Favorite Boxers: CURRENT: Vitali Klitschko -- In my opinion (mine only), the greatest heavyweight fighter at the moment. Antonio Tarver -- Not a fluke. Not as naturally gifted as the phenomenal and prodigious Roy Jones, Jr., but he is a better fighter and a better boxer (uh-oh. here come the violent disagreements!) Bernard Hopkins -- Hitman reloaded Wayne Braithwaite -- Power and grace, seamlessly packaged LEGENDS: Sugar Ray Robinson -- Pound for pound, the best who ever lived Teofilo Stevenson -- Often overlooked when ranking the best heavyweights of all time. Big mistake Henry Armstrong -- Boxing's "sweet science" personified and of course, Muhammed Ali -- Transcends boxing altogether
How did you settle upon James Figg as a favourite fighter? He is from an era in the distant annuls of the sport - do you have any articles or essays on his fighting style/record you could point me towards? Thanks.
Look again, shooto Teofilo Stevenson is right there under Sugar Ray Robinson. And you're right about Felix Savon. If Teofilo is the King, he's the crown prince. Believe it or not, one of my most cherished possessions is an autographed picture of me and Alcides Segarra. You can try this link, pimphand: James Figg
3 guys nobody's heard of.... If I had to pick 3 of my "favourite", as opposed to "the best", fighters ... my three would be a couple of champions and a character: 3) Matthew Saad Mohamed (though, I think I actually liked him more as Matt Franklin) -- involved in some of the most exciting back and forth, give and take, about to get ko'd but makes a comeback, fights I can remember against Yaqui Lopez, John Conteh and Dwight Mohamed Quawi. In everyone one of these fights he looked like he was about to get ko'd then he'd comeback. It was like watching a Rocky movie. Finally, couldn't make anymore comebacks against Quawi. Great (to watch) light heavyweight champion from the 80's. 2) Orlando Canizales -- punches in bunches, all combos all the time. Boxing the way it's supposed to look, bob and weave, and everything in combinations from every conceivable angle. A 5 ft 3 inch bantamweight champion who bobbed under and around his taller opponents (single) punches, jabbed his way in and then threw combo's to the head and body. An artist in a world of paint by the numbers hacks. 1) Bruce "the mouse" Strauss -- fought as Bruce "the Mouse" Strauss, "Pretty Boy" Floyd Bernstein, "Machine Gun" Kelly Jones, Reuben Bardot. Fought 134 fights (winning 76) as the mouse, but probably over 200 altogether. Been knocked out in 6 continents (except North Pole -- Strauss' words, I think he may have meant South Pole); fought 4 or 5 times a week at times, and a couple of times twice in one day; got ko'd by 3 world champs (Starling, McCallum, and Czyz) in three different weight divisions; had especially designed shorts to hide lead bars so he could fight as a welterweight one day and a heavyweight the next day; drank beer in his corner that fans offered him; chatted up ring girls; hid injuries to fight; faked injuries so he could stay in the hospital because there was a nurse he liked (actually married her later) ; never actually trained, but worked on 3 round principle where he would look for a soft spot on the convas to land after the 3rd round; later became a manager and trainer and turned down training one fighter because he was "too good" and he did'nt know how to get him fights; had a movie made about him called, "The Mouse". Not a great, er... even good fighter, but a character and one of my favourites.
Iron Mike (Mike Tyson): He was a monster in the 80s. He was aggressive like no other, he didn't dance around like a fairy, he was direct and to the point. Others worth mentioning.. Muhammad Ali (Cassius Marcellus Clay) RJJ (Roy Jones Jr.) Gentleman Jim (James John Corbett) Jack Dempsey (William Harrison Dempsey)
I haven't been a huge fan of boxing but here are the ones that left the biggest impacts. 1. Muhammed Ali - He was certainly one of a kind, not just as far as fighting goes but persona wise as well. 2. Sugar Ray Leonard - for speed and technique 3. Mike Tyson - fascinating to watch all that animalistic rage in the ring.
BEST 1 - Rocky Marciano. Never defeated, what else can you say? 2 - Joe Louis. 3- Ali. FAVOURITES - Roy Jones Junior - Lennox Louis - George Foreman. As an aside, it's hilarious how his children are called George 1, George 2 etc
3 faves good q...these are my 3 personal faves, not neccessarily the best but i enjoyed watching them (apart from when they lost!) 1. ali - watching him against cleveland williams was awesome 2. lloyd honeyghan - he was flash, brash and he whupped don curry's ****! 3. marvin hagler - he was marvellous! i also loved watching hearns, duran, leonard, tyson and benn - balboa put on a pretty good show too
i have alot of favourites. Ali, not because of the popurlarity, but for the man he was. This was a guy you couldn't shake. He stood up to the biggest man around then (foreman), stood up to the government among other things. Smokin Joe- i love his style. he NEVER stops moving, always side to side, very quick. i always thought there was some smokin joe in tyson during his prime arturo gatti- simply because of the heart and determination the guy has. he has 5 fights of the year....and probably still counting. need i say more? roy jones jr- only one word....amazing. marco antonio barerra- if you haven't seen him fight, you need to. i'll end it there for now.
out of the ones i've seen fight, my top ones would be Rocky Marciano (against Tyson, who would win? There's aninteresting thought) Erik Morales Mohammed Ali Jack Dempsey I can't only pick 3, there's loads more
Tough Call! My top 3 are: 1. Rocky Marciano 2. Oscar De La Hoya 3. Mike Tyson I love to watch Floyd Mayweather, Fernando Vargas, Lennox Lewis, Mummhamd Ali, Gabriel Ruelas.... There are many more!
