive.. Real shame, cos before the drugs, Larry Holmes touted him as the best jab out there, & Holmes wasn't one for compliments...

[Sugarj]

Ha Ha funny guy. Nothing more threatening than an Internet hard man!

No Thomas did have potential, one of the better prospects of the mid eighties. Tremendous and ridiculously quick decline. I gather he faced either Bowe or Lewis at some point as either was climbing the ranks. Not a fight I ever saw but wonder how bad he was in the early 90s.

Its a shame that many of the 80s alphabet heavyweights turned to the hard drugs, alot of wasted talent.

[mickey malone]

Ha Ha funny guy. Nothing more threatening than an Internet hard man!

No Thomas did have potential, one of the better prospects of the mid eighties. Tremendous and ridiculously quick decline. I gather he faced either Bowe or Lewis at some point as either was climbing the ranks. Not a fight I ever saw but wonder how bad he was in the early 90s.

Its a shame that many of the 80s alphabet heavyweights turned to the hard drugs, alot of wasted talent.

Note you said 'hard drugs'
Should'a taken a 'leaf' outta Terrible Tims bag...lol

[JAB5239]

BTW-Joe Louis's jab is over rated.Look at the films,he used it to set up his other punches.He used it as a "feeler" more than a powerfull jab,that some people believe.

Not according to guys who fought him. James Braddock said Louis' jab was like other heavyweights right hands.

Louis' jab was excellent. It was fast, accurate and powerful. It just gets overlooked in comparison to the rest of his offensive arsenal.

As far as best jabs in history.....Holmes, Liston, Louis, Ali, Wlad, Lennox. All are/were capable of controlling a fight with that punch alone.

[Sugarj]

Quite right Mickey, I'll 'crack' my head open on my vintage collection of Tony Tubbs fight films too!

[Sugarj]

Oh and thanks for the info JAB, I posted earlier about one of Louis's challengers saying that about Louis's left hand and forgot if it was Braddock or Baer!

[mickey malone]

Quite right Mickey, I'll 'crack' my head open on my vintage collection of Tony Tubbs fight films too!

Great example actually.. He had magnificent hand speed for a heavy, & was a force to be reckoned with while corpulent.. Can remember him coming outta rehab, looking comparitively lean & mean, but was brutally KO'd by Lionel Butler who was like a poor mans Tyson at the time..

[Sugarj]

Yea Lionel Butler, cannon fodder for Lennox Lewis's rehabilitation after McCall 1.

Some thought Tony Tubbs deserved the verdict over an up and coming Bowe. And fair to him he won round one against a peak Tyson in 1988, a miracle in itself!! Ha ha