They don’t have to be great and it does have to depend on any specific criteria...it’s whatever criteria you choose and different fighters on your list could be there for different reasons. For me in no particular order: Ali Jones Mayweather Commander Vander The Real Deal Holyfield Tyson Joe Louis Juan Manuel Marquez Michael Nunn Erik Morales Hopkins Hearns Leonard Hagler Pacquiao
Ali - A Heavyweight that could Float like a Butterfly and sting like a bee. Loved his style of fighting and his speed. Greatest personality in sports. Jones - Perhaps the most talented fighter that I've ever seen. Otherworldly speed and one punch power with it Mayweather - Ring Smarts second to none. Thinking man's fighter. Commander Vander The Real Deal Holyfield - WARRIOR! Tyson - Most exciting Heavyweight in history Joe Louis - Perhaps the most graceful style of fighting and punching hat I have ever seen Juan Manuel Marquez - To paraphrase Harold Lederman, "If he loved me as much as I love him we'd be married". Great technician and heart for days. Michael Nunn - Effortless punching technique and smooth Erik Morales - Heart for days. A warrior Hopkins - Supreme technician. Ring smarts equivalent to Mayweather Hearns - Along with Tyson probably the most exciting fighter ever. Hearns could box with the best of them but his desire was always to get the knockout and that right hand was spectacular. Leonard - Mini Ali. poetry in motion with the chin and heart to match. Hagler - His bald eminence had just about everything and he was intimidating as hell. Pacquiao - Pure excitement, stamina for days, workrate for days, speed for days, crazy power at times. One of a kind.
Tyson Jones Ali Benitez Duran Pryor Leonard Whitaker Jackson Sanchez Carlos Ortiz Corrales Qawi Foster Hagler Cervantes Toney Rosario I only excluded Spence because he's an active fighter.
I was always pretty neutral on Trinidad. More of a fan than a detractor, except during the period of 00-01 when he was overrated to ABSURD levels. I guess you could consider me a Trinidad fan, but not a hardcore. But he's definitely my favorite fighter of the DLH, Mosley, Quartey group. And ohhhh FUCK! I forgot Whitaker. Let me go back and add him.
Mostly a list of fighters i saw early on and got to witness a fair amount of their career progression and followed afterward. Tyson Chavez Jones Jr. Gatti Pacquiao Marquez Norris Toney
Yeah I never recall Xplosive particularly liking Trinidad tbh. My faves; Duran Pacquiao Morales Chico Hagler Hopkins Monzon Robinson (amazing I'm the first to list him) Cerdan Armstrong Louis Tyson Golovkin Lomachenko
evander holyfield marvin hagler erik morales marcellus johnson juan marquez julian jackson guadalupe pintor 3x champ randall bailey
I liked Trinidad. I just mean I shouldn't be considered a huge fan. I could say the same about Tommy Hearns. I'm a fan, but not a huge fan. Each fighter I listed I'm a huge fan of.
By decade: 1950s Marciano Sugar Ray Robinson Gene Fullmer 1960s-70s Cassius Clay / Muhammad Ali Joe Frazier Roberto Durán Carlos Monzón 1980s Marvin Hagler Sugar Ray Leonard Mike Tyson Julio César Chávez 1990s James Toney Roy Jones Jr
Off the Dome... Ali Roy Sweet Pea Leonard Spinks Floyd (Up to and Including the Hatton Bout) Pryor Mancini Prince Pacquiao Arguello Gomez Tyson Hearns Honorable Mention to Mosley, Vargas, Chico and Pavlik. REED
Mike Tyson Julian Jackson Matthew Saad Muhammad Joe Louis Sugar Ray Robinson Manny Pacquiao James Toney Diego Corrales As much as Floyd annoyed me in the latter part of his career, he still makes the list as he’s brilliant and one of my most watched boxers ever.
I'd have to give an honourable mention to Marquez and Floyd too. Neither fighter I've ever found that exciting to watch compared to say, Morales or Pacquiao, but they're both excellent. Floyd especially, I mean, if you're a proper boxing fan you have to appreciate Floyd and the level of craft and skill he brings to the ring.
The legendary/great/arguably great ones: Pernell Whitaker - masterful technician Alexis Arguello - picture perfect punches Ruben Olivares - at his best he could fight any kind of fight and win Bob Foster - like a 6'3 switchblade Julio Cesar Chavez - the ultimate pressure machine with pinpoint accuracy in his heavy hands Thomas Hearns - simply overwhelming power, skill and size but with the potential for vulnerability Matthew Saad Muhammad (Franklin) - for about 4 years he was like Superman Aaron Pryor - A freak; utterly unique and inimitable, ultimately wasted his prodigious gift Archie Moore - classic technician and vicious puncher, such a rare combination Harold Johnson - maybe the most technically skilled boxer of all time Ike Williams - badass, versatile Joe Frazier - never saw a fighter with more desire and heart Ken Buchanan - tough as nails and a great boxer Sal Sanchez - cool, tough and precise counterpuncher James Toney - wasted years of his career with laziness and inconsistency but with somebody coming right at him, he was a beautiful old school slickster Marco Antonio Barrera - rose from the grave of his career twice and showed great versatility ... southpaw speed was his Waterloo but outside of that, one hell of a fighter Mike McCallum - wonderful technician, tougher than leather The excellent/very good/good ones Art Hafey - feared, tiny little two fisted bomber who tested himself neck deep in a brutally tough featherweight division and was avoided by several top names... unlucky George Benton - lazy as hell but an ace technician with a beautiful style Juan Laporte - frustrating as hell but when he committed to throwing punches, look out Zora Folley - Consumate counterpuncher who was one of several top heavyweights denied a title shot during Floyd Patterson's reign... got his shot past his best but boxed well against the best of them all Mike Weaver - like LaPorte, he sometimes fell in love with the "one big shot" and forgot to work in the ring Yaqui Lopez - came along at the worst possible time at 175... gave everybody hell in his prime, just insanely unlucky Marlon Starling - if he'd been just a touch more dedicated, he would've easily been in the first group... his best performances are master classes Bobby Chacon - he could've been better but maybe then it wouldn't be so compelling... like Gatti except a lot better Tony Tubbs - lazy and fat but a terrific boxer at his best
No particular order Sugar Ray Robinson Sugar Ray Leonard Carlos Ortiz Muhammad Ali Pernell Whitaker Wilfred Benitez Roy Jones Roberto Duran Mike Tyson Julio Cesar Chávez Alexis Arguello Aaron Pryor Felix Trinidad Thomas Hearns Edwin Rosario Wilfredo Gomez Julian Jackson Bob Foster
