Best I've faced

[Johnston]

Cotto is saying that Mayorga, who he blew away in 3 rounds, was stronger than Margarito? Chin could be Margarito.


I guess you can't argue with the fighters' own opinion but these lists are sometimes obviously skewed and comical.

I don't think you will ever hear cotto praise margarito

[Chrismart]

Michael Moorer - March 2017

BEST JAB
Vassiliy Jirov: The reason for this is because of the European style that he had. He knew how to fight a southpaw ?as he was a southpaw ?so he was always ready with his jab for a right-hander or a left-hander.

BEST DEFENSE
George Foreman: George was hard to hit clean. He had those long, big arms. It was hard to get a real flush shot on him because his defense was pushing, extending his arms, and you had to get by that.

FASTEST HANDS
Bert Cooper: They would come into the fight thinking they had good handspeed, but fighting a southpaw you’re not going to be able to get the punches off like you normally can. I think I always had the advantage because I was quicker than they were. I would say, from who I faced ?Bert Cooper. He had some fast hands.

FASTEST FEET
Leslie Stewart: He was a superb boxer and always presented problems for me. That was the first time I encountered a boxer. He moved well and he knew how to fight a southpaw.

BEST CHIN
Frans Botha: Foreman took a lot of good shots; I was like, “What the hell have I got to hit him with??But it had to be Francois Botha. He was taking some really clean shots from me, which were not fazing him. It was like he was in a trance. Mills Lane finally thought it was enough and stopped the fight in the 12th round.

SMARTEST
Evander Holyfield: Oh, Evander. Every time he fought someone a second time, he was better, except maybe against Lennox Lewis. He was a student of the game and then he perfected it. I’ve always respected his smarts.

STRONGEST
Cooper: I was always strong, so I never felt anyone was stronger than I was. I’m thinking Bert Cooper because that was probably my first battle, and to do something like that ?he was coming at me hard. I would say him. I knew after how to adapt or how to adjust. He was strong in that fight.

BEST PUNCHER
David Tua: There was a lot of big punchers. Francois Botha hit hard. Foreman hit hard ?at that time he caught me with a good punch. Holyfield hit hard. Anyone, if they get hit the right way, will go. Tua knew how to deliver the power, being more flatfooted than being on his toes and being that he kept a fist. Most boxers keep their hands open, and he knew the way he came in ?short, stocky ?and he had a good chin, but he could do the hitting as well.

BOXING SKILLS
Holyfield: I would have to say Evander. Evander was always going to have the best skills over the majority of the boxers because of his pedigree. He knew how to box, he knew how to punch and he knew how to fight. I would say he was the best boxer because he adapted, he made the adjustments. He was a pro. He knew what to do and how to do it.

BEST OVERALL
Holyfield: I feel that Evander was the best that I faced, because he was always at his peak. When you are at your peak, you are always ready for everything and anything that is put before you. Evander always came ready. So I feel that he would have to be the best one that I fought, because he would always get himself in the best shape possible for any fight. He was always that guy. If he did not beat you the first time, he would beat you the second time.

[Chrismart]

Rodolfo Gonzalez - March 2017

BEST JAB
JUAN COLLADO: He relied on his left jab in most of his fights. I would bob and weave to keep away from him. It was a constant fight until I did my side-to-side footwork. In the ninth round I got him with a left hook to the liver. That punch ended the fight.

BEST DEFENSE
JIMMY ROBERTSON: He was called the ‘Father of all Mexicans? He was a good defensive fighter and a hard puncher. Also, he was converted from a left-handed fighter to a right-hand puncher. I beat him in the 10th round. He was a bloody mess.

FASTEST HANDS
MARCELLO CID: Very fast hands and he threw a lot of combinations. I got him against the ropes with a three-punch combination in the fourth round. That ended the fight.

BEST CHIN
TORITO LOPEZ: I hit him on the chin, but it was like hitting the wall. He didn’t even blink, but kept on coming. Luckily for me my liver punch knocked him out in the fourth round.

SMARTEST
KID IRAPUATO: I was only 15 years old when I fought this man near Guadalajara. He had already fought world championship fighters like Pajarito Moreno and (Davey) Moore who was the featherweight champion of the world. He was a very skilled fighter. I got him with a liver punch and knocked him out in the sixth round.

STRONGEST
RAY ADIGUN: He was so strong. He hit me in the middle of the ring and sent me flying all the way to the ropes. He was not a fast hitter, just strong. The people in the audience called him “King Kong? I caught him with a left hook to the liver in the 10th round.

BEST PUNCHER
ANTONIO CERVANTES: I discovered his right-hand power in the second round. Not only power but a sneaky right-hand punch. He faked a left jab, hit me with the right and put me down for an eight count. That irritated me so much that in the next round I hit him with a left hook to the liver and doubled up to the chin. He went down and his feet went up in the air. At the count of eight he got up. He was so afraid that he ran from me for the rest of the night. But he had power in his punches.

BEST BOXING SKILLS
CERVANTES: He was a very good boxer that moved in and out and side-to-side. He also had a long reach. The only thing he didn’t have was a strong chin. That means he couldn’t take a punch. Any fighter who has a pointed chin, I would put on the canvas right away.

BEST OVERALL
CERVANTES: He had long arms and strong power with either hand. He was tall and very smart. He would move in and out and hit at the same time. The only weak spot I found on him was his chin and immediately I put him down flat on the canvas. After that, he got up and ran for the rest of the night. But overall, he was an excellent fighter

[Chrismart]

William Joppy - April 2018

BEST JAB
SHINJI TAKAHARA: He had a height and reach advantage and puzzled me with that jab. I got adjusted around the fourth or fifth round. In my boxing career I think (Takahara’s) jab was the most effective.

BEST DEFENSE
BERNARD HOPKINS: When I fought him, I was going through a lot ?my daughter had died. I couldn’t really get him with a good flush shot. He’s real crafty: he uses his head, he keeps his head tucked in his shoulders and he keeps his jab out there too. He has a good jab ?not like Shinki Takahara ?but I would say as far as defense, Bernard Hopkins was the best.

FASTEST HANDS
PETER VENACIO: When I fought in Miami back in 1997, I beat Peter Venacio at Coconut Grove. He had real fast hands, plus he could hit. He was from Brazil. It went 12 rounds, we went toe-to-toe, blow-for-blow, he was a tough guy. I had to really dig deep to get that fight. He had great handspeed, long arms and speed like a cat. He knew how to snap that jab and follow with that right hand and that’s what stood out about him.

BEST FOOTWORK
RAY MCELROY: Ray McElroy and Peter Venacio had good footwork. I had to switch it up on Peter Venacio. I was walking him down, then I got him to walk me down. I was more effective being the matador, not the bull. Ray McElroy moved a lot. My corner told me to work on his body, he couldn’t take the punishment to the body and I stopped him in the seventh round. I would say Ray McElroy.

BEST CHIN
JULIO CESAR GREEN: I stopped him the last time but the first two fights were some battles. He was tough as nails. We fought the first fight in New York City, the second fight we fought in Tampa, Florida and the last fight we fought right here in Washington D.C. We had some wars. I would say him because he went to the distance twice.

SMARTEST
HOPKINS: Bernard Hopkins by far. Also, I would say Shinji Takahara, but he wasn’t fast enough and I caught up to him. Hopkins had ring generalship and smartness.

STRONGEST
GREEN: Julio Cesar Green first and Peter Venacio second. When we would tie up, I could feel Green’s strength. He would push me off. I didn’t want to get hit by a clean shot from him.

BEST PUNCHER
FELIX TRINIDAD: I still felt it the next day, but then it comes up that he was illegally wrapping his hands. Before I found that out, I gave him my respect.

BOXING SKILLS
VENACIO: I would say Peter Venacio because he threw a lot of jabs. He had good footwork too, he was slick, he had great cardio. We fought to the last second.

BEST OVERALL
HOPKINS: He’s so crafty; his defense was on point. I really couldn’t hit him with a flush shot. I’m not trying to make any excuses, but after I fought Felix Trinidad my career went on a downturn. All around (Hopkins) does it all, he’s not just one-dimensional. Someone like Julio Cesar Green; he’s one dimensional, he’s a bull. Bernard Hopkins can switch it up on you.

[Chrismart]

Marvin Hagler - 2014

*An older one from 2014, but don't think it's been posted on here before*

BEST JAB
Thomas Hearns: He was a person who was trying to stick and move, he used his jab a lot. He had a great jab.

BEST DEFENSE
Ray Leonard: He didn’t come to fight, he came to last. He came to go the distance, he didn’t come to knock me out. He just wanted to survive, so I would have to say he used his best defense to survive.

FASTEST HANDS
Roberto Duran: He caught me for three rounds at the start of the fight, which I didn’t understand. He caught me with an overhand right. As soon as I would jab, he’d throw the right hand. It didn’t hurt me too much, but it was annoying, aggravating. I really didn’t know what was happening, so I went back to the corner and asked my cornerman. I said, “What’s happening?” He said, “Marv, what he’s doing is that he’s timing you. Every time you shoot that jab out, he’ll go over with a right hand.” After [that], I started faking instead of just throwing it, and I started getting a better offense going.

FASTEST FEET
Leonard: You would have to say Leonard because he didn’t [just] move, he ran. It was hard to catch him. I wanted to fight because that’s what I am, I’m a champion. I’m a fighter and came to fight. I believe in that fight, I came in as an underdog. This guy didn’t want to take away my title, he wanted to survive, and it’s hard to beat a guy who just wants to survive.

BEST CHIN
Alan Minter: Believe it or not, I have to give it to Alan Minter because he was champion and he didn’t want to lose. I hit this guy with a lot of punches and he took a couple on the chin. I was amazed. I knew this was what I wanted, and I wasn’t going to stop. Unfortunately he bled early. I was still trying to knock him out with every shot. He took a lot of punishment.

SMARTEST
All of them (laughs): Because when they stepped in the ring with me, they already knew the deal: It was going to be a tough fight. They had to use their skills, their brain, their physical and mental attitude against me because I was very unorthodox. I could fight on the left-hand side and right-hand side. So they had to probably train harder to adapt to my style. But every fighter I fought, I never fought the same way. Each fight I had I was always in better condition than I was before.

STRONGEST
Mugabi and Tony Sibson: I remember seeing Tony Sibson at the weigh-in. This guy was strong. I remember when he hit me on the chest, he looked much stronger and bigger than me, and he’s supposed to be a middleweight. Mugabi, I believe he put on more weight before the fight. I could feel his body against me. He felt like a light heavyweight, he didn’t feel like a middleweight. When he threw punches, they were all deadly, very hard punches. This guy felt like a light heavyweight to me, so I had to wear him down, to take away some of that strength.

BEST PUNCHER
John Mugabi and Hearns: Because they came to fight. They came to take my title from me. Mugabi hit me with an uppercut. It didn’t hurt, but it was a hard punch, and I learned something from that. I had to regroup and come up with a different strategy. Also, with Tommy Hearns, he hit me with one good right hand, a good shot. I knew then that was his hardest punch, and I wanted more. I got more aggressive. I realized I had to keep the pressure on him, make him move and make him throw that right hand so he would leave an opening for me.

BOXING SKILLS
Duran: I would still say Roberto Duran. I loved that fight the most because between the both of us it brought out our skill, our talent. For me wanting to defend my title, for him wanting the fourth title, I mean it became a cat and mouse game. I enjoyed that fight, it was exciting.

BEST OVERALL
Duran: I would say Roberto Duran was very experienced, plus he was a three-time world champion when I fought him. I gave him the opportunity to win a fourth, which didn’t happen (laughs).

[iamboxing]

Marvin Hagler - 2014

*An older one from 2014, but don't think it's been posted on here before*

BEST JAB
Thomas Hearns: He was a person who was trying to stick and move, he used his jab a lot. He had a great jab.

BEST DEFENSE
Ray Leonard: He didn’t come to fight, he came to last. He came to go the distance, he didn’t come to knock me out. He just wanted to survive, so I would have to say he used his best defense to survive.

FASTEST HANDS
Roberto Duran: He caught me for three rounds at the start of the fight, which I didn’t understand. He caught me with an overhand right. As soon as I would jab, he’d throw the right hand. It didn’t hurt me too much, but it was annoying, aggravating. I really didn’t know what was happening, so I went back to the corner and asked my cornerman. I said, “What’s happening??He said, “Marv, what he’s doing is that he’s timing you. Every time you shoot that jab out, he’ll go over with a right hand.?After [that], I started faking instead of just throwing it, and I started getting a better offense going.

FASTEST FEET
Leonard: You would have to say Leonard because he didn’t [just] move, he ran. It was hard to catch him. I wanted to fight because that’s what I am, I’m a champion. I’m a fighter and came to fight. I believe in that fight, I came in as an underdog. This guy didn’t want to take away my title, he wanted to survive, and it’s hard to beat a guy who just wants to survive.

BEST CHIN
Alan Minter: Believe it or not, I have to give it to Alan Minter because he was champion and he didn’t want to lose. I hit this guy with a lot of punches and he took a couple on the chin. I was amazed. I knew this was what I wanted, and I wasn’t going to stop. Unfortunately he bled early. I was still trying to knock him out with every shot. He took a lot of punishment.

SMARTEST
All of them (laughs): Because when they stepped in the ring with me, they already knew the deal: It was going to be a tough fight. They had to use their skills, their brain, their physical and mental attitude against me because I was very unorthodox. I could fight on the left-hand side and right-hand side. So they had to probably train harder to adapt to my style. But every fighter I fought, I never fought the same way. Each fight I had I was always in better condition than I was before.

STRONGEST
Mugabi and Tony Sibson: I remember seeing Tony Sibson at the weigh-in. This guy was strong. I remember when he hit me on the chest, he looked much stronger and bigger than me, and he’s supposed to be a middleweight. Mugabi, I believe he put on more weight before the fight. I could feel his body against me. He felt like a light heavyweight, he didn’t feel like a middleweight. When he threw punches, they were all deadly, very hard punches. This guy felt like a light heavyweight to me, so I had to wear him down, to take away some of that strength.

BEST PUNCHER
John Mugabi and Hearns: Because they came to fight. They came to take my title from me. Mugabi hit me with an uppercut. It didn’t hurt, but it was a hard punch, and I learned something from that. I had to regroup and come up with a different strategy. Also, with Tommy Hearns, he hit me with one good right hand, a good shot. I knew then that was his hardest punch, and I wanted more. I got more aggressive. I realized I had to keep the pressure on him, make him move and make him throw that right hand so he would leave an opening for me.

BOXING SKILLS
Duran: I would still say Roberto Duran. I loved that fight the most because between the both of us it brought out our skill, our talent. For me wanting to defend my title, for him wanting the fourth title, I mean it became a cat and mouse game. I enjoyed that fight, it was exciting.

BEST OVERALL
Duran: I would say Roberto Duran was very experienced, plus he was a three-time world champion when I fought him. I gave him the opportunity to win a fourth, which didn’t happen (laughs).

That was a great read.

[iamboxing]

I had to look up if Duran did one of these after reading Hagler's best I faced above. Here's Duran's from the Ring Mag.

BEST SKILLS

Ken Buchanan: Buchanan was one of the great lightweights when it came to tactics and skill. His intelligence made him very difficult to beat even though he wasn’t a very strong opponent. Sugar Ray Leonard was faster and stronger but Buchanan had tremendous skills.

BEST JAB

Buchanan: He was tall, boxed well and his lateral movement was extremely good. Buchanan’s jab was difficult to deal with because he threw it on the move.

BEST DEFENSE

Buchanan: He was hard to hit cleanly. I was very young, lacked experience, and Buchanan had been world champion for a long time. A lot of people will expect me to say Wilfred Benitez or Leonard when it comes to defense but I wasn’t prepared properly for Benitez or the Leonard rematch. Davey Moore, who I beat easily, knocked Benitez out so there’s no comparison there. I was coming into my prime against Buchanan and he made me miss often.

Duran (left) challenged Hagler (right) for the middleweight championship.

BEST CHIN

Marvelous Marvin Hagler: I hit Hagler with a lot of punches and he just kept coming. I didn’t find him as skillful as some of the opponents I faced but he was the toughest.

BEST PUNCHER

Esteban De Jesus: De Jesus was the first opponent to knock me down and he had me down again in the second fight. When I lost to Thomas Hearns I was drained from losing weight too quickly, and that had a bad effect on me. Hearns got me with a great punch but I could have performed far better in a rematch. Marvin Hagler, who is a good friend of mine, told Hearns the only reason he knocked me out is because I wasn’t at my best.

FASTEST HANDS

Sugar Ray Leonard: He was the fastest fighter I ever fought but in the first fight I saw everything that was coming at me.

FASTEST FEET

Buchanan: At lightweight the opponents were much swifter on their feet and, back then, we were boxing in 15-round fights. Buchanan always kept on the move but I caught up with him eventually. That victory means a lot to me.

SMARTEST

Leonard: It’s hard to give you one name but Leonard stands out because he made adjustments during fights.

STRONGEST

Hagler: It was an extremely close fight but he got me tired late. Even though I built myself up to middleweight, Hagler was much bigger and used his strength on the inside. After making weight, a fighter rehydrates and there was a big difference there. Still, even when I was tired, Hagler couldn’t get me down. There was no way I was going to get the decision but some fans and reporters thought I’d done enough. Hagler had big American fights pending with Leonard and Hearns so there was a lot of money at stake.

BEST OVERALL

Leonard: I have to say Sugar Ray Leonard because look at what he did in his career after he lost to me. It takes a lot to come back from defeat and Leonard did it.

[_Rexy_]

Cotto is saying that Mayorga, who he blew away in 3 rounds, was stronger than Margarito? Chin could be Margarito.


I guess you can't argue with the fighters' own opinion but these lists are sometimes obviously skewed and comical.

you're not going to say the guy with the hardest punch is also the guy that fought you with gravel in his gloves.

[Holler]

Thanks for posting these. Really enjoyed them, Hagler and Duran in particular.

[davef]

Best I've faced - Sep 2017

BEST JAB
Danny Green: My way of teaching is how I can control the motion, how the fighter can use their own body to punch. Fortunately, I got Danny Green. I saw how he’s throwing all his punches — very good fundamentals. One of my stronger points is the front hand — in that case the left hand, his left jab. I saw everything in Green, so I was just bringing in all the body motions from the feet to the knee, to the shoulder, to the elbow to the end of the punch. It’s all rotation, using all the body parts behind the punch. Green’s jab was so powerful. I remember in one of his fights with Paul Murdoch, he dropped Murdoch with one strong jab.

BEST DEFENSE
Guillermo Rigondeaux: The best defense for me is Rigondeaux. He maximizes all the coordination between defense and counter. I trained him for his title match when he fought Rico Ramos. I had a very good experience with Rigondeaux. There are three kinds of defense: one with the feet, another with the body and another with the head. Rigondeaux maximizes his defense skill to control the opponent through his feet, through his upper body.

FASTEST HANDS
Yuriorkis Gamboa: He was so explosive. It’s a funny thing that happened when we worked with Gamboa. He got a very sore arm. His body is structured for a lot of muscle, so he brings his hands down. Many people misunderstand Gamboa; they think he cannot keep his hands high but it’s because of his body structure; short arm with much muscle.

BEST FOOTWORK
Gamboa: He’s so explosive, he’s in and out. I include Rigondeaux. I include even Jorge Linares — a master in finding angles. I (just) feel Gamboa in his prime was a little better than Linares. What I did with Gamboa was analyze all his motion. I used his skill of footwork when he’s going in and going out. He was so explosive and could go to any angle, hitting you and you not seeing him when he goes out.

BEST CHIN
Saen Sor Ploenchit: Very, very good chin; it’s like rock. He was the WBA flyweight champion. He beat six world champions in nine defenses, including when he won the title from David Griman from Venezuela. He is the skinniest one I had but he was the strongest chin. He was so tough and strong. Now he’s a little punch-drunk because he took so many punches. It’s good to have a good chin but at the end of the day, in the second life, not as a fighter, they (become) a problem.

SMARTEST
Rigondeaux: Rigondeaux and Linares are really smart. Rigondeaux is so smart, he can hit anyone. Linares is the kind of guy who (boxes) with excellency. What is boxing? Good attack and good defense. If I had to pick it would be Rigondeaux.

STRONGEST
Daorung Chuwatana: He was a bantamweight champion. He was so tough and strong. He could push anyone, easy. Any heavyweight could go down with his power because in boxing it’s not only hit hard, it’s punching power. His coordination was very bad but in a real fight, oh my God, he was very strong.

BEST PUNCHER
Gamboa: He had one-punch KO power. For me boxing is art, it’s full of skill. You see the best of Gamboa (when he stopped Jorge Solis). The way he made the knockout was like a piece of art. He created the knockout, it’s not to go and get hit and the KO comes for any reason. It’s the way you produce the KO, how you build up to the KO. Danny Green, I have to include him. I think one of all-time (best) from the amateurs is Felix Savon; three-time Olympic gold medalist with destroying power. I (also had) Pichit Sithbanprachan, flyweight IBF champion.

BOXING SKILLS
Rigondeaux: The best of the best, Guillermo Rigondeaux. He’s all about boxing; he’s excellent. Unfortunately, he’s had many handicaps (and) cannot be where he deserves to be. One, he’s originally from Cuba. Two, his weight class.

BEST OVERALL
Jorge Linares: Linares is boxing: attack, defense and counter. When he hits, you will feel it. He can be a one-punch knockout guy or he can be all night long hitting you. I have done more than 120 world title fights and the last fight with Linares was the (first) one I didn’t say a word in the corner. It was the perfect performance. He didn’t want to knock out (Anthony) Crolla; he was kind. It was a masterpiece. When he dropped Crolla in Round 7, he was ready to go, but he held back so I allowed him to do that. I never like to push. I say to the fighter what he should do, but he’s the one who fights. I respect their decision.

sorry who was this there is no name