Personal Favourites -Past & Present

Hey Guys,

Havent seen much of d4 on here these days so thought this question could be asked of you all.(without this turning into a manny debate)

With such a diverse group of boxing fans on here it would be great to know your favourite fighter of past and present.Since joining 606v2 i have learnt alot more about the older boxers through your guys knowledge, Being a relativley new fan my knowledge of these guys has been pretty limited.

Here are my choices do feel free to let me know yours.

PAST FIGHTER

Roberto Duran- The style on the little panamanian has always been thrilling, with his non stop pressure and agressive tactics.What makes him stand out to me from other pressure fighters though was his ability defencivley to get out the way of clean shots yet still be on the fromnt foot swinging, watching a few dvds you find he hardly ever takes a flush shot and this natural talent for me along with his grit determination is why i would have him as my favourite.

PRESENT FIGHTER

For this one i am not picking someone who i think has the best boxing ability but is definatley giving the fans the fights they want to see, and that is Carl Froch. I cant think of many other fighters at the moment(excluding the other super 6 fighters of course) who have fought the standard of fighters in such a short space of time, nowadays with the all the politics that goes on and the amount of belts per division it is too easy for fighters too pick and choose theyre way through their careers. So froch for me is a breath of fresh air, a fighter who is genuinly willing to take on the best guys and constantly chalenging himself. I hope the super 6 style tournament can be used in other divisions as it has been an exiting process to watch.

Thats my picks guys, it would be great to see your personal favourite fighters and reasons why.

cheers

Past favourites - Sam Langford and Charley Burley. For some reason have always found the subject of those denied their opportunities due to their skin colour fascinating (probably the ex sociology student in me) and Burley and Langford represent the best of the bunch so inevitable I find them fascinating. Add into that they both appear to be genuinely decent human beings and for me there is not a lot not to like about them.

Present - Agree totally on Froch for the reasons you have adequately outlined. Although he should be hanging them up now as he is still fighting will add Erik Morales to that list, pretty much for the exact same reasons as Froch.

Ayup DoubleD. There's literally too many to pick from; Frank Bruno was my first boxing hero as a very young lad, but in all-time terms, with the mood I'm in today, I'll go with Duran, too. Personified all the reasons why I love boxing - he was a hungry youngster, had his share of ups and downs but was simply awesome to watch, had plenty of charisma about him and, in most cases, always gave value for money. Just wish I'd been around when he was in his pomp.

Right now, it's either Froch (for the reasons you've given, as well as an obvious one of my own) or Gamboa, who I think is the best pure talent in the world below the age of thirty right now and will be the best pound for pound fighter on the planet by 2013. An absolute joy to watch.

I can see a Dave - Peter Jackson comment coming soon

im just worried that a certain manny poster may come on here and right a 2 page essay!

Past: Duran
Present: Haye/Pacquaio

As you can tell, I am one for the aggressive, explosive style to get the adrenaline flowing. That is not to say that I don't like a more pure boxer style, as I find that almost equally fantastic to watch. However, for a style that really excites I have gone for the fighters listed above.

Past - Ali

Present - Roy Jones Jnr who is witout doubt the very boxer bar none in the past 25 years in my no so humble opinion.

rowley wrote:I can see a Dave - Peter Jackson comment coming soon

Aw, you know me too well.

Hagler/Minter was the first fight I can vividly recall and piqued my interest in the sport even at that tender age. I recally the violence at the end of the contest as well as Minter's post-fight belief Hagler had deliberately and continuously headbutted all night long causing the cuts which eventually stopped the fight. I also have an image of hagler being interviewed wearing a gold crown but 30 years is long time and I've slept since then. As with many others, I enjoyed watching Bruno fight (despite being painfully aware of his limitations at times), Loved Benn and loathed Eubank but gradually came to admire that latter.

I was never one for delving into the history books but being on here has been an eye opener and whilst my foray into the merits of Peter Jackson was initially to prove a point re the fickle nature of certain posters, I've come to feel a certain affinity for the man. I don't really care if anyone else shares my interest in him, nor am I trying to convert anyone, but I do think he's someone I'll champion for years to come.

Current crop of fighters?

Accusations of bandwagonning and nuthugging aside, I'm as big a David Haye fight as anything right now. The prospect of him facing a beating Wlad and Vitali is a mouthwatering one and outside of the "they who shall not be named" megafight, it has to be the biggest event in boxing for some time.

Past - Duran for many of the reasons already mentioned. Duran Barkley may be my favourite fight ever depending on what mood i'm in.

Present - Hopkins. An absolute phenomonon. Has great pure boxing skills and a resume and legacy to match anyone in the last 25 years. Love how he keeps teaching the young guns a lesson and proving his doubters wrong time and time again.

Honourable mention to Holyfield although wish he'd hurry up and hang em up so I can put him in the past category.

outside of the "they who shall not be named" megafight, it has to be the biggest event in boxing for some time.
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Didn't realise a potential Chisora Skelton fight had you quite so excited Dave

Accusations of bandwagonning and nuthugging aside, I'm as big a David Haye fight as anything right now. The prospect of him facing a beating Wlad and Vitali is a mouthwatering one and outside of the "they who shall not be named" megafight, it has to be the biggest event in boxing for some time.
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since Mayweather v Hatton then, because it doesn't come close to that

Past:
Marlon Starling & Lennox Lewis
Starling for battering the thug Honeyghan, Lewis for being great, beating every man he ever fought, and the best brit ever imo, and a top 5 heavyweight ever imo.

Present:
Sergio Martinez & Audley Harrison

rowley wrote:outside of the "they who shall not be named" megafight, it has to be the biggest event in boxing for some time.
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Didn't realise a potential Chisora Skelton fight had you quite so excited Dave

My God, it's like you don't know me at all

Gotta say Towzer, you need to go back to Primark and buy some new undies lad cos the ones you have one are clearly squeezing your balls so much it must account for your sour disposition

Present - Roy Jones Jnr who is witout doubt the very boxer bar none in the past 25 years in my no so humble opinion.
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Yeah i mean the extremely ordinary Antonio Tarver doing a few jobs on him, Glen Johnson knocking him spark out put him above anyone i've ever seen

Gotta say Towzer, you need to go back to Primark and buy some new undies lad cos the ones you have one are clearly squeezing your balls so much it must account for your sour disposition
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your poor, poor jokes
Haye v Wlad isnt as close as the 2007 Mayweather v Hatton fight, not even close, most brit fight fans would agree with that as well imo.

There have been some interesting ones here!

Funny to see how noone yet has gone for SRR as their pick for favourite past fighter.

Just shows the diffrence ability and peoples styles have on fans i suppose.

past - tommy hearns love the mix of heavy hands and a light chin made me feel like everything would end in a KO one way or another, he is still one of the most entertaining boxers i have seen nice style.

Present - nonito donaire or yuriorkis gamboa
two guys that are so good too watch a class above all most all they face the montiel fight was a classic example.
i hope bob puts him back in the ring asap everyone is losing out noni should swallow his pride ignore what has been said and fight out his contract

Young_Towzer wrote:Gotta say Towzer, you need to go back to Primark and buy some new undies lad cos the ones you have one are clearly squeezing your balls so much it must account for your sour disposition
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your poor, poor jokes
Haye v Wlad isnt as close as the 2007 Mayweather v Hatton fight, not even close, most brit fight fans would agree with that as well imo.

Well, given you think Froch will become a legend by beating Andre Ward, I think that says it all!

Young_Towzer wrote:Present - Roy Jones Jnr who is witout doubt the very boxer bar none in the past 25 years in my no so humble opinion.
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Yeah i mean the extremely ordinary Antonio Tarver doing a few jobs on him, Glen Johnson knocking him spark out put him above anyone i've ever seen

Yep. Berbick beating Ali. Valuev beating Holy. Obviously both Ali and Holyfield were very average fighters then.

Can't seem to stop on the past favourites section - Greb, Tunney, Charles, Robinson, Jofre, Ali, Frazier, Buchanan, Conteh, Arguello, McCallum, Hagler, Sanchez, Chacon, Saad Muhammad, right off the top of my head. Foremost amongst them for me was Buchanan, my first ever boxing hero.

Today, my clear favourite is Nonito Donaire. That kid is a real throwback - takes anyone on, fights like a demon, is intelligent, resourceful and well worth watching. A future great, for sure.

Past- Chris Eubank,watched him while growing up really got me interested in Boxing.

Present- Amir Khan

Past- Charles, Tunney, Duran, Chavez and Galaxy

Present- Mayweather?, Froch, Haye, Khan, Martinez and Marquez

Past- Lennox Lewis and Sweet Pea

Present- Khan, Froch (love an over acheiver) and Gamboa (slick, fast and powerful)

Past- Tyson, just everything i wanted to see from boxing as a young un in the mid 80's. I know his record gets slated now & he's right out of fashion to many boxing purists but i just enjoyed watching him banjo mofo's.

Present- SSM, probably not on his most recent fights but throughout his career he has taken & been in some great fights and dispite the chemicals he seems to have carried himself well in all things boxing.

Past - Toney, be it when he's fighting or talking.

Present - Martinez - Constantly amazes with his versatility.

Such a hard question to answer, but if pushed I'd say my past all time favourite would - like yourself - be Roberto Duran. His aggression, his power, his offensive skill, his highly underrated defensive ability, his peerless lightweight record, his defeats of SRL, Moore, Barkley, his running Hagler close at 160, his charisma, his kamikaze attitude to life. The man was a natural fighter and I can't look past him. Running him a close second would be Lennox Lewis. A fighter I grew up following. Take away two moments of complacency and the occasional overly cautious showing and you have almost the perfect heavyweight, 6,5" tall, 84" reach, 240lb of muscle and athleticism, excellent fundamentals, good jab, great uppercut, devastating power in the right hand, tremendous physical strength, deceptively quick, beat every man he ever fought at least once and in my opinion at his best capable of beating any heavyweight from history in a one off bout, too big, skilful and powerful at his peak.

I have a penchant for the tall, rangy, powerful HW though - I'm also a big fan of Riddick Bowe and Larry Holmes. Can't explain why, guess I just think these guys have the attributes required to make virtually perfect or virtually undefeatable HW's (notice the word virtually - every man has his flaws).

Moving on to the current favourites, I'd have to say Mayweather. Speed, skill, defence, ring smarts, he has it all and at his best is a joy to behold in terms of executing boxing as a technical skill. Love watching pacquiao too tho he's fast and entertaining he doesn't have mayweathers pure ability. Other current faces worth mentioning are Martinez, Marquez, Donaire, Gamboa and Haye.

Past - Julio Cesar Chavez, esp as in his Super Feather reign in the 80s. What a puncher and didn't give his opponents a second.
Present - Juan Manuel Marquez. Getting better with age and his accurate counter-punching combinations are sublime.

Dinamita wrote:Present - Juan Manuel Marquez. Getting better with age and his accurate counter-punching combinations are sublime.

oh dear, you beat me to it. The fights with Pacquiao (which I thought he won), Diaz, Katsidis, Barrera and Casamayor are brilliant to watch. A great technician who can brawl with the best of them.