There is often a lot of talk about who was the greatest boxer of all-time.
Such a difficult thing to contemplate. When you consider all the different eras and weight classes.
And how the sport changed (in some regards) over time.
Then again, in many ways, it is one of the few one hundred per cent pure things in this world that has never changed.
Nor ever will. In other aspects. Boxing’s traditions are steadfast and universal. Timeless. Loyal to the game in their own merits. Decade after decade.
When you look at boxing, many things still ring true today.
Skill, heart, speed, power, IQ, ring generalship, foot work, discipline, dedication, respect, stamina and many more.
Most important of all however, surely, hard work.
Old school and old fashioned beliefs and values. That will be there until the end.
If one were to construct the perfect fighter how would you do it?
A being so powerful. Almost unbeatable.
It is hard to say.
You would have to try to bring it all together.
And take it all the way back.
To the beginning.
From the entire history of the sport.
Perhaps you could consider the following.
Maybe you would have given him the left hook of Joe Frazier, the uppercut of Earnie Shavers, the right hand of Joe Louis, the jab of Larry Holmes, the natural ability of Johnny Tapia, the mind of Floyd Mayweather, the heart of Arturo Gatti, the durability of Rocky Marciano, the reflexes of a prime Roy Jones and Naseem Hamed, the longevity of career of Bernard Hopkins, the ability to break an opponent down of Andre Ward, the belief of George Foreman, the punch power of Mike Tyson, the will to win of Joe Calzaghe, the always proven improving mindset and ability of Saul Alvarez, the intellect of the Klitschko brothers, the footwork of Willie Pep, the street fighter guts of Gennady Golovkin, the ability to get stronger as a fight goes on of Carl Froch, the instinct to finish a fight when on form of Oscar De La Hoya, the speed of Howard Davis Jr., the humility of Evander Holyfield, the steely resolve of Marvin Hagler, the quiet stoic warrior mentality of Miguel Cotto, the sense of range and distance of Kostya Tszyu, the angles and movement of Manny Pacquiao, the mentality of Steve Collins, the discipline of Gene Tunney, the strength of Jack Johnson, the defense of James Toney, the unpredictability of Harry Greb, the determination of Frank Bruno, the effortless skills of Pernell Whitaker, the body shots of Ricky Hatton, the aggression of Marco Antonio Barrera, the spirit of Julio Cesar Chavez, the life force of a prime Felix Trinidad, the combinations of Ray Leonard, the strategic adaptability of Lennox Lewis, the rawness of a prime Roberto Duran, the calmness in the heat of battle of Jack Dempsey, the fight DNA of Ray Robinson and the courageousness and selflessness of Muhammad Ali.
What a good fighter that would have been?
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