Feather-fisted fighters(below 50% ko ratio) that somehow managed to have a respectable career. It cracks me up because they obviously trained how to punch most of their lives and still can't punch their way out of a wet paper bag. Some are super-toned like Bradley and still can't generate enough knockout power. Here is my list... 1)Ali-While not really feather fisted he wasn't exactly a big puncher. here is a fun fact Ali had a 17% ko ratio vs guys over 200 pounds. 2)Whittiker-Again some might disagree that he wasn't feather fisted but with a measly 36% ko ratio he wasnt exactly a devastating puncher. It's not a slight on Pea. The fact that he was able to accomplish so much with so little power makes it that much more impressive. 3)Paulie Malignaggi-had a decent career 4)Joe Calzaghe-Later in his career had hand problems and became a cute pillow-fisted fighter but nobody can deny his greatness. I'd rate him higher than Roy Jones Jr. at 168. 5) Willie Pep-Legend has it he was the only guy in boxing history to win a round without throwing a single punch. 6)Sven Ottoke- 7)Chris Byrd-Not a great fighter but was a hw champ and had respectable wins.
I don’t think Whitaker had pillow fists. He might not have been a Hearns or Trinidad KO artist but his punches were sharp and he could really hurt fighters especially to the body. I Malinaggi is an example of this. Calzaghe before the hand injuries could punch but even in his older years, he was able to hurt guys like Kessler and Lacy. Tim Bradley despite his muscular build didn’t have power. Chris Algieri was feather fisted.
This. Should have re-worded it to "Great fighters who weren't big punchers." "Pillow fisted" implies a guy like Spadafora.
I think Paulie and Pep are the only ones who belong. Young Ali had knockout power. Whitaker hit hard enough to hurt guys and keep them at bay, and at times score stoppages. Hell he stunned Chavez at one point. Calz wasn't a huge banger, but he did hit hard. Ottke didn't have much power (save for the Bumdine KO) but Ottke did hit sharply enough to keep guys honest. Chris Turd is the same as Ottke. He could at least gain respect.
Stevie Johnston hit sharply enough to buzz guys. But he definitely wasn't much in the power department. Whitaker was a bigger hitter than Stevie.
Pep could knock a guy out though. He cracked quite a few good chins and had comparable Kos to Saddler in a lot of cases. He wasn't a puncher, nor did he want to be, but he could sit down on them and get your respect.
I think Maxie Rosenbloom has to make the list. 19 KOs in 300 fights or something stupid. Beat some unbelievable fighters too.
Jesus yeah,Paulie couldn't stop a bus. His hands were chronically brittle....makes his stoppage of Senchenko all the more significant..
Malignaggi is probably the weakest-hitting world-level boxer I've seen since following boxing in my lifetime.
I'd forgotten about him....his name used to get flung about with regularity by the usual morons at MaxBoxing.
Nicolino Locche is an obvious one Miguel Canto Willie Pastrano Cory Spinks was undisputed WW champ for a bit.
