Greatest Offensive Boxer Ever?

[OctoberRed]

Hmmm, Tyson, Holyfield, Pacquiao to name a few

[New England]

Davey Day this is the guy. For more info, go to ebay search "davey day and henry armstrong" exhibit card 1933. Read the description, full info on the fighters of that period. Thank you.

an ebay search?

[Scopedog]

I'm not sure myself if he counts as the greatest ever, and he was also a very good boxer so this is probably going to seem like an odd mention, but I think Sugar Ray Leonard was also a very good offensive fighter. His hands were so fast and he was relentless when he smelled blood, and he hit not only with a lot of spite but also no small amount of imagination. He beat a lot of hall of fame fighters, both good offensive and defensive fighters, including guys mentioned in this thread, on the front foot. Obviously though that first loss to Duran will count against him when it comes down to his potential status as best ever, though - though he did beat Duran, he did that on the backfoot. When he was dragged into the trenches with Duran the first time, he was well beaten. Even so, I think he deserves at least a mention.

[QueensburyRules]

- -No doubt Ray a top shelf talent, but the first Duran fight changed him into something of a runner, a survival defensive tactic taking away from his offense.

I grant that his otherwise useless popcorn flurries stirred up his fans and judges like few fighters could sorta like Ali's shuffle use too.

[The Old LefHook]

The greatest offensive fighter by definition probably must to some degree eschew defense if he is to surpass rivals for ferocity. Or be a superb technician like Duran whose defense was seamlessly blended into his game, allowing him to be aggressive almost all the time. I personally believe Duran had one of the more complete games ever in boxing.

[Rusty Tromboni]

The greatest offensive fighter by definition probably must to some degree eschew defense if he is to surpass rivals for ferocity. Or be a superb technician like Duran whose defense was seamlessly blended into his game, allowing him to be aggressive almost all the time. I personally believe Duran had one of the more complete games ever in boxing.

I agree. Lomachenko and (probably) Ezzard Charles, too, blend the offense and defense.

I tend to think of "greatest offensive/defensive fighter" more one-dimensionally. Guys like Arguello, Williams and Armstrong were more singular in their approach, and that's really what the spirit of this thread is about. But you can't deny the effectiveness of guys like duran and lomachenko.

[PRINCEKOOL]

The greatest offensive fighter by definition probably must to some degree eschew defense if he is to surpass rivals for ferocity. Or be a superb technician like Duran whose defense was seamlessly blended into his game, allowing him to be aggressive almost all the time. I personally believe Duran had one of the more complete games ever in boxing.

Well if that is the case, it is most likely Mike Tyson. Roberto Duran could not knocked his opponents out with ANY punch. And he was not notoriously known for being allusive. In some ways? I rate fighters like Hoyfield and Tyson higher offensively than any of the lower weight category fighters 'For the simple fact that Hoyfield & Tyson where fighting opponents who out weighed them at times'

Like I stated in my first post the fighters that spring to my mind are Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Nigel Benn, Ricky Hatton 'I have put Ricky Hatton in the mix, because I honestly believe he was the last elite level boxer to specialize in body punching'.

[Richard Hamilton]

Roy Jones Jr!

[Rusty Tromboni]

Well if that is the case, it is most likely Mike Tyson. Roberto Duran could not knocked his opponents out with ANY punch. And he was not notoriously known for being allusive. In some ways? I rate fighters like Hoyfield and Tyson higher offensively than any of the lower weight category fighters 'For the simple fact that Hoyfield & Tyson where fighting opponents who out weighed them at times'

Like I stated in my first post the fighters that spring to my mind are Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Nigel Benn, Ricky Hatton 'I have put Ricky Hatton in the mix, because I honestly believe he was the last elite level boxer to specialize in body punching'.

LOL, have you not seen what Duran did to Marcel or Rojas? The dude melted faces. Maybe not like Ike Williams (who would've starched that bum hatton), but he had tremendous one-punch power. Rosario and Tendler had more, but Duran didn't plant himself to throw bombs. His opponents were too god to get set-up like that.

Look at the uppercut Duran caught Leonard w/ in Rd2Fight1. If he were a Hw, he would've iced any man who's ever lived with that punch.

Conversely, Tyson wouldn't have gotten away w/ the Peekabo style if not a Hw. It just doesn't work at lower weights. Hell, I don't know that Floyd Patterson wasn't better at everything Tyson did... but Cus D'Amato realized a fighter w/ that style was too small even at 190 pounds! Thus, Tyson entered the ring looking like a Mr Olympia Contestant.

[The Old LefHook]

Well if that is the case, it is most likely Mike Tyson. Roberto Duran could not knocked his opponents out with ANY punch. And he was not notoriously known for being allusive. In some ways? I rate fighters like Hoyfield and Tyson higher offensively than any of the lower weight category fighters 'For the simple fact that Hoyfield & Tyson where fighting opponents who out weighed them at times'

Like I stated in my first post the fighters that spring to my mind are Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield, Nigel Benn, Ricky Hatton 'I have put Ricky Hatton in the mix, because I honestly believe he was the last elite level boxer to specialize in body punching'.

By God, you put Ricky Hatton on a greatest anything list? Go home, son. You are lost and do not know what you are doing here.