Best Swarming Performance on Film?

Kim blitzkrieging Ibarra in two is cool. A bit wild and loading up, swinging for the hills and all that, with Ibarra being somewhat static against the ropes. But absolutely relentless from Kim, he doesn't come up for air and just weaves and throws, weaves and throws, creating angles, feinting and throwing varied combinations with every punch thrown with malice. A proper bludgeoning of a gifted talent.

 

Goddamn it, you bastard. How am I supposed to refute posts like this?

 

I absolutely love watching Kim.

And all south Koreans.

 

Bobcat Montgomery is up there.

 

I love this performance. It was you who put me on to it iirc.

 

I like the mention, but is he really? I think it's arguable he was fourth in his era. That is, if you consider Armstrong his era. If not, he's still worse than Jack and Angott. I don't think he'd make a top, say, ten.

 

I just wanted to give him a mention.

 

Yeah, Kim was devastating against Ibarra.

 

Ooh, was it mate? Most happy to be of help, though in this case, help I absolutely do not remember giving. The other day though, I threw a twenty quid note in the bin in the death throes of sleep deprivation and tried paying for a Chinese takeaway with a snickers wrapper. I love twelve hour shifts, they're mint.

 

Probably not worthy of "the best" spot, but Barrera put on a great (if officially "losing") swarming performance in the 1st Morales fight.

 

Playing fast and loose with the term swarmer, but I'd have have this as a rough list of the best on film.

#10. Jeff Fenech
#09. Roman Gonzalez
#08. Rocky Marciano
#07. Jung Koo Chang
#06. Joe Frazier
#05. Julio Cesar Chavez
#04. Vicente Salvidar
#03. Fighting Harada
#02. Henry Armstrong
#01. Roberto Duran

 

Chang was great and all, but I'd rank him below Marciano and Fenech.

 

Well duh.

 

Battling Battalino and Kid Kaplan would likely each have a few fights that could qualify for this thread, if only more footage was available of them.

This is probably the most extensive footage available of Battalino (vs. Kid Chocolate):



And here's Kaplan against Battalino:

 

I think Chang was better than both, greater than French, but not as great as Marciano. They're all close in all aspects though.

 

I, personally, would have Frazier higher due to his weight class. His activity is absolutely extraordinary for a man of his size, and he was fluidly skilled, like a smaller fighter, at his best which is also rare for a Heavy. I think that counts for something. 147lbs and below swarmers are almost expected to exist.

 

Agreed. Not a lot of hw swarmers. Frazier was by far the best ever with that style at hw.

And im not sure id call Choco a swarmer

 

Could we call Pacman a swarmer? In his prime at the heavier weight, he was throwing a shit ton of punches

 

Marciano-Moore and Qawi-Saad II are two more ATG swarming performances that I don't think have been mentioned yet.

 

Qawi-Saad II is a good one. A massacre.

 

I think Marciano looked better in his fights with Charles (particularly the rematch) and Walcott.

I wouldn't class Pacquiao as a swarmer.

 

I wouldn't call Chang, Chavez, Saldivar or Duran swarmers if we define swarming as nothing but non-stop aggressive. I think Chocolatito reaches into that bracket more than any of they do.

 

For me swarmers are nearly always trying to apply pressure by moving forward and leaving little space or breathing room for their opponents. Fighting inside and up close as often as possible. They can be very active in terms of punches thrown but it's not prerequisite. John Ruiz in no way resembled Frazier or Marciano but he was a swarmer.

 

For me, the meaning of a swarmer is in the name. Swarming implies tons of little stinging punches like a swarm of bees. I think a high workrate is needed.

 

Agreed. I would characterize John Ruiz as a mauler, but not a swarmer.

 

As Yoda Would Say, "the Swarm was STRONG in Aaron Pryor"...

His Final Flurry in Arguello I was Beautifully Violent, Precise SWARM...No One Ever Did Arguello Like THAT...




REED

 

Dwight Muhammad Qawi fights against Matthew Saad Muhammad deserves a mention.

 

Shawn Porter vs Devon Alexander

 

Jab-humper

 

Aye ive always seen it the same. As being about leading exchanges with volume. Usually that coincides with a guy going forward (pressure fighter) but not always. Like Alvarez is a counter punching pressure fighter. He walks guys down, stands right in range but often just waits to react. Whereas Pacquiao (or Calzaghe) frequently fought as swarmers, but on the move.