Who is the Greatest Defensive Fighter of All Time?

[MDPopescu]

Father Time.

... don't you think that , from "time-to-time", we need to add some perspective from our "father(s)"?...

[Mikeh333]

Muhammad Ali got hit a great deal, he just took it very well. Had one of the best chins ever. Nevertheless he was not a great defensive fighter.

[Dip_Slide]

"You couldn't hit him in the ass with a handful of rice" -old trainers on Willie Pep. Never have i ever heard such a compliment in boxing.

Benny Leonard was also tremendous defensively and one of the pioneers of fighting off the back foot and having good preemptive defense.

I, however, would always rank Floyd as the best defensive fighter ever because of the consistent effectiveness his style showed against all kinds of opponents at the absolute top level. in 50 pro fights and like 30 title fights nobody really managed to land the same power shot on him twice, very rarely hurt, the best defense statisticallly without a doubt.

[GGG Gloveking]

Father Time.

Father Time is a cherry picker. Always waiting on fighters to get old

[MDPopescu]

Muhammad Ali got hit a great deal, he just took it very well. Had one of the best chins ever. Nevertheless he was not a great defensive fighter.

... I have Ali in the "top 3", tbh... that's it!...

[CubanGuyNYC]

A lot of those guys are not defensive fighters. They just have good defense.


But in terms of pure boxers Chronologically it is.
Willie Pep
Pernell Whitaker
Floyd Mayweather.

Bingo.

"You couldn't hit him in the ass with a handful of rice" -old trainers on Willie Pep. Never have i ever heard such a compliment in boxing.

Benny Leonard was also tremendous defensively and one of the pioneers of fighting off the back foot and having good preemptive defense.

I, however, would always rank Floyd as the best defensive fighter ever because of the consistent effectiveness his style showed against all kinds of opponents at the absolute top level. in 50 pro fights and like 30 title fights nobody really managed to land the same power shot on him twice, very rarely hurt, the best defense statisticallly without a doubt.

Willie Pep is to defensive talk what “Sugar” Ray Robinson is to pound-for-pound discussions. And Floyd has to be, without a doubt, up there in the argument for best ever defensive fighter.

[MDPopescu]

"You couldn't hit him in the ass with a handful of rice" -old trainers on Willie Pep. Never have i ever heard such a compliment in boxing.

Benny Leonard was also tremendous defensively and one of the pioneers of fighting off the back foot and having good preemptive defense.

I, however, would always rank Floyd as the best defensive fighter ever because of the consistent effectiveness his style showed against all kinds of opponents at the absolute top level. in 50 pro fights and like 30 title fights nobody really managed to land the same power shot on him twice, very rarely hurt, the best defense statistically without a doubt.

green k sent!...

... fine assessment!... (imo)

[CubanGuyNYC]

Muhammad Ali got hit a great deal, he just took it very well. Had one of the best chins ever. Nevertheless he was not a great defensive fighter.

Young Ali was very hard to hit. He was a thing of beauty to watch. As age encroached, he was forced to rely increasingly on that great chin. Ali was probably the most gifted heavyweight of all time. His speed, coordination and reflexes at the weight are unparalleled.

[BM dnobagaV]

My vote goes to a second-half-of-his-career Floyd Mayweather.

[MDPopescu]

A lot of those guys are not defensive fighters. They just have good defense.


But in terms of pure boxers Chronologically it is.
Willie Pep
Pernell Whitaker
Floyd Mayweather.

Bingo.



Willie Pep is too defensive talk what “Sugar” Ray Robinson is too pound-for-pound discussions. And Floyd has to be, without a doubt, up there in the argument for best ever defensive fighter.

... green K sent!...

I fully agree...