Name a Great Heavyweight and a skill that distinguished them.

[billeau2]

larry Holmes: lateral Movement
Sonny Liston: Finishing ability

[Ivich]

larry Holmes: lateral Movement
Sonny Liston: Finishing ability

I'd say Holmes standout skill was his jab.

[billeau2]

I'd say Holmes standout skill was his jab.

Thats another one... they can have more than one.
Ali: Chin
Shavers: Punching Power
How about Lyle?

[Ivich]

Thats another one... they can have more than one.
Ali: Chin
Shavers: Punching Power
How about Lyle?

Not trying to nit pick, but having a great chin isnt a skill its a quality.

[billeau2]

Not trying to nit pick, but having a great chin isnt a skill its a quality.

Fair enough... For purposes of the thread qualities apply because some attributes are debatable with respect to the distinction: Chin a definite quality, speed? Well it becomes quickness when refined and is a skill. Is Ruiz quick? as compared to Dempsey? Both men had/have speed... with Ruiz its still just fast hands... As opposed to Louis or Dempsey who become quick (untelegraphed).

[4truth]

Jimmy Young: subtle elusiveness
stood right in the wheelhouse of some of the greatest heavies.

[Ivich]

Fair enough... For purposes of the thread qualities apply because some attributes are debatable with respect to the distinction: Chin a definite quality, speed? Well it becomes quickness when refined and is a skill. Is Ruiz quick? as compared to Dempsey? Both men had/have speed... with Ruiz its still just fast hands... As opposed to Louis or Dempsey who become quick (untelegraphed).

Okay B .I dont want to be a pedant.

[QueensburyRules]

I'd say Holmes standout skill was his jab.

- - Wlad left was a poleaxe left jab and KO machine left hook with a half dozen variations between them.

Lar don't stand a chance.

[billeau2]

Okay B .I dont want to be a pedant.

Its good to bring these points in, they are important and elevate the discussion... We eventually get to a place where maybe the fighter did not see the distinction and might have excelled if they did.

I was about 7 years old and one day got a chance to pitch. I wiffed everyone! I was a star!! Sometime later playing in New York's Gil Hodges travelling league I threw those same pitches... if you listen carefully you can still hear some of the reverberations from how hard those pitches were hit lol. I had an initial advantage... But never made that very distinction. Did not understand what the quality was versus the skill that had given me an advantage.

Catfish Hunter at that time could throw an 88 mile an hour fastball and get the best hitters in the world out... Today high school kids can throw in the 80 MPH. Imagine the skill required to not blow every pitch past the guy... Which begs the question what was the quality and what was the skill? The quality was having movement on the ball, the skill was accuracy and precision: Catfish knew where he wanted the ball to go (accuracy) and put it there almost every time (precision).

[Nash out]

Mike Tyson - Missionary. He's only good when he's on top. Nash out.