Best defensive boxers in history

[El_Cholo]

Duran's defence was criminally underrated.

[Salardo]

James Toney, Willie Pep, Nicolino Locche, Mayweather, Naseem Hamed, Bernard Hopkins, Wilfred Benitez, Mike Tyson

[HaglerSteelChin]

Pep, Locche and Burley are my top three, and probably by some distance.

I'm surprised Jack Johnson hasn't been mentioned yet.

Very true. Johnson was excellent at blocking and parrying punches and helped evolve defensive boxing.

If you want to go back to the pioneer (bareknuckle days) than guys like Daniel Mendoza and Jem mace need honorable mention.

More recent examples of great defense are James Corbett and Maxie Rosenbloom.

I also give honorable mention to both SRL and ALI for using their excellent lateral movement and getting on the bike while utilizing distance with great reflexes.

[Salardo]

Very true. Johnson was excellent at blocking and parrying punches and helped evolve defensive boxing.

If you want to go back to the pioneer (bareknuckle days) than guys like Daniel Mendoza and Jem mace need honorable mention.

More recent examples of great defense are James Corbett and Maxie Rosenbloom.

I also give honorable mention to both SRL and ALI for using their excellent lateral movement and getting on the bike while utilizing distance with great reflexes.

true that. And actually Gene Tunney was the real first guy who used lateral movement.

[HaglerSteelChin]

true that. And actually Gene Tunney was the real first guy who used lateral movement.

Correct. Tunney was a student of Corbett and they trained together. I ranked Tunney #9 as the best defensive fighter. He also took great public criticism for his brainey style of boxing as the public preferred the Dempsey blitzkrieg style. I read Jack Cavanaugh's bio on Tunney a few years ago, one of the best boxing books i ever read.

[Salardo]

Correct. Tunney was a student of Corbett and they trained together. I ranked Tunney #9 as the best defensive fighter. He also took great public criticism for his brainey style of boxing as the public preferred the Dempsey blitzkrieg style. I read Jack Cavanaugh's bio on Tunney a few years ago, one of the best boxing books i ever read.

lol. I read that book also about 2 years ago.
btw in case you haven't read it yet, but this is the best boxing book ever:
http://www.amazon.com/In-This-Corner...world+champion

[Scott9945]

I'm just happy that so far nobody has tried to pass off Mike Tyson as an all time great defensive fighter. Being elusive for about 3 rounds shouldn't vault you to the top of this list.

[Salardo]

I'm just happy that so far nobody has tried to pass off Mike Tyson as an all time great defensive fighter. Being elusive for about 3 rounds shouldn't vault you to the top of this list.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYZzMPsm6c4

[StarshipTrooper]

I'm just happy that so far nobody has tried to pass off Mike Tyson as an all time great defensive fighter. Being elusive for about 3 rounds shouldn't vault you to the top of this list.

Not to mention it's not that difficult to be elusive when the other dude is running for his life.....

Poet

[jaime1523]

defence

guillermo rigondeaux is also a great defensive fighter