10 Best Pure Boxers Ever?

[The Old LefHook]

You may change your mind a bunch of times. I may change mine. But here is the initial attempt at a list

In order:

1 Willie Pep
2 Mayweather
3 Benitez
4 Niccolino Locche
5 Mike Gibbons
6 Whitaker
7 Jimmy Young
8 Tommy Loughran
9 Lomachenko
10 Chris Byrd

[JAB5239]

No order

Arguello
Ricardo Lopez
Robinson
Pep
Duran
Louis
Mayweather
Benitez
B. Leonard
Gans

[DeeMoney]

You may change your mind a bunch of times. I may change mine. But here is the initial attempt at a list

In order:

1 Willie Pep
2 Mayweather
3 Benitez
4 Niccolino Locche
5 Mike Gibbons
6 Whitaker
7 Jimmy Young
8 Tommy Loughran
9 Lomachenko
10 Chris Byrd

I'm gonna be the one that asks for a definition of "Pure Boxer". My thought is, you are looking at strictly skill and ring IQ; essentially balancing out athleticism, size, punching power, etc. and taking what we have left. Is that correct?

[Willie Pep 229]

Funny you both put Benitez on your list but neither SRL - would seem to me anything Benitez could do Sugar Ray could do - both stated fighting each other was like looking into a mirror.

[mrbig1]

where's the greatest?

[JAB5239]

Funny you both put Benitez on your list but neither SRL - would seem to me anything Benitez could do Sugar Ray could do - both stated fighting each other was like looking into a mirror.

I just threw my list together, but I do believe Benitez was the better pure boxer. Certainly not the greater fighter though.

[The Old LefHook]

I'm gonna be the one that asks for a definition of "Pure Boxer". My thought is, you are looking at strictly skill and ring IQ; essentially balancing out athleticism, size, punching power, etc. and taking what we have left. Is that correct?

Good enough.

[billeau2]

Here are some for consideration not mentioned

1. Joe gantz the old master
2. Gene Tunney 3. James Toney/ Archie Moore his mentor

more to come the wife has groceries.

[The Old LefHook]

Many people are including great offensive fighters who had great technique. That is OK. But I suppose I was thinking more along the line of Ten Slipperiest Fighters. But in that case I would have to put Nicolino Locche at #1. Glad to have these lists containing fighters not usually thought of as pure boxers.

[The Old LefHook]

Funny you both put Benitez on your list but neither SRL - would seem to me anything Benitez could do Sugar Ray could do - both stated fighting each other was like looking into a mirror.

Because I was thinking more of defense than offense. It is a fact that some of the most skilled boxers used their skill primarily to land punches. Others employed their talent to evade them.

Leonard and Benitez did not really fight that much alike. Benitez kept a high guard, Leonard a low one. Benitez used a traditional medicine bag of boxing knowledge, and could make you miss inside; Leonard used mostly his superior athleticism and his legs to accomplish the same end of not being hit. Leonard traveled a lot more in the ring than Benitez, who just wanted to stay put and pivot in your face while making you miss.

I believe their likeness is more in the stats than in their styles, which I think are notably different.