Who had the best footwork?

[CarlosG815]

Who had the best footwork of these heavyweights?

Mike Tyson
Joe Frazier
Jack Dempsey

[CarlosG815]

The footwork of these 3 men has always been super impressive to me. Who do you feel had the superior footwork of the 3?

[bklynboy]

Who had the best footwork of these heavyweights?

Mike Tyson
Joe Frazier
Jack Dempsey

Between Joe Frazier and a young Tyson I would give the edge to Tyson. He was almost always in perfect balance and his adjustments as he was preparing to punch were beautiful to watch.

I really can't tell with Dempsey - not in the same way that I can with Frazier and Tyson. The film of Tyson and of fights in the 1980s+ is far better than it was in the 1960s and 70s (let alone in the 1910s and 1920s).

[CarlosG815]

Between Joe Frazier and a young Tyson I would give the edge to Tyson. He was almost always in perfect balance and his adjustments as he was preparing to punch were beautiful to watch.

I really can't tell with Dempsey - not in the same way that I can with Frazier and Tyson. The film of Tyson and of fights in the 1980s+ is far better than it was in the 1960s and 70s (let alone in the 1910s and 1920s).

There is enough film on Dempsey to see his footwork... Tyson modeled his footwork after Dempsey... Dempsey's footwork was also masterful to watch.

[Barn]

They all had good footwork and speed as it was vital to their style.

I think Joe Frazier has the best, he never got reckless with his footwork even when rushing in his feet were always calculated and in a good stance, whereas Tyson can turn a little square sometimes when going for the kill.

From what I've seen when coming in Dempsey seems to employ a wider stance when coming in to keep him lower and on balance so he is more likely to recover after bbeing hit when getting inside Dempsey's teachnical abilities are often hugely under-rated.

Frazier
Dempsey
Tyson

[CarlosG815]

They all had good footwork and speed as it was vital to their style.

I think Joe Frazier has the best, he never got reckless with his footwork even when rushing in his feet were always calculated and in a good stance, whereas Tyson can turn a little square sometimes when going for the kill.

From what I've seen when coming in Dempsey seems to employ a wider stance when coming in to keep him lower and on balance so he is more likely to recover after bbeing hit when getting inside Dempsey's teachnical abilities are often hugely under-rated.

Frazier
Dempsey
Tyson

This is true... Joe always looked comfortable and light on his feet, even in the 14th round of FOTC. Tyson looked square sometimes, as he did against Pinklon Thomas as he was knocking him out... Good post.

[bklynboy]

There is enough film on Dempsey to see his footwork... Tyson modeled his footwork after Dempsey... Dempsey's footwork was also masterful to watch.

I've seen that fight - and others. BUT we see the details far better in the HBO era than we did before. We have multiple camera angles, close-ups, sharper images than we did in the 1960s and 70s. I wonder how much the film affects our judgment (or at least mine).

[CarlosG815]

13 seconds and again at 18 seconds... Not totally in balance, but that's the tradeoff when you throw punches that hard I guess...

[The Surgeon]

They all have good footwork but for me its Tyson, they way he could be on ur chest and in a split second he's changed the angle on u and is smashing a left hook into ur ribcage, his pivots were exceptional. The move he pulled to drop Tillis was awsum

[the_ilest]

mike by far. that dude had some impressive hard work.