The physically LEAST talented ATG fighter ever?

We know talent is very difficult to define, but let's try. By talent I mean physical attributes that would make most of the fighters successful even if they didn't have the skill or training ability to go with it. For example: a guy with George Foreman's punch and chin is always going to be successful, whereas Joe Frazier needed his skill and animal-like training habits to make it to the top.

On a note: every ATG is supremely talented of course, so don't go there. The question is the least talented of that very selected group.

The first name I could come up with would be Evander Holyfield. His heavyweight reign made him an ATG but for a heavyweight his speed, power and footwork were all on 'good' rather than 'great' level. His chin was great, but the rest was about working ethics and skill

 

Monzon? I dunno, it's a tough topic. Marciano I guess.

 

Ridiculous

 

I hate Holyfield, but he's definitely NOT the answer to this question.

Holyfield was VERY physically talented.

I'd go with Lamotta, if he's even considered an ATG.

 

I know I am pretty much alone with my take on Holyfield so please enlighten me, what do you see as Holyfield's physical talents?

To me he is a prototype of a hard worker on the gym and a guy who increases his game in the biggest arenas

 

Prime Holyfield had good reflexes and awareness which is really what "talent" in boxing is. He saw things coming and pulled the trigger. Guys that don't seem really talented but are still good are usually guys that aren't fast but have reflexes and recognition.

Chavez and Holyfield are good examples of guys that weren't super fast or powerful but had lots of "boxing talent".

 

monzon seems like a good answer.

 

Terrible Terry McGovern.

Made it into Ring Magazines Top 20 fighters of the 20th Century despite having no discernible talent whatsoever.

 

Truth be told..........I would say Battling Nelson.

 

Monzon was a natural... Strong, sturdy, instinctive understanding of distance... He's a terrible choice

 

You could throw out any guy from the turn of the century really

 

I dunno about that. Hopkins, Jones, Mayweather were all very talented fighters IMO. ;)

 

::

Fucking wise ass.

 

Yep....they did seem to have great conditioning and an unfathomable capacity for pain but that's not really talent, is it :dunno:

 

Marciano

 

Monzon is a great answer imo. If we dont consider fighters before the 50's, hes probably the atg you would be less impress with if you saw him training in a gym. Thinking about it, Marciano is probably the one, but i dont consider him an atg, in the sense that i dont see him being competitive with the best hw ever, while Monzon is live against any mw

 

Physically, Monzon was talented.

Tall, long armed, very good leverage and broad shoulders.

 

Right... And he wasn't slow at all... more than adequate hand speed

It's not a good answer

 

Were talking about atg boxers, not middle of the road boxers. No ATG will be completely devoided of talent

 

Tall for his height, u reckon ?

 

not to mention that at below 6, he wasn't that tall for a mw

 

A tall MW is a MW that is taller than the guys he's fighting.

Kind of like how Canelo is a massive 155lb guy. Against Khan.

Numsaying :dunno:

And if Monzon could beat Benvenuti who was as tall if not taller, then kudos to Monzon.

 

I don't buy Monzon being under 6 feet, despite the official listing... either way, he fought tall about as well as one can

 

He looked 6 feet tall in any case....he was a "long" fighter.

 

yup, and he fought straight up

 

Yep he fought tall, and he appeared long limbed, monzon vs circa 2000 hopkins would have been on anyone's time machine wishlist

 

I think that's one of the most boring mythical matchups available among all time greats. For purists only.

 

I'm gonna throw one out there... De La Hoya. Not a huge guy at 5'10", not extremely strong, good power but not crushing, OK stamina, maybe even on the weak side there. But he learned to box extremely well, adapted his style, moved very well, and won alot of titles and fame and certainly goes down as an ATG.

 

Fair enough, each to his own. I would like to see what adjustments Hopkins in particular would make if he wanted to win a decision, which is surely how it woukd have to go

 

I think BHop would be slick enough to go in the inside and pounds the body to win a dec, but I agree it is a fascinating matchup