Best I've faced

[Ganondorf]

Juan Manuel Marquez - Originally posted in August 2016

BEST JAB
Marco Antonio Barrera: When you want to dodge a jab using speed, you must calculate it. That is what I did with him. I tried to guess where his punches were going and then counterpunch and decrease their accuracy.

BEST CHIN
Manny Pacquiao: He took a good shot and he always returned stronger.

FASTEST HANDS
Pacquiao: He has a lot of power and speed.

FASTEST FEET
Pacquiao: He is always everywhere. He is a tough fighter.

SMARTEST
Sergey Fedchenko: The Ukrainian fighter, no one knew him. He had a great counterpunching (style), speed and a great jab. He was very intelligent also. Manuel Mantecas Medina was also very smart.

STRONGEST
Pacquiao: When he fought, he moved his hips a lot. Then I analyzed that all his power came from there, in the hips. I understood that he couldnt do his power moves and he would have problems if I used speed so I started fighting different.

BEST PUNCHER
Pacquiao: In all the fights I had, nobody hit me harder than him.

BEST DEFENSE
Pacquiao: He is great at closing his defense, he has a good guard and it is very hard to land (a clean punch). After four fights with him, I was able to know him better. I also learned his mistakes. Fedchenko also had great defense.

BEST SKILLS
Juan Diaz: Juan has a lot of speed. He was aggressive and elusive. On the other hand, Joel (Casamayor) was great with the distance and he was a brilliant fighter.

BEST OVERALL
Pacquiao: Without doubt, the best pound-for-pound of his time and I faced him at his best.

Man I respect Marquez and IMO he should have been given the nod in at least one of the first 3 Pacquiao fights. I’ve seen different opinions on which so you can take your pick, but damn I was expecting him to give Floyd some credit SOMEWHERE! Oscar and I believe it was Pacquiao who also didn’t but that I pretty much expected that.

He went to war with Pacquiao 4 times with both men doing their share of damage and winning rounds until he finally got the KO in the “zit-back” fight but damn.

I understand he was moving up from lightweight and Floyd cheated him on the scales, but 120-107 wasn’t it or something like that? Surprising because after retirement and all I thought I seem to remember him saying flattering things about Floyd. Again I understand his general sentiment doe because of the history and respect he has with Pacquiao.

Marquez surprised me with his behavior a few times doe. I never expected to see him drink a glass of his own piss on HBO or act like a poor sport in the ring after the Bradley fight. That fight was not even close! I understand competitive spirit but damn it’s over, he lost bad. And I was rooting for him! I haven’t seen the interview in years but I seem to recall him not giving Bradley any credit whatsoever.

I have read this post years ago with all of the fighters and I loved it and I saw a pop up again so I revised. Great stuff!

I am from Arkansas originally so I loved Jermain Taylor’s “fastest hands” or “fastest” answer, whichever it was. ME!

[SweetPbfAli]

Man I respect Marquez and IMO he should have been given the nod in at least one of the first 3 Pacquiao fights, but damn I was expecting him to give Floyd some credit SOMEWHERE!

He went to war with Pacquiao 4 times with both men doing their share of damage and winning rounds until he finally got the KO in the “zit-back” fight but damn.

I understand he was moving up from lightweight and Floyd cheated him on the scales, but 120-107 wasn’t it or something like that? Surprising because after retirement and all I thought I seem to remember him saying flattering things about Floyd. Again I understand his general sentiment doe because of the history and respect he has with Pacquiao.

Marquez surprised me with his behavior a few times doe. I never expected to see him drink a glass of his own piss on HBO or act like a poor sport in the ring after the Bradley fight. That fight was not even close! I understand competitive spirit but damn it’s over lost bad. I haven’t seen the interview in years but I seem to recall him not giving Bradley any credit whatsoever.

I have read this post years ago with all of the fighters and I loved it and I saw a pop up again so I revised. Great stuff!

I am from Arkansas originally so I loved Jermain Taylor’s “fastest hands” or “fastest” answer, whichever it was. ME!

Makes more sense for him to elevate the ATG fighter that he was on even terms with and eventually KO'd instead of the other that beat both of them rather easily.

JMM doesn't KO Manny, Floyd name would be there lol

[Ganondorf]

Makes more sense for him to elevate the ATG fighter that he was on even terms with and eventually KO'd instead of the other that beat both of them rather easily.

JMM doesn't KO Manny, Floyd name would be there lol

I happen to disagree but “LIKE I SAID BEFORE!” I can certainly understand that line of thinking.

I happen to think the guy that just completely outclassed you pretty much 36 out of 36 mins and your own trainer said the best or only (I’m paraphrasing) way to beat Floyd was “With a bat!” should be at least mentioned. He doesn’t even have to say he’s number 1 but damn.

Damn I miss GREAT warriors like Marquez, Pac, and Floyd in today’s boxing.

[SweetPbfAli]

I happen to disagree but “LIKE I SAID BEFORE!” I can certainly understand that line of thinking.

I happen to think the guy that just completely outclassed you pretty much 36 out of 36 mins and your own trainer said the best or only (I’m paraphrasing) way to beat Floyd was “With a bat!” should be at least mentioned. He doesn’t even have to say he’s number 1 but damn.

Damn I miss GREAT warriors like Marquez, Pac, and Floyd in today’s boxing.

Yeah, that was a great era of boxing. JMM is one of my favorites but he's pretty petty so this doesn't surprise me lol.

[Roadblock]

Man I respect Marquez and IMO he should have been given the nod in at least one of the first 3 Pacquiao fights. I’ve seen different opinions on which so you can take your pick, but damn I was expecting him to give Floyd some credit SOMEWHERE! Oscar and I believe it was Pacquiao who also didn’t but that I pretty much expected that.

He went to war with Pacquiao 4 times with both men doing their share of damage and winning rounds until he finally got the KO in the “zit-back” fight but damn.

I understand he was moving up from lightweight and Floyd cheated him on the scales, but 120-107 wasn’t it or something like that? Surprising because after retirement and all I thought I seem to remember him saying flattering things about Floyd. Again I understand his general sentiment doe because of the history and respect he has with Pacquiao.

Marquez surprised me with his behavior a few times doe. I never expected to see him drink a glass of his own piss on HBO or act like a poor sport in the ring after the Bradley fight. That fight was not even close! I understand competitive spirit but damn it’s over, he lost bad. And I was rooting for him! I haven’t seen the interview in years but I seem to recall him not giving Bradley any credit whatsoever.

I have read this post years ago with all of the fighters and I loved it and I saw a pop up again so I revised. Great stuff!

I am from Arkansas originally so I loved Jermain Taylor’s “fastest hands” or “fastest” answer, whichever it was. ME!

If you read the list and then watch what Marquez says in this interview, there are many contradictions, this interview was after he KOed Manny so their ring time was done, he says a number of times Mayweather is the best fighter in the world, says he is pound for pound best, says everybody seen what happened in 2009 and he doesn't want to fight Floyd again, says Floyd will beat Canelo,,,,,,,, sounds nothing like the list here.

[tritium_arma]

Adonis Stevenson - Nov 2022

BEST JAB
Badou Jack: “He gets the jab out, the timing; he’s patient. It was a swift jab.”


BEST DEFENSE
Jack: “He had a good defense, too. He can block the punch.”


BEST HANDSPEED
Chad Dawson: “I could see his jab was very quick.”


BEST FOOTWORK
Oleksandr Gvozdyk: “He moved around the ring very well.”


SMARTEST
Andrzej Fonfara: “When I fought the first fight, he let me punch him, he kept blocking and was waiting for a good moment. He was very wise, waiting for his moment. When his moment came, he caught me and I realized everything he was doing was to wear me down. My energy was going and he knew it. He saw the opportunity, he caught me and [I went down, then] I got up.”


STRONGEST
Fonfara: “He’s big and very strong physically. He walked around at 200 pounds.”


BEST PUNCHER
Dawson: “I could feel his power, and he also disrespected me. I said in my mind, ‘I have to finish him quick,’ before he got his rhythm.”


BEST CHIN
Sakio Bika: “I don’t think there was a boxer who knocked him out. I hit him clean, he went on the floor and he got up. He had a good defense, but he had a good chin. When you punched him in the head you felt the punch in your hands. He’s got a chin!”


BEST BOXING SKILLS
“I think Tony Bellew had good skills. He had long arms, good jab. Aaron Pryor Jr., he’s tall — this guy is 10 feet (laughs) and he’s got skills.”


BEST OVERALL
Jack: “He was a two-weight world champion. He brought the best out in me; we had a great fight.”

So best overall and best puncher were guys he either beat or were competitive with as opposed to Gvozdyk's beatdown of him?

[Ganondorf]

Yeah, that was a great era of boxing. JMM is one of my favorites but he's pretty petty so this doesn't surprise me lol.

Yeah some of his behavior I would think is beneath a fighter of his caliber but that’s my opinion. I’m not a fighter, just a regular guy on the sidelines.

[Ganondorf]

If you read the list and then watch what Marquez says in this interview, there are many contradictions, this interview was after he KOed Manny so their ring time was done, he says a number of times Mayweather is the best fighter in the world, says he is pound for pound best, says everybody seen what happened in 2009 and he doesn't want to fight Floyd again, says Floyd will beat Canelo,,,,,,,, sounds nothing like the list here.

Thanks for sharing! Heading to bed soon but will definitely check it out tomorrow!

[Chrismart]

Carlos Palomino - Dec 2022


BEST JAB
Hedgemon Lewis: His jab was like a whip. It was like Muhammad Ali’s jab; it was very fast and constantly in your face.


BEST DEFENSE
Wilfred Benitez: It almost seemed like he had a sixth sense and felt like he knew what was coming at him before the punches were thrown.


BEST HANDSPEED
Roberto Duran: Duran, for sure. His handspeed was different than, say, Sugar Ray Leonard. It was more quickness. I remember he threw a right hand at me; I went to block it and he stopped the right hand in mid-air and hit me with a left hook. When he did that, I knew [he] was a whole [different level] of fighter.


BEST FOOTWORK
Benitez: It has to be Benitez. His footwork was tricky; it was more like angles he used to avoid getting hit.


SMARTEST
Duran: You can see him thinking as the fight goes along.


STRONGEST
Armando Muniz: He used to wrestle in high school, so he had a different kind of physical strength.


BEST CHIN
Muniz: His neck was so thick that it looked like his head was attached to his shoulders. It was the reason why he could take shots all night long.


BEST PUNCHER
Zovek Barajas: Early in my career (1975), I fought a guy named Zovek Barajas, whose punches I felt were the hardest. Barajas had really heavy hands, so wherever he hit me, it hurt. He dropped me in Round 10 of our first fight. Because of the knockdown, the fight ended up a draw. I knocked him out in the rematch.


BEST BOXING SKILLS
Benitez: He was very tricky. He moved in angles and was difficult to land punches on him. He had every shot in the book.


BEST OVERALL
Duran: Duran was the best overall because he had a different set of skills. Fast hands and good feet, was very smart, could tell he was thinking at all times. He used lots of angles and feints to get you reacting defensively. So in the end, he’s dictating the pace and I was fighting his fight, not mine.

[Chrismart]

Junior Witter - June 2023

BEST JAB
Devon Alexander: “The jab was sharp and accurate. It lasted throughout the fight and was consistent and didn’t dip.”

BEST DEFENSE
DeMarcus Corley: “He moved and he was very defensive with what he did. I probably landed one really good shot in the fight. He was too much in his shell; he tucked up really well. His defense was really good.”

BEST HANDSPEED
Alexander: “His backhand was really sharp; it was really fast. Devon had the best handspeed.”

BEST FOOTWORK
Zab Judah: “I’d probably go with Zab Judah; he moved across the ring well. There’s not much between him and Devon. They both did what they did in their style, and it was effective.”

SMARTEST
Judah: “It’s that smart aggression he uses to intimidate and bully you and get you into positions. And when he lets his hands go, he’s lethal.”

STRONGEST
Tim Bradley: “Bradley was strong, but so was Lovemore [Ndou]. I think I’ve got to go Bradley on that one. Bullish, came in dangerous with the head, just a bit rough and tough on the inside.”

BEST CHIN
Lovemore Ndou: “There were a few, but I just think Lovemore Ndou. I dropped him twice, but it was more technique and angle than raw power. I hit him flush several times and he just stayed there. He didn’t move, he didn’t flinch. Bradley was very good in that respect, but I just give it more to Lovemore.”

BEST PUNCHER
Vivian Harris: “I think it was the first round. I’d clipped him and knew he’d felt it. I stepped forward and he hit me with this back hand and it landed and stopped me in my tracks. His power was probably the best. The other one I boxed was Jan Bergman, who was a phenomenal puncher. He clipped me with a left hook and I thought, ‘That’s a shot. I don’t want to be taking a lot of them.’ Them two were definitely the biggest punchers. Bradley caught me, put me over, didn’t faze me, didn’t hurt me. It was more the angle that he caught me with. Devon caught me with a couple of good shots; I felt them.”

BEST BOXING SKILLS
Judah: “There’s an aggressive fighter who can box, who throws bombs. At that particular point when I boxed him, I’ve got to give it to him.”

BEST OVERALL
Harris: “On the night I boxed Vivian Harris, I think he would have beat everybody else at the weight, except me. If you look at what they achieved in their career, it’s a whole different story. It’s what opportunities you get, when you get opportunities. If you look at outstanding achievements, you think Bradley. He beat Pac-Man, he beat Devon. He achieved so much. Zab Judah was pound-for-pound best of his time. I’m doing it on the night I boxed them, and it’s Vivian Harris.”