Rate Chavez's defense.

[Thread Stealer]

7 to 8.

No defensive whiz, but a fairly solid and effective defense. He slipped shots well and rolled with him too.

[BennyST]

7 - He was slippery, especially on the inside, but by no means unhittable. Poet's right - his granite chin definitely helped him out, but he wasn't a punching bag.

This. He was better than most people think of him as, but still nothing to write home about. I think what is greatly underrated in his game by everyone is his counter punching. He had a fantastic counter right over a lazy jab, nice counter jabs....very good fighter.

It's a little underrated though, his defense and when he used it as most people think a great classic boxer uses theirs he was just as effective (ie. when he stood back and deliberately slipped, ducked, rolled etc, he never got hit but he always came forward for it wasn't seen much at all), but still nothing super special. He wasn't Margarito nor was he Whitaker.

[BennyST]

chavez,defense,dont belong in the same sentence

A granite chin and balls the size of apples are what he had in terms of defense.

His defense was his offense really.

Assuming a guy like Mayweather is the bar for a 10, Chavez gets a 5 or a 6. If Mayweather is well above the bar, then maybe you can give him a 7.

You guys need to watch more of him if you think that.

*****: Mayweather is a defensive specialist, just as Chavez is an offensive specialist. When he (floyd) has opened up and fought in a much greater offensive capacity, he has been hit as much as anyone gets hit. You have to take into account that Chavez fought like that his entire career all fight long. Mayweather would occasionally fight an aggressive round or two and he was often tagged and sometimes even hurt for it. They have vastly different styles but someone who is an aggressive 'brawler', pressure fighter (whatever) is going to be hit more no matter what. When Chavez has been mockingly defensive he has been as effective as a great defensive fighter. He just very rarely ever did it.

[TheGreatA]

Good defense for a fighter who was extremely aggressive. When he fought more defensive-minded he was actually difficult to hit. Obviously having a granite chin helped him though.

I wouldn't compare him to defensive artists like Mayweather or Whitaker, more so to aggressive fighters like Duran, Basilio, Baldomir. Baldomir representing the aggressive fighter with no defense whatsoever.

Here's Chavez turning boxer against Lockridge:

[BennyST]

Good defense for a fighter who was extremely aggressive. When he fought more defensive-minded he was actually difficult to hit. Obviously having a granite chin helped him though.

I wouldn't compare him to defensive artists like Mayweather or Whitaker, more so to aggressive fighters like Duran, Basilio, Baldomir. Baldomir representing the aggressive fighter with no defense whatsoever.

Here's Chavez turning boxer against Lockridge:

Leave it to GreatA to write the perfect post. This is what Chavez was about. He was an aggressive, offensive machine, but, if he wanted to was effective at defense and 'classic boxing' as anyone in the sport. He was never as inclined defensively as Whitaker and his version of playing to the audience was to KO someone but since guys like Whitaker/Mayweather couldn't do that they used their defense to mock someone instead.

It is all down to preference and styles. Chavez, if he wanted to, was as effective at defense as some of the best defensive fighters. He just rarely fought that way and instead used it in his offense and break down guys while looking for the KO. Either way, he was very good and underrated, but was still no Whitaker or Toney etc, simply because that's not his style.