Who was the most skilled textbook fighters

[Juan Acero]

Too difficult, just can't put them in a certain order, if I put effort in I could be rearranging them for hours.

Edit; Didn't read properly the first time, can't pick a certain 1 either though.

Probably Curry ?, could be Canizales, Louis or Arguello sound like they should both be split best. Nah, can't do it.

Joe Louis was crude and easy to hit. He also never had a plan b.

Arguello was literally better at everything.

[The Old LefHook]

Ezzard Charles is not even on the list, and the OP asks me why his is not an ATG list for technical proficiency. He must have chosen these names out of a bucket of somewhat technically proficient fighters with his eyes closed.

You are only textbook perfect when you have developed the tools for every situation that comes up. Arguello, for instance, was inept at handling men who gave him lots of speedy angles. His speed was only average, and his rigid footwork was not prepared to deal with uncooperative opponents, much as I love and respect him. In the punching department, he was spectacular, if the opponent was cooperative, of course.

The best medicine bag today belongs to Mayweather. His hand always comes out with the right tool in it. I do not like him or his style much, but he is amazing, and I give him as much credit as I think he deserves, while heavily criticizing him where I think he deserves criticism. About all he lacks in the technical department is a big punch. Could be that his hands prevent that anymore. Could be. He probably knows perfectly well how to punch with power, but durst not do it anymore. If his big shot does not put the opponent out immediately, he could be in big trouble if the power shot injured his mitt.

One glaring technical gap for most fighters today is the inability to cut the ring off. Watching most of them makes you think they never heard of the concept before. They need to seriously watch Foreman, who was wonderful in this department, though I would never suggest he should be placed on an AT list for technically proficient fighters.

Hopkins and Andre Ward have been able to adapt to most situations, primarily by becoming ugly. Still, they adapted well, for the most part.

There are indeed several fighters on this list whom one would not be amiss in placing on an AT Technical Proficiency list for consideration. Some men are not super speedy but have developed the timing and technical skills to often deal with speedier opponents. Just because Marquez could not handle Mayweather at all does not mean he does not have a deep medicine bag. His medicine bag is, in fact, quite plumped relative to his contemporaries. But Mayweather had an even deeper bag, and was additionally the possessor of supersonic speed. That almost always means someone is going to get slaughtered--when the speed difference is large, that is, despite their proficiency.

It is usual for even ATG's to excel marvelously in some departments while often remaining shockingly inept in others. Complete mastery of only a subset of boxing's skills is, then, enough to win the eternal accolades of All Time Greatness, as long as the subset is one that works.

I have long held that beard is the most important quality for a top boxer. You will get smacked hard, probably sooner rather than later. You have got to figure that most all time greats can land on most other all time greats, or why would they even be there? Beard is something in the medicine bag, too, whether it comes natural or you have to train for it. Sooner or later, beard will have to be dragged from every top boxer's medicine bag. No exceptions. I would say that department has proven itself the greatest killer of potential ATG's, particularly because it goes at least partly hand in hand with conditioning and stamina. There are other ways to lose badly than a chin giving out. McGregor's chin did not give out the other night, his stamina did, which mightily affects punch absorption. The end result is, you lose badly.

[Juan Acero]

Ezzard Charles is not even on the list, and the OP asks me why his is not an ATG list for technical proficiency. He must have chosen these names out of a bucket of somewhat technically proficient fighters with his eyes closed.

You are only textbook perfect when you have developed the tools for every situation that comes up. Arguello, for instance, was inept at handling men who gave him lots of speedy angles. His speed was only average, and his rigid footwork was not prepared to deal with uncooperative opponents, much as I love and respect him. In the punching department, he was spectacular, if the opponent was cooperative, of course.

The best medicine bag today belongs to Mayweather. His hand always comes out with the right tool in it. I do not like him or his style much, but he is amazing, and I give him as much credit as I think he deserves, while heavily criticizing him where I think he deserves criticism. About all he lacks in the technical department is a big punch. Could be that his hands prevent that anymore. Could be. He probably knows perfectly well how to punch with power, but durst not do it anymore. If his big shot does not put the opponent out immediately, he could be in big trouble if the power shot injured his mitt.

One glaring technical gap for most fighters today is the inability to cut the ring off. Watching most of them makes you think they never heard of the concept before. They need to seriously watch Foreman, who was wonderful in this department, though I would never suggest he should be placed on an AT list for technically proficient fighters.

Hopkins and Andre Ward have been able to adapt to most situations, primarily by becoming ugly. Still, they adapted well, for the most part.

There are indeed several fighters on this list whom one would not be amiss in placing on an AT Technical Proficiency list for consideration. Some men are not super speedy but have developed the timing and technical skills to often deal with speedier opponents. Just because Marquez could not handle Mayweather at all does not mean he does not have a deep medicine bag. His medicine bag is, in fact, quite plumped relative to his contemporaries. But Mayweather had an even deeper bag, and was additionally the possessor of supersonic speed. That almost always means someone is going to get slaughtered--when the speed difference is large, that is, despite their proficiency.

It is usual for even ATG's to excel marvelously in some departments while often remaining shockingly inept in others. Complete mastery of only a subset of boxing's skills is, then, enough to win the eternal accolades of All Time Greatness, as long as the subset is one that works.

I have long held that beard is the most important quality for a top boxer. You will get smacked hard, probably sooner rather than later. You have got to figure that most all time greats can land on most other all time greats, or why would they even be there? Beard is something in the medicine bag, too, whether it comes natural or you have to train for it. Sooner or later, beard will have to be dragged from every top boxer's medicine bag. No exceptions. I would say that department has proven itself the greatest killer of potential ATG's, particularly because it goes at least partly hand in hand with conditioning and stamina. There are other ways to lose badly than a chin giving out. McGregor's chin did not give out the other night, his stamina did, which mightily affects punch absorption. The end result is, you lose badly.

You okay there old timer??

You are literally babbling incoherently.....

In the few moments you seem to make sense, it also seems you have an "agenda"

Do You?