Best I've faced

[Chrismart]

Oscar De La Hoya - October 2018

*Originally printed in Ring 2018

BEST JAB
IKE QUARTEY: By far, Ike Quartey. Not only was it powerful, it was very consistent.

BEST DEFENSE
PERNELL WHITAKER: It would have to be a coin flip between Pernell Whitaker and Mayweather. Both had different styles. Whitaker used his waist more and stood in front of you and was very slippery. Mayweather was more of a boxer that moved just a little bit more. The most difficult to hit was probably Whitaker.

BEST FOOTWORK
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.: I think (Floyd) Mayweather used the ring really well. He had good footwork ?that’s what starts it all. The anticipation of knowing when you’re going to attack was a big part of his defense, which made him very clever.

BEST HAND SPEED
SHANE MOSLEY: It was “Sugar?Shane Mosley in the first fight. He had amazing hand speed. With him it was just the speed behind his punches; even though you can see them coming, there were so many ?and very accurate and great power. A fighter like Pacquiao, he’s fast as well. He throws a lot of punches from different angles and you get hit because you don’t know where they’re coming from. With Mayweather, he’s fast too, but his speed is more about timing. It’s not like “Sugar?Shane Mosley with four- and five-punch combinations. Mayweather is more like you throw a jab and he’ll counter it. That’s his speed. I think Shane Mosley in his prime was the fastest fighter I’ve met.

STRONGEST
FERNANDO VARGAS: I would have to say Fernando Vargas. He was very big and strong. We all know what happened after that fight (Vargas tested positive for steroids), but he was very powerful. I was almost knocked out of the ropes in the first round. He was a strong son of a gun. His anger is what fueled him.

SMARTEST
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.: I think the fact he knew how to anticipate my punches made him smart, made him win the fight.

BEST CHIN
JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ: I hit him with some good shots and he still wouldn’t go down. He had one of the best chins in the world, ever. Very resilient. He still is my hero.

BEST PUNCHER
QUARTEY: His punches were like bricks; he hit me and it would sting me. Every punch he would hit me with, it would rattle me.

BEST BOXING SKILLS
WHITAKER: Whitaker had to be one of the most skillful fighters in any generation ?the fact he could stay right in front of you and could still slip the punches. Whitaker wasn’t a runner; he was just someone who stood right in front of you and knew how to slip. Whitaker knew how to knock you out, too. Punching power, skill, I.Q. ?Whitaker had it all. He’s probably one of the all-around best boxers I faced.

BEST OVERALL
MANNY PACQUIAO: I would have to say Pacquiao. I think his determination, his conditioning, his skill, his power, speed, footwork ?he’s one of the fighters I most appreciated. Mayweather-Pacquiao would have been a lot different (if they’d fought) in their primes. Pacquiao would have beat (Mayweather) easy, absolutely.

[GrandpaBernard]

Oscar De La Hoya - October 2018

*Originally printed in Ring 2018

BEST JAB
IKE QUARTEY: By far, Ike Quartey. Not only was it powerful, it was very consistent.

BEST DEFENSE
PERNELL WHITAKER: It would have to be a coin flip between Pernell Whitaker and Mayweather. Both had different styles. Whitaker used his waist more and stood in front of you and was very slippery. Mayweather was more of a boxer that moved just a little bit more. The most difficult to hit was probably Whitaker.

BEST FOOTWORK
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.: I think (Floyd) Mayweather used the ring really well. He had good footwork ?that’s what starts it all. The anticipation of knowing when you’re going to attack was a big part of his defense, which made him very clever.

BEST HAND SPEED
SHANE MOSLEY: It was “Sugar?Shane Mosley in the first fight. He had amazing hand speed. With him it was just the speed behind his punches; even though you can see them coming, there were so many ?and very accurate and great power. A fighter like Pacquiao, he’s fast as well. He throws a lot of punches from different angles and you get hit because you don’t know where they’re coming from. With Mayweather, he’s fast too, but his speed is more about timing. It’s not like “Sugar?Shane Mosley with four- and five-punch combinations. Mayweather is more like you throw a jab and he’ll counter it. That’s his speed. I think Shane Mosley in his prime was the fastest fighter I’ve met.

STRONGEST
FERNANDO VARGAS: I would have to say Fernando Vargas. He was very big and strong. We all know what happened after that fight (Vargas tested positive for steroids), but he was very powerful. I was almost knocked out of the ropes in the first round. He was a strong son of a gun. His anger is what fueled him.

SMARTEST
FLOYD MAYWEATHER JR.: I think the fact he knew how to anticipate my punches made him smart, made him win the fight.

BEST CHIN
JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ: I hit him with some good shots and he still wouldn’t go down. He had one of the best chins in the world, ever. Very resilient. He still is my hero.

BEST PUNCHER
QUARTEY: His punches were like bricks; he hit me and it would sting me. Every punch he would hit me with, it would rattle me.

BEST BOXING SKILLS
WHITAKER: Whitaker had to be one of the most skillful fighters in any generation ?the fact he could stay right in front of you and could still slip the punches. Whitaker wasn’t a runner; he was just someone who stood right in front of you and knew how to slip. Whitaker knew how to knock you out, too. Punching power, skill, I.Q. ?Whitaker had it all. He’s probably one of the all-around best boxers I faced.

BEST OVERALL
MANNY PACQUIAO: I would have to say Pacquiao. I think his determination, his conditioning, his skill, his power, speed, footwork ?he’s one of the fighters I most appreciated. Mayweather-Pacquiao would have been a lot different (if they’d fought) in their primes. Pacquiao would have beat (Mayweather) easy, absolutely.

Two thing stand out

Oscar thinks Floyd has best footwork and was impressed by Whitaker’s power

Oscar pushed Floyd to the ropes here and there but still thinks best footwork was Floyd

[Chrismart]

Oliver McCall - April 2020

BEST DEFENSE
MIKE HUNTER: When I fought Orlin Norris in Florida, he had that peek-a-boo style ?he was pretty crafty. He had good movement and timing. Because he was short, it was more difficult to hit (him). When I fought Mike “The Bounty?Hunter, he was so unorthodox (that it was) difficult to hit (him). (Hunter) had unorthodox movement. He’d put his right foot in front of his left foot, overstep and still make you miss and keep his balance. Mike Hunter made Mike Tyson look real bad in sparring. This guy was something to see. I’d pick Mike Hunter.

FASTEST HANDS
BUSTER DOUGLAS: He had nice handspeed for a heavyweight. A Buster Douglas in shape is a dangerous Buster Douglas for any heavyweight champion in the history of boxing. The Buster Douglas that beat Tyson would have given any heavyweight in the history of boxing trouble that day.

BEST FOOTWORK
BRUCE SELDON: When I fought Tony Tucker in Cleveland, his footwork was a little better than I thought it was going to be. Tony “TNT?Tucker, for him being 6-foot-5 and the way he had his footwork and boxing skills at that size, (was impressive). I fought Bruce Seldon and he’d have to be up there too. He kept his balance pretty good. Between the two, it would have to be Bruce Seldon.

BEST CHIN
HOLMES: Wow! That is a difficult one. That would have to go Larry Holmes. I cracked Larry Holmes with some shots.

SMARTEST
HOLMES: I learned more from Larry Holmes (than any other fighter); he taught me a lot. Hands down. As far as craftiness, definitely Larry Holmes. Him winning that fight with Ray Mercer, that’s what made the fight with me that much harder, because I believe Larry Holmes thought, “I just whooped an Army sergeant.?So he thought he could do the same with me.

STRONGEST
FRANK BRUNO: Out of all my fights, Bruno was able to wrap me up, tie me up, wear me down, lean on me, hold me, elbow me. Look at the fight. I admire him, but it was a stretch as far as the refereeing of that fight.

BEST PUNCHER
LENNOX LEWIS: There was two; both come from London. The first one was with Bruno. I got hit with a right hand (in the first round) ?and it made my eye swell. It made me timid coming in because if you hit it again, it’s gonna split, and I never had my eye cut in a fight. The second one would have to be in the third round of the second fight with Lennox Lewis. The punch I got hit with ?and I remember that punch ?it was a wallop. I looked over his shoulder and saw his momma rooting for him to knock me out, and I thought of my momma not being there. When that man hit me I was going to retaliate, and I broke down. The overhand right that hit me sent me reeling into the ropes, and as I came back I could have just held him if I hadn’t broken down. I thought, “Wow.?I just shut down. I’d pick Lennox. I’m just going off what went through my mind. Bruno hit me dead in the eye, but it wasn’t as brutal as far as the shock to my body or pain as that right hand was. When Lennox hit me with that right hand in the third round, that was a crunching right hand. It makes me think I don’t know how I could take the punches that came after it with my hands down.

BOXING SKILLS
HOLMES: I would have to say Larry Holmes as far as pure boxing skills. Me at my best and him at 25 percent (when we fought) and (him) being champion when I was a kid. He’s my dude as far as skills.

BEST OVERALL
HOLMES: Larry Holmes. It has to be Larry Holmes. As well as boxing skills, he could do the other things. He had an awesome jab. He learned how to box well. He learned not to make the same mistake twice. He learned when he got knocked down how to get up and still beat you down. Stuff like that. He had to put up with a lot of criticism. He was a great champion and it was a trip for me to face him.

[TBear]

Still love reading these.

[Chrismart]

Sam Soliman - April 2020

BEST JAB
Jermain Taylor: After watching Jermain beat one of the legends of our sport, Bernard Hopkins, I trained my mind to not be overwhelmed by his achievements and view him as another one of the many champions I’d fought in the past. In training camp, my coach set up a drill poking a broomstick with a glove on the end of it targeting me over and over, as I defended and countered over and over. This worked a treat for the four rounds I had my legs under me before tearing my ACL in Round 5. I’ve faced three or four very fast-handed boxers with excellent jabs but what made Jermain’s jab special it was never telegraphed – no shoulder twitch, no movement of the hip. You only knew when it was coming when it was on its way. It was a long spearing jab.

BEST DEFENSE
Winky Wright: Winky was only ever in punch range when he wanted to be. I have never fought a man whose forearms were as solid as his. They were like a brick wall and combined with his ability to read the play, know where the punches were coming from, made him the best defensive boxer I ever faced.

BEST HANDSPEED
Anthony Mundine: Mundine’s hands were as fast as his mouth. His hands were so fast because he was so relaxed. That relaxed state enabled him to ping out the punches.

BEST FOOTWORK
Enrique Ornelas: I really loved fighting Mexican Enrique Ornelas because we were literally toe-to-toe for 12 rounds. Footwork was both our strengths. Also fighting him on his side of the world was a sweet victory.

SMARTEST
Howard Eastman: He was able to adjust to my unorthodox style, when I outboxed him in the first four rounds of our bout. He worked out that I was scoring on him when he was in my punch range, so he adjusted the range, keeping me on the outside to use his full reach advantage. He timed me with perfection as I came in and then kept me at his distance throughout the rest of the fight.

STRONGEST
Felix Sturm: Sturm – who we snatched the title off by unanimous decision as an 8-to-1 underdog – was my strongest opponent. I was able to break him down round after round but he still kept coming and that was over 24 rounds. Sturm delivered the hardest body punch I ever received. I promised myself that I would never let him know…until reading The Ring now [laughs]. He also provided me with the highlight of my career.

BEST CHIN
Nader Hamdan: I threw a 1,000 punches that night and had him rattled at times. He had an iron chin and just like his fight name “Lionheart,” he was one of the toughest fighters I have ever came across in my 177 amateur and pro fights combined.

BEST PUNCHER
Eastman: Eastman was 29-0 (with 27 KOs). In the two fights that he won on points, both those opponents only just survived. I studied his footage prior to our stoush. Halfway through our fight, I went back to the corner and told my trainer, “Dave, it feels like he’s not even wearing gloves.” He hit that hard. It was one of the few fights in my career I’d ever been bloodied. He won a close decision but the crowd were unbelievably chanting my name in his hometown after the decision. I personally believe he edged the decision.

BEST BOXING SKILLS
Kevin Kelly: Kelly had the skills to entertain anyone who watched. It was a real chess game as we both used our ring smarts over the 12 rounds. It was my third professional fight. [It was] such a great beginning in my career, to fight a champion of his caliber, over 12 rounds for the Commonwealth title.

BEST OVERALL
Wright: This man had it all. He was the most composed; he had exceptional timing, countering and [was] an all-round great world champion.

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[Chrismart]

Kostya Tszyu - April 2016

*Originally published in 2016

BEST JAB
Miguel Angel Gonzalez: None of them really used the jab as much as they’re supposed to. Gonzalez, because it took me some time to be able to go through the jab to finally stop him.

BEST DEFENSE
Livingstone Bramble: Early in my career against Juan Laporte, he had a very good defense. I wasn’t able to go through his defense. Livingstone Bramble had a very good defense against me.

BEST CHIN
Vince Phillips: I think Vince Phillips. He had been rocked by Ike Quartey but against me I couldn’t put him down. I think Gonzalez had a very good chin; he took huge punishment and never quit.

FASTEST HANDS
Zab Judah: I think Zab was a good, fast puncher. He made a mistake and I capitalized on it.

FASTEST FEET
Sharmba Mitchell: I think Sharmba Mitchell was a good mover. He was awkward in the first fight (but) I was able to find the rhythm for myself and a way to cut the corners properly.

SMARTEST
Ricky Hatton: The way he fought, I think Ricky Hatton. Ricky had the best plan, he created a good plan … to wrestle me (laughs). I wasn’t really able to wrestle myself the way I’m supposed to. Good plan, good tactics and that’s the reason why I lost the fight.

STRONGEST
Hatton: Probably be Ricky, he was a strong guy. I never looked for any excuse after the fight but I made a few mistakes against Ricky in terms of my physical condition. Fighting him at 2 a.m. in the morning … normally I sleep at this time. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of leaving too late. I arrived two weeks before the fight – enough time but I didn’t adjust to the time. I changed the time zone twice, the first time by traveling to the U.K. And secondly, (I was) not able to train at night time to prepare my body for the night, not sleeping. My body was sleeping. I felt my adrenaline would help me but my experience went against me because I didn’t have any adrenaline in the fight.

BEST PUNCHER
Phillips: Probably Vince Phillips. It wasn’t my best night but I felt his punches. It’s not an excuse but I wasn’t in the best shape of my career against Vince Phillips. I was ill, I had anemia. … I felt every punch he threw. In a normal situation, I thought there wouldn’t be any problem with (beating Phillips).

BEST SKILLS
Judah: Sharmba was a very intelligent fighter. Zab was a very talented fighter but he never had discipline that he should have.

BEST OVERALL
Julio Cesar Chavez:
He’s the huge legend in my eyes and I fought him in not his best condition but again that’s not an excuse for me or him. I fought in not the best condition against Ricky. I never thought I was gonna lose to him. At the same time Chavez wanted desperately to be a champion again but at that time no one could stop me.

[Chrismart]

Michael Spinks - Jan 2016

*Originally published in 2016

FASTEST HANDS
Mike Tyson: He had good hand speed. That was one of his biggest assets. He had power and hand speed and that was hard to beat.

FASTEST FEET
Tyson: He knew how to get in real fast. That was one of his strengths too. He’d slide up on you real quick and get in the punches.

BEST CHIN
Luis Rodriguez: I fought him in my second pro fight, in St. Louis, and I hit him with everything and he kept hitting me back (laughs) and I was like, “Damn! Am I hitting hard enough??br />
STRONGEST
Tyson: He was very strong. I don’t know what made him so strong.

SMARTEST
Larry Holmes: Holmes was one of the smartest because he was very hard to hit, had a real wicked defense where you’d try to hit him, he’d throw his hands out and pull you to the side. So it was very hard to hit him.

BEST JAB
Holmes: Nobody outjabbed me. I knew just how to put the right pepper on it, to make it real fast and bring it right back. So I think I had the best jab of all the guys I fought. Larry Holmes had a good jab but he didn’t land it. He didn’t use it on me. My jab was working on him more than his jab on me and I won, two times.

BEST PUNCHER
Tyson: Oh, Mike Tyson, most definitely the biggest puncher I ever fought.

BEST DEFENSE
Dwight Muhammad Qawi: Maybe Dwight. He was so close to the ground (at 5 feet 5 inches). When he bobbed and weaved, it was kind of hard to hit him. I attacked his body, shoulder, chest.

BEST SKILLS
Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and Holmes: Wow. Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Larry Holmes, Yaqui Lopez, a lot of guys had skills. It’s kind of hard to pick one. As a light heavyweight champion, Eddie Mustafa Muhammad; as a heavyweight, Larry Holmes.

BEST OVERALL
Tyson: Well, Larry Holmes was undefeated. Tyson had to be the best because he beat Larry Holmes and me.

[Chrismart]

Tommy Hearns - Oct 2018

*Originally published in 2018

BEST JAB
Sugar Ray Leonard: He’s slick and very smooth with it. Ray had the ability (and) a quick left jab to keep a person at bay. He had a pretty quick jab. He kept me at bay for a while until I used my jab ?and it was no contest. I had a better jab than most guys I fought.

BEST DEFENSE
Wilfred Benitez: He moves his head well and makes you miss a lot. He slides and hits you with jabs and hooks. Benitez was a good, solid fighter. He had great ability. He was a smart guy in the ring and he moved well.

FASTEST HANDS
Leonard: Ray had really fast hands. Not saying I didn’t have fast hands, but it all depended who got their jab off first and who got their punches off first, and that dictated who landed the best shots.

FASTEST FEET
Benitez: He knew how to get away from a man with a good shot. It wasn’t just the footwork, it was the head and body motion. He knew how to move himself to get away from a good shot. I was able to catch him every now and again, but he had very good movement.

BEST CHIN
Marvelous Marvin Hagler: Hands down. He took a lot of shots and kept coming; that proves he had a good chin.

SMARTEST
Leonard: Again I’d go with Ray Leonard. Ray was smart the way he countered from mistakes, from his jab, his movement. He got in a lot by being slick.

STRONGEST
Hagler: I hit him with everything but the kitchen sink. He continued and kept coming forward. I moved him but he just kept coming forward.

BEST PUNCHER
Leonard: I’ll have to think about that one. Iran Barkley, he was one of them ?Marvin Hagler and Leonard. Ray punched pretty good. Pipino Cuevas never hit me, nor did Duran. I’d give it to Ray; he punched pretty good.

BEST BOXING SKILLS
Leonard: Hands down, Ray Leonard. He knew how to box; he was a boxer. Ray was a very technical fighter. He knew how to move and get in, he knew how to move and get out. Ray had good offense and defense.

BEST OVERALL
Benitez: I would say Wilfred Benitez was very good. He was slick and very crafty. I like Benitez’s craft. He moved well and fights all around the ring.

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[Murcielago]

Two thing stand out

Oscar thinks Floyd has best footwork and was impressed by Whitaker’s power

Oscar pushed Floyd to the ropes here and there but still thinks best footwork was Floyd

And he thinks Pacquiao was the best overall yet he wasn't the best in any other category.

[MartinC]

Tommy Hearns - Oct 2018

*Originally published in 2018

BEST JAB
Sugar Ray Leonard: He’s slick and very smooth with it. Ray had the ability (and) a quick left jab to keep a person at bay. He had a pretty quick jab. He kept me at bay for a while until I used my jab ?and it was no contest. I had a better jab than most guys I fought.

BEST DEFENSE
Wilfred Benitez: He moves his head well and makes you miss a lot. He slides and hits you with jabs and hooks. Benitez was a good, solid fighter. He had great ability. He was a smart guy in the ring and he moved well.

FASTEST HANDS
Leonard: Ray had really fast hands. Not saying I didn’t have fast hands, but it all depended who got their jab off first and who got their punches off first, and that dictated who landed the best shots.

FASTEST FEET
Benitez: He knew how to get away from a man with a good shot. It wasn’t just the footwork, it was the head and body motion. He knew how to move himself to get away from a good shot. I was able to catch him every now and again, but he had very good movement.

BEST CHIN
Marvelous Marvin Hagler: Hands down. He took a lot of shots and kept coming; that proves he had a good chin.

SMARTEST
Leonard: Again I’d go with Ray Leonard. Ray was smart the way he countered from mistakes, from his jab, his movement. He got in a lot by being slick.

STRONGEST
Hagler: I hit him with everything but the kitchen sink. He continued and kept coming forward. I moved him but he just kept coming forward.

BEST PUNCHER
Leonard: I’ll have to think about that one. Iran Barkley, he was one of them ?Marvin Hagler and Leonard. Ray punched pretty good. Pipino Cuevas never hit me, nor did Duran. I’d give it to Ray; he punched pretty good.

BEST BOXING SKILLS
Leonard: Hands down, Ray Leonard. He knew how to box; he was a boxer. Ray was a very technical fighter. He knew how to move and get in, he knew how to move and get out. Ray had good offense and defense.

BEST OVERALL
Benitez: I would say Wilfred Benitez was very good. He was slick and very crafty. I like Benitez’s craft. He moved well and fights all around the ring.

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Tribute to some great fighters.