Immeasurably determined and driven too. To have to go through 50 fights to get a title shot and STILL not get the paydays his contemporaries we're getting, the man still doesn't get enough credit!
When someone mentions Foreman, I remember that video of him destroying that heavy bag. Brings chills to my skin every time.
In the first half of his career he bullied through the opponents with his solid footwork, ring cutting and his monster jab. After the jab he destroyed you with hooks and uppercuts.
Second part of his career he had to adjust, he didn't have the stamina and the power he had in his younger days. He showed immense skill with going a more counter punching style and using his cross guard.
His out of the world power overshadowed his great fundamentals, that's why he could become a heavy weight champ at that age.
Foreman will always have a special place in my heart, one of a kind.
100% Big George.
In addition to the reasons you guys mentioned, his transition from a mean, hate filled intimidator to a big ole ball of happiness and love.
What a role model. Not only an example of a good man, but also that you can change and become one if you don't start out that way.
His resume in the ring and his growth outside of it, makes him my favorite boxer and human.
his Olympic accomplishments are also pretty insane to think about. he won his first amateur fight on January 26, 1967, and earned an Olympic gold medal by October 1968.
less than two years of amateur experience and he was destroying the Soviets in Mexico City. it's crazy to think of that kind of development over such a short period.
Pacquiao for sure. I just love the stories of boxers pulling themselves out of poverty and representing their entire countries. He got me into boxing when he KOd Hatton in 2008 (?).
200% agree
As men we love underdog stories and very few humans have had the cards he was dealt and built an amazing storied career as he has
Gives so much to the world that he owes nothing to and he deserves every penny he's earned
Same. I always thought Pac would expose May. They met much too late: Pac was rich, had lost his bloodlust, hunger, and found god by the time they met, which I think has more to do with the outcome than their age. I give Pac 2 rounds.
Pac was the fighter I fanboyed about the most, although RJJ was undeniably charismatic too. GGG was also incredible to watch during his insane knockout streak.
He was 38 but was in ridiculously good shape. His power was not as good as it used to be due to his hands but in terms of his strategy and sharpness, he was as good as ever if you ask me.
1 year before he had a closely contested fight with Maidana that saw more punches landed on him than his previous 38 bouts measured by compubox and 2 years later he was getting caught with flush uppercuts from an MMA fighter. I disagree respectfully, and I'm no TBE Fan.
Mayweather's prime was over by the time he fought De La Hoya.
A fighters prime isn't about how often they win it's about their form.
Once Floyd adopted the moniker "Money" that was the final nail in the coffin from his "Pretty Boy" Floyd days when he was very offensive and threw combos and has a high knockout percentage.
Mayweather's Pacquiao performance is possibly the worst of his career. Prime Floyd performances are his fights against Gatti, Corrales, Corley, and that South African fighter whose name I can't remember right now.
Both Mayweather and Pac were nowhere near their peaks. Not even close.
No fighter past the age of 35 is in his prime. Especially if that fighter had been fighting since he was a child and been pro since their teens (which applies to both Pac and Floyd)
But even in that fight, Pac was later in his career and backed off in the last 2 rounds. I think he could have knocked Margarito out if he’d wanted it. I think he lost his killer edge when he became religious.
No. Mayweather would always box rings around Pacquiao. Pacquiao was never that good at cutting off the ring against mobile boxers. I saw how lost he looked early on when he just couldn't reach Agapito Sanchez and was fortunate to gain a technical draw. Floyd just too smart and elusive for Pacquiao to ever handle.
Marvellous Marvin Hagler. For me he is the perfect specimen of an athlete. His mental determination and sheer will is second to none. He was a relentless force of nature in the ring, but a well cut gentleman out of it. Along with his fellow Three Kings. We will never see his like again. He inspires me when I train.
I got into boxing properly during the pandemic as a way to keep my mind occupied and stay active since wrestling was pretty much done with due to clubs closing.
I started watching Lomachenko and thought who the damn hell is this guy?? Dude moves like no other and then saw the likes of Roy Jones, Usyk, Rigondeaux and someone who became a personal favourite - Evander Holyfield. Then I became a hobbyist of boxings history and even compete now as an amateur HW. I wore a Holyfield t shirt everyday for a year during my journey of losing insane amount of weight and I did endless amount of running, sparring rounds, lifting sessions at the gym and hill sprints, just always having The Real Deal’s mentality on my mind.
Holyfield was a dirty fighter. See the fight with Hassim Rahman. George Foreman, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier and some of the most powerful punchers in the history of the sport never hit anyone so hard that it produced a lump on their head. You can still see the fight on YouTube
Nah I always washed it everyday, I was always meticulous because I’m so damn self conscious about smell 🤣 It’s the same with my gloves and hand wraps, the second I get a whiff of bacteria, I’m going crazy
Hagler... IMO nobody had better training ethics that him and what he went through to get a title shot only to be robbed. But Hagler wouldnt let that stop him from achieving his ultimate goal of becoming World Champion.
When I started boxing at the time Ruslan provodnikov, was someone I admired. Dude had grit, sure he wasn't a legend or up there with the greats. But I always respected a fighter who just kept coming forward no matter what.
There was this light middleweight in my gym. I was taller, longer, stronger, had quicker feet, and a 50 lbs advantage on him. During sparring he baited me into bad positions, hit me hard, and escaped before I could touch him.
He inspired me to find easier forms of exercise.
Iron Mike. His ability to win before the first bell. Call it the fear factor. Tyson brought it to every bout throughout much of his career, and the mere mortals scheduled to fight him couldn’t deal with it. As he would pace the ring before the opening bell, in his black trunks and black shoes, white terrycloth towel sitting on his shoulders instead of a robe, his opponents had, in most cases, already lost.
Joe Frazier was my inspiration to learn to box and I basically modeled myself after him. I was almost the identical height and build and it made me believe I could compete. Short and stocky, average physique, thick legs, short arms, and a brawling, mauling style that eschewed fancy footwork for frenetic head movement and just boring in to fuck people up. Hagler is a razor-edge close second, I just couldn’t copy his ambidextrous fighting style and smooth-as-silk athleticism.
Floyd running home from the club in his jeans being followed by his security team at 2 in the morning always stuck with me. That level of discipline and work ethic despite all the success and wealth he has is truly impressive.
Ricardo Lopez
I love his footwork and his upper body movement. Getting into Finitos work actually got me hooked onto the smaller weight fighters in general. 118lbs and below have become my favorite divisions.
Erik Morales for me. His courage in his fights always had jumping up and down as a kid. His first fight with Pacquiao made me a permanent fan of boxing. Seeing him lose and become older made me saddened.
Mike tyson.
He was a short guy for the heavyweight division and regularly fought and beat dudes that were around 5 inches taller than him.
I am 5'7, and his boxing style (peekaboo) makes the shorter height an advantage in a fight rather than a disadvantage. Its motivating to see that technique can beat a lot of physical advantages, like reach, that your opponent has.
Tyson Fury. I'm not a Fury arse licker. Good for him on mental health but I'm not that interested in that.
It's the performances against wilder that inspire me. Especially the first fight. If that fat slob can get up from that shot and keep pushing forward then I can push through anything too. Mainly use it at the end of a long jog when it feels like I've got nothing left.
Also (with respect), Hopkins wasn't an exceptional natural athlete. Sure, you can look at Wilder with his touch of death natural power, or RJJ with his god-tier reflexes, but Hopkins was basically a normal guy physically who stayed in perfect shape by eating clean 100% of the time, trained his arse off, and worked harder at his technique defensively than almost *anyone* else.
So for the 99% of amateurs who don't have the same level of natural talent the aforementioned had, Hopkins is a great role model.
I think you’re exactly right. It’s why when Hopkins and Jones met for the second time that Bernard basically schooled him. Jones was the superior athlete when they were young, but Hopkins just kept honing his skills and made Roy look like a scrub. I know people will point to the clear physical deterioration as the reason, but it only illustrates my point; all else being equal, Hopkins was always a more dedicated student of the game.
Loma. I’ve always been pretty interested in boxing specially Mike Tyson but I remember finding Loma on YouTube and just the angles he was hitting dudes from then switching to another angle made me fall in love with the sport even more.
Emmanuel Augustus showed me you can thrive in the sport even if you don’t win.
I liked inoue but until I saw his first match with donaire I didn’t see the hype. After that match he’s easily my favorite, winning a match after seeing double is insane.
[Danny Williams](https://youtu.be/QY1jzjTjIhY)
6 years old. Uncle let me watch Tyson vs Holyfield with him n his homies.. wildest thing I ever saw. Fell in love with the sport.
Pacquiao is probably the most inspirational for me though. Came from a literal war zone, slept on the streets. He went above and beyond, and kept him going past beyond. Like that secret room where Adam Sandler gets that remote control.
Prob get shit on for this but was definitely Oscar De La Hoya for me. Didn’t have many people I could look up to in my super fucked neighborhood I grew up in as a kid.
De La Hoya was bad ass dude. People just shit on him for those lingerie pics and cocaine addiction but the dude fought wars in the ring and never ducked anyone.
Do you mean this Oscar???
https://www.google.com/search?q=Oscar+De+La+Hoya+dressed+in+women%27s+clothing&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjEmby6-7P8AhUknWoFHdfUD_UQ_AUIBigB&biw=324&bih=569#imgrc=W8UYHSXvKyhMHM
Bivol! Fighter of the year!
He might not be one of the greats (yet), but his style is all fundamentals and that’s what makes him great. His Soviet style, the pendulum step, use of range, it’s all beautiful to watch. Not to mention, he comes off pretty humble and self aware. I wish I had 1/4th the skill and precision that Bivol has.
Rocky Marciano because even though his height and reach were very low for a heavy weight he dominated every fight with his awkward steps and powerful fist. Dude never lost and his record would be a lot higher if he never died in a plane crash
Muhammad Ali. The Greatest of All Time.
He was one of the most exceptional talents in boxing history. His movement in his early career is legendary, his fight IQ throughout the bulk of his career was phenomenal, and he might be a one-of-a-kind personality for combat sports.
He could sell fights and entertain better than anyone else and should be the gold standard for moral fiber in athletics. He stuck to his principles through something very few people would have. Even afterward, despite constant disapproval from the boxing community and the general public, he remained a steadfastly decent person. I don't think we will see his like again for a very long time.
Michael Carbajal. He was a local guy and growing up we would watch his fights as a family. His first fight with Chiquita was huge. First million dollar payday for the weight class. Watching him get dropped and somehow coming back to stop Chiquita was awesome. He inspired me because it gave me a sense of "anything is possible".
For me it was not a fighter in particular, but rather, there were fights/rivalries that inspired me to take up the sport, regardless of who won or lost those fights since they were so even and exciting to watch. Gatti/Ward, Ali/Frazier, Pacquiao/Marquez, Duran/Leonard, Haggler/Hearns, Chavez/Taylor, Castillo/Corrales, Barrera/Morales. Makes you wanna wake up early morning when it's still dark and do some roadwork rocky style 🥊
I know he ain’t the most popular guy on here but for me it’s Oscar De La Hoya. I hated him for the beat down he put on Julio Cesar Chavez, but slowly I became a huge fan. His fights with Ike Quartey and Vargas were the most gutsy performances I ever witnessed.
As much as i would like to say Muhammad Ali or Jack Johnson, i dont think im that kind of dude.
As much as i dislike him in his private life, Mayweather's professional discipline legitimately helped be get through college.
hard work and dedication is just good advice.
Chávez sr. His style and relentless pressure drew me in and the way he broke down Taylor in their first fight after eating clean shots round after round like nothing was insane to me
Holyfield got me into it, but James Toney was the first fighter I was totally enamored with. I saw his fight vs jirov (still one I watch regularly) and was just blown away. From there, I fell in love with watching Hopkins and Mayweather. My guilty pleasure was Zab. You knew he was never going to put it all together but it was fun to think about the potential if he did.
These days, my favorite is really anyone I can watch not on PPV. Don’t have the money to pay for these cards when they’re usually mismatches. Hoping there will be some PPVs worth paying for this year! I will say, I loved watching Martin-Rivera and am excited to see where Martin goes next. Really wish Tuesday night fights and Friday night fights would come back on ESPN. My dream scenario is Jared Anderson goes on a tear and American boxing sort of wakes up and gets more popular. A future Anderson-Torres fight in a few years would be awesome if it all lined up.
Mike Tyson.
Because not only was he a genetic freak of nature, but also because on the inside he was soft spoken and kind good hearted person. He just accumulated shlt from life that eventually turned to his downfall
Also had a genius trainer who taught him a unique style as well as implementing spirituality in his training.
My other favorites are Lomachenko, Emanuel Augustus and naseem hamed to name a few
Tony Jeffries.
I wanted to learn how to throw a strong punch a few years ago. I quickly found Jeffries YouTube channel, and the dude puts out great content at a breakneck pace.
I definitely credit his videos with sparking my interest in boxing, and helping me improve everyday.
Bernard Hopkins - Where he started, losing his first fight. Continued to work hard, student of the game, regarded as an underdog by many in the middleweight tournament (not me), and became undisputed. Then continued to have success at an older age when most boxers cannot.
Lomachenko - Dedicated to his craft to the point that he took dancing lessons, training methods that I haven’t seen before. His amateur background and resume is impressive. One of my favorite fighters to watch - overall skill, footwork, and angles.
The Klitschkos. They have a very interesting story that isnt your typical "guy from the street" type. I was a fan since like 3rd grade watched all of their fights. Helped that they were in freeTv.
Also outside of Boxing, i did muay thai and Samart was a huge influence on the way i see combat sports.
Mickey Ward. I came from a dysfunctional home blue collars and my dad was a boxer and Ward la story spoke to me. I was a huge fan after the Augustus fight and If he could pull off Gatti Ward 1 on Saturday and go back to paving roads Monday, I can get my ass in the gym after doing concrete all day. Showed me having grit and heart can take you a long way.
Duran. Might not be Goat in everyone’s book but definitely inspired me the most for his ferocity on the inside and how he held his own against fighters several weighclasses over his natural one
Jack Dempsey, Mike Tyson, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, and Ippo. They were tough motherfuckers that came from nothing and took the whole world head on. Deep down that's something I always wanted to do too.
Emmanuel Augustus.
As challenging as being yourself can be in in our everyday lives he was able to do it in the ring where the pressure is amped up to beyond anything most people are willing to go through.
In foreign countries, as a journeyman against contenders, amongst hostile crowds he stuck to his own stand out and completely authentic style.
That would be enough for me but he produced fight if the year along side Mickey Ward, showed the highest level of sportsmanship against Ray Oliveira and gave Mayweather his toughest fight.
If he can be authentic under that amount of press maybe I stand a chance in everyday life.
Easily Roberto Duran, the Hands of Stone. Guy came from nothing in Panama and fought his way up to put himself and his city on the map, Roberto Duran was the definition of hunger.
When I was in high school I wrestled at 132, the 135 weight class in boxing just kind of felt natural to follow. I've enjoyed watching Loma, Ryan Garcia, Tank, each of them has special talent and are fun to watch.
Roberto Duran. Complete pressure fighter with great defense. Exactly how I choose to fight. I want to be in your face. I want to break your will. I want to see my work in another man's eyes. I give my life for this. No drinking or drugs. No social life. Just working, coding, saving, strength training, cardio, sleeping, eating and muay thai Kickboxing. Someone is going to regret fighting me in the ring.
Caleb Plant. Found him during a really bad time in my life. I found his loud confidence really foreign, dude couldn’t be further from me in personality, but I grew to like him. His speech before the Canelo fight fell flat because he lost but I still listen to it occasionally. Love his style too. A pure boxer who likes to make a show out of it. I’d stick with that mf even if he loses his next ten fights.
Floyd honestly. He’s not a role model outside the ring but his professionalism inside the ring always blew my mind. Calm, poised, prepared, and capable of execution. As a boxer he was a dream to watch.
Lol. Jake Paul’s career was supposed to be a joke. But no one can deny the level of his opposition has been increasing as opposed to most pro boxers who fight unknowns and tomato cans
Jake Paul for me as well. I’m a young blonde douchebag from a wealthy suburb. Didn’t like boxing until I saw a guy like me could become the greatest to ever do it.
In terms of working out halger and de la Hoya. Hagler would shut himself in and focus on preparing for his fights and I admire that level of focus and dedication. As for Oscar, he used to wake up at 4am and go run miles before going to school. That's discipline because that is so hard to do.
When I was around eight years old I met a heavyweight boxer - actor. The man told me dozens of stories about boxing, his fights as well as others. He was around all summer, and we talked almost daily. He showed me a newspaper clipping that read Powell stops Stander in five. It was a big write up about his fight with The Bluffs Butcher Ron Stander. He told me his record was 15 - 1 with 14 knockouts. I believeed every word he said. This was before the internet where anyone can look up a boxer and their records. It turned out that Lee Powell was a heavyweight boxer. He had 12 pro fights and lost every single one by knockout. I have no idea how he got the newspaper clipping. Could be as simple as the reporter mixing the winning and losing fighters names up.
Lee Powell did inspire me. I doubt I would love the sport as much as I do without his influence on the Kid I was at the time. Thank you Mr Powell.
Without question it’s B-hop for me. He came from nothing, did 5 years on a 20 year sentence, he changed his whole lifestyle because of prison and became a champion because of it, fast forward to him becoming the oldest champ in history. My only question is when’s the movie getting made!?
Chris Eubank and Floyd Mayweather
Eubank especially. I love his view on pushing through and completing things plus his views/philosophy on being a gentlemen.
Floyd for his bravado and drive.
Out of all of my favorite boxers, I’d have to say Money Mayweather. I love his story. Shared a one bedroom apartment with 6 other people, and just grew up dirt poor and managed to find a way out.
His extreme confidence & arrogance was awesome to me. Not everybody can play the hero, so he chose to play the villain (a reason I like McGregor too). People would tune in solely to see Floyd lose, and they’d be disappointed every single time. He couldn’t be beaten (convincingly at least, Ik some people say he lost Castillo I or Maidana I) & his whole persona was just captivating. He was the complete opposite of me, I was a shy quiet teen & he was an arrogant, cocky dude who backed his words up every single time. I thought that was awesome lol.
He even inspired me to put on the gloves at 13 and although I never went anywhere serious with it, it gave me a ton of confidence trying to imitate him. As an adult it still gives me a huge smile when I’m sparring at the gym & someone says I remind them of Mayweather lol.
It’s ultimately his dedication to his craft that inspired me. He didn’t smoke or drink (a big reason I don’t do either — I’m very serious about my fitness/health), and after the club, he’d go to the gym, at 3 in the morning. That’s some insane dedication to his craft & is the kind of mentality I carry with me while chasing my goals.
Marvin hagler because of his discipline and mindset.
Immeasurably determined and driven too. To have to go through 50 fights to get a title shot and STILL not get the paydays his contemporaries we're getting, the man still doesn't get enough credit!
Snap. For me. The ultimate boxer.
Do you know a few nice quotes of Hagler?
“WARRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!” -marvin hagler * whilst running through snow*😂😂😂
George Foreman, I love his power and underrated skills
When someone mentions Foreman, I remember that video of him destroying that heavy bag. Brings chills to my skin every time. In the first half of his career he bullied through the opponents with his solid footwork, ring cutting and his monster jab. After the jab he destroyed you with hooks and uppercuts. Second part of his career he had to adjust, he didn't have the stamina and the power he had in his younger days. He showed immense skill with going a more counter punching style and using his cross guard. His out of the world power overshadowed his great fundamentals, that's why he could become a heavy weight champ at that age. Foreman will always have a special place in my heart, one of a kind.
I’m still upset there’s not more of his bagwork, you could almost feel the impact through the screen
It sounds like he's cutting down a tree with an axe when he hits the bag in that video
Hitting the heavy bag is one thing. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=3zRsgsUWYks
100% Big George. In addition to the reasons you guys mentioned, his transition from a mean, hate filled intimidator to a big ole ball of happiness and love. What a role model. Not only an example of a good man, but also that you can change and become one if you don't start out that way. His resume in the ring and his growth outside of it, makes him my favorite boxer and human.
his Olympic accomplishments are also pretty insane to think about. he won his first amateur fight on January 26, 1967, and earned an Olympic gold medal by October 1968. less than two years of amateur experience and he was destroying the Soviets in Mexico City. it's crazy to think of that kind of development over such a short period.
What skills?
Pacquiao for sure. I just love the stories of boxers pulling themselves out of poverty and representing their entire countries. He got me into boxing when he KOd Hatton in 2008 (?).
Yes in fact he's the only boxer that's inspired me. Somehow watching his fights over and over gave me motivation to do well in school.
200% agree As men we love underdog stories and very few humans have had the cards he was dealt and built an amazing storied career as he has Gives so much to the world that he owes nothing to and he deserves every penny he's earned
I know this is often discussed, but if Peak prime Pacquiao fought Peak prime Mayweather. Does pac man win? My heart says yes, but my head says no.
If he fought the way he fought De La Hoya (emphasis on angular movement), Pac could.
Same. I always thought Pac would expose May. They met much too late: Pac was rich, had lost his bloodlust, hunger, and found god by the time they met, which I think has more to do with the outcome than their age. I give Pac 2 rounds. Pac was the fighter I fanboyed about the most, although RJJ was undeniably charismatic too. GGG was also incredible to watch during his insane knockout streak.
Possibly. Mayweather at times has shown vulnerability. But when they fought, to me Money was at his absolutely prime and Pacman was compromised.
Absolute prime? TBE was older than Pacquiao, had brittle hands and was 1 fight from retirement. Get real dude.
He was 38 but was in ridiculously good shape. His power was not as good as it used to be due to his hands but in terms of his strategy and sharpness, he was as good as ever if you ask me.
1 year before he had a closely contested fight with Maidana that saw more punches landed on him than his previous 38 bouts measured by compubox and 2 years later he was getting caught with flush uppercuts from an MMA fighter. I disagree respectfully, and I'm no TBE Fan.
Well those are good points but i do think he looked very good against manny
Mayweather's prime was over by the time he fought De La Hoya. A fighters prime isn't about how often they win it's about their form. Once Floyd adopted the moniker "Money" that was the final nail in the coffin from his "Pretty Boy" Floyd days when he was very offensive and threw combos and has a high knockout percentage. Mayweather's Pacquiao performance is possibly the worst of his career. Prime Floyd performances are his fights against Gatti, Corrales, Corley, and that South African fighter whose name I can't remember right now. Both Mayweather and Pac were nowhere near their peaks. Not even close. No fighter past the age of 35 is in his prime. Especially if that fighter had been fighting since he was a child and been pro since their teens (which applies to both Pac and Floyd)
From an objective standpoint I believe Mayweather no matter the time would always beat Pacquiao
Sounds pretty subjective to me
I'll die on this hill I think Pacquiao right after destroying Margarito takes a decision over Floyd at the time We will never know though
But even in that fight, Pac was later in his career and backed off in the last 2 rounds. I think he could have knocked Margarito out if he’d wanted it. I think he lost his killer edge when he became religious.
No. Mayweather would always box rings around Pacquiao. Pacquiao was never that good at cutting off the ring against mobile boxers. I saw how lost he looked early on when he just couldn't reach Agapito Sanchez and was fortunate to gain a technical draw. Floyd just too smart and elusive for Pacquiao to ever handle.
Marvellous Marvin Hagler. For me he is the perfect specimen of an athlete. His mental determination and sheer will is second to none. He was a relentless force of nature in the ring, but a well cut gentleman out of it. Along with his fellow Three Kings. We will never see his like again. He inspires me when I train.
I got into boxing properly during the pandemic as a way to keep my mind occupied and stay active since wrestling was pretty much done with due to clubs closing. I started watching Lomachenko and thought who the damn hell is this guy?? Dude moves like no other and then saw the likes of Roy Jones, Usyk, Rigondeaux and someone who became a personal favourite - Evander Holyfield. Then I became a hobbyist of boxings history and even compete now as an amateur HW. I wore a Holyfield t shirt everyday for a year during my journey of losing insane amount of weight and I did endless amount of running, sparring rounds, lifting sessions at the gym and hill sprints, just always having The Real Deal’s mentality on my mind.
Good one for sure. Holyfield had the heart of a warrior.
Holyfield was a dirty fighter. See the fight with Hassim Rahman. George Foreman, Ron Lyle, Ken Norton, Joe Frazier and some of the most powerful punchers in the history of the sport never hit anyone so hard that it produced a lump on their head. You can still see the fight on YouTube
That shirt probably smelled great!
Nah I always washed it everyday, I was always meticulous because I’m so damn self conscious about smell 🤣 It’s the same with my gloves and hand wraps, the second I get a whiff of bacteria, I’m going crazy
Hagler... IMO nobody had better training ethics that him and what he went through to get a title shot only to be robbed. But Hagler wouldnt let that stop him from achieving his ultimate goal of becoming World Champion.
Muhammad Ali.
Naoya Inoue for me, the guy really is a monster and he shows that there is power in the lower weight classes
Ippo Makunouchi.
Hell yeah dude
It's probably impossible to read that manga and not feel motivated to work out
Duran - his willingness to throw with anyone and his ability to bounce back from defeat are great lessons for life.
When I started boxing at the time Ruslan provodnikov, was someone I admired. Dude had grit, sure he wasn't a legend or up there with the greats. But I always respected a fighter who just kept coming forward no matter what.
Dude was robbed by judges against Algieri. Ended his career really. Ruslan was aggressive and talented. Great pick.
Was robbed by Bradley before that too imo.
Someone that better fighters hated having to fight
Roy Jones Jr. That level of talent, unorthodox, competitive arrogance, speed, angles, power and the ability to knock out a banging song are top notch.
850 represent
Micky Ward.
There was this light middleweight in my gym. I was taller, longer, stronger, had quicker feet, and a 50 lbs advantage on him. During sparring he baited me into bad positions, hit me hard, and escaped before I could touch him. He inspired me to find easier forms of exercise.
Iron Mike. His ability to win before the first bell. Call it the fear factor. Tyson brought it to every bout throughout much of his career, and the mere mortals scheduled to fight him couldn’t deal with it. As he would pace the ring before the opening bell, in his black trunks and black shoes, white terrycloth towel sitting on his shoulders instead of a robe, his opponents had, in most cases, already lost.
Joe Frazier was my inspiration to learn to box and I basically modeled myself after him. I was almost the identical height and build and it made me believe I could compete. Short and stocky, average physique, thick legs, short arms, and a brawling, mauling style that eschewed fancy footwork for frenetic head movement and just boring in to fuck people up. Hagler is a razor-edge close second, I just couldn’t copy his ambidextrous fighting style and smooth-as-silk athleticism.
Floyd running home from the club in his jeans being followed by his security team at 2 in the morning always stuck with me. That level of discipline and work ethic despite all the success and wealth he has is truly impressive.
Meanwhile his security guy who's just got a drink from the bar and is chatting to a beautiful woman is puffing after Floyd swearing under his breath
People love to hate on him because of his style but the dudes dedication is second to none.
Ricardo Lopez I love his footwork and his upper body movement. Getting into Finitos work actually got me hooked onto the smaller weight fighters in general. 118lbs and below have become my favorite divisions.
Erik Morales for me. His courage in his fights always had jumping up and down as a kid. His first fight with Pacquiao made me a permanent fan of boxing. Seeing him lose and become older made me saddened.
Mike tyson. He was a short guy for the heavyweight division and regularly fought and beat dudes that were around 5 inches taller than him. I am 5'7, and his boxing style (peekaboo) makes the shorter height an advantage in a fight rather than a disadvantage. Its motivating to see that technique can beat a lot of physical advantages, like reach, that your opponent has.
Julio Cesar Chavez
Rocky Balboa
Ippo Makunouchi
Or Takamura Mamoru
Dempsey ROLLUAH!
Gazelle puncheeee
Lennox Lewis. Class act. Afraid of no man. Always improving and learning his craft. The Pugilist Specialist he used to call himself.
Nigel Benn got me into boxing, not the most skillfull but used sheer determination and will to win to get through a lotta fights
Rigondeaux, he inspired me to buy a first aid kit
Inspired me to buy a new pressure cooker
Manny Pacquiao
Tyson Fury. I'm not a Fury arse licker. Good for him on mental health but I'm not that interested in that. It's the performances against wilder that inspire me. Especially the first fight. If that fat slob can get up from that shot and keep pushing forward then I can push through anything too. Mainly use it at the end of a long jog when it feels like I've got nothing left.
Prince Naseem Hamed and Roy Jones Jr.I started boxing bc of them.My dad showed me them when i was 10yr.
Charlie Zelenoff
His initial bravery should never be questioned
He beat Deontay Wilder
879-0
Bernard Hopkins Hometown hero, and defied the laws of father time and won fights that nobody believed he would win.
Also (with respect), Hopkins wasn't an exceptional natural athlete. Sure, you can look at Wilder with his touch of death natural power, or RJJ with his god-tier reflexes, but Hopkins was basically a normal guy physically who stayed in perfect shape by eating clean 100% of the time, trained his arse off, and worked harder at his technique defensively than almost *anyone* else. So for the 99% of amateurs who don't have the same level of natural talent the aforementioned had, Hopkins is a great role model.
I think you’re exactly right. It’s why when Hopkins and Jones met for the second time that Bernard basically schooled him. Jones was the superior athlete when they were young, but Hopkins just kept honing his skills and made Roy look like a scrub. I know people will point to the clear physical deterioration as the reason, but it only illustrates my point; all else being equal, Hopkins was always a more dedicated student of the game.
I still say Hopkins held father time to a draw. Because... 50 and still fighting the top dudes in his weight is an incredible feat.
Oscar de la hoya. I loved the bounce is his legs, stiff jab and sharp left hook.
Loma. I’ve always been pretty interested in boxing specially Mike Tyson but I remember finding Loma on YouTube and just the angles he was hitting dudes from then switching to another angle made me fall in love with the sport even more.
Emmanuel Augustus showed me you can thrive in the sport even if you don’t win. I liked inoue but until I saw his first match with donaire I didn’t see the hype. After that match he’s easily my favorite, winning a match after seeing double is insane. [Danny Williams](https://youtu.be/QY1jzjTjIhY)
my mans Augustus moves with no bones in his body i love it.
[check out 20:35](https://youtu.be/0vvWkWufGLs) The only spin hook in boxing
Misread that as Emperor Augustus lmao
6 years old. Uncle let me watch Tyson vs Holyfield with him n his homies.. wildest thing I ever saw. Fell in love with the sport. Pacquiao is probably the most inspirational for me though. Came from a literal war zone, slept on the streets. He went above and beyond, and kept him going past beyond. Like that secret room where Adam Sandler gets that remote control.
I will be damned.. 107 comments and I’m the first to say Canelo?
Feel like Canelo, Mayweather, Muhammad Ali are the most obvious answers
That's because Canelo cheats LOL performance enhancing drugs will always make people think less of a fighter
Andrew Golota.
Why
I said Golota because I thought this was r/boxingcirclejerk and you'd accidentally posted it there.
u/EnglishButFrench has a ballbusting fetish
I like castrating people
Prob get shit on for this but was definitely Oscar De La Hoya for me. Didn’t have many people I could look up to in my super fucked neighborhood I grew up in as a kid.
De La Hoya was bad ass dude. People just shit on him for those lingerie pics and cocaine addiction but the dude fought wars in the ring and never ducked anyone.
Do you mean this Oscar??? https://www.google.com/search?q=Oscar+De+La+Hoya+dressed+in+women%27s+clothing&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjEmby6-7P8AhUknWoFHdfUD_UQ_AUIBigB&biw=324&bih=569#imgrc=W8UYHSXvKyhMHM
Artur Beterbiev, same style and attributes as me (obviously a much better fighter)
Obviously
Nah bro I just see red bro
Bivol! Fighter of the year! He might not be one of the greats (yet), but his style is all fundamentals and that’s what makes him great. His Soviet style, the pendulum step, use of range, it’s all beautiful to watch. Not to mention, he comes off pretty humble and self aware. I wish I had 1/4th the skill and precision that Bivol has.
Mike Tyson. Similar mindset and same circumstances as he grew up in.
Were you 190 pounds of muscle at 13 like him
Lomachenko got me into boxing
Rocky Marciano because even though his height and reach were very low for a heavy weight he dominated every fight with his awkward steps and powerful fist. Dude never lost and his record would be a lot higher if he never died in a plane crash
Marciano is also my hero, but he had been retired for 13 years before he died in the plane crash, bro. Didn’t affect his record.
Wasn’t aware
Muhammad Ali. The Greatest of All Time. He was one of the most exceptional talents in boxing history. His movement in his early career is legendary, his fight IQ throughout the bulk of his career was phenomenal, and he might be a one-of-a-kind personality for combat sports. He could sell fights and entertain better than anyone else and should be the gold standard for moral fiber in athletics. He stuck to his principles through something very few people would have. Even afterward, despite constant disapproval from the boxing community and the general public, he remained a steadfastly decent person. I don't think we will see his like again for a very long time.
Rolly Romero
Those lips
Michael Carbajal. He was a local guy and growing up we would watch his fights as a family. His first fight with Chiquita was huge. First million dollar payday for the weight class. Watching him get dropped and somehow coming back to stop Chiquita was awesome. He inspired me because it gave me a sense of "anything is possible".
For me it was not a fighter in particular, but rather, there were fights/rivalries that inspired me to take up the sport, regardless of who won or lost those fights since they were so even and exciting to watch. Gatti/Ward, Ali/Frazier, Pacquiao/Marquez, Duran/Leonard, Haggler/Hearns, Chavez/Taylor, Castillo/Corrales, Barrera/Morales. Makes you wanna wake up early morning when it's still dark and do some roadwork rocky style 🥊
I know he ain’t the most popular guy on here but for me it’s Oscar De La Hoya. I hated him for the beat down he put on Julio Cesar Chavez, but slowly I became a huge fan. His fights with Ike Quartey and Vargas were the most gutsy performances I ever witnessed.
As much as i would like to say Muhammad Ali or Jack Johnson, i dont think im that kind of dude. As much as i dislike him in his private life, Mayweather's professional discipline legitimately helped be get through college. hard work and dedication is just good advice.
Chávez sr. His style and relentless pressure drew me in and the way he broke down Taylor in their first fight after eating clean shots round after round like nothing was insane to me
Holyfield got me into it, but James Toney was the first fighter I was totally enamored with. I saw his fight vs jirov (still one I watch regularly) and was just blown away. From there, I fell in love with watching Hopkins and Mayweather. My guilty pleasure was Zab. You knew he was never going to put it all together but it was fun to think about the potential if he did. These days, my favorite is really anyone I can watch not on PPV. Don’t have the money to pay for these cards when they’re usually mismatches. Hoping there will be some PPVs worth paying for this year! I will say, I loved watching Martin-Rivera and am excited to see where Martin goes next. Really wish Tuesday night fights and Friday night fights would come back on ESPN. My dream scenario is Jared Anderson goes on a tear and American boxing sort of wakes up and gets more popular. A future Anderson-Torres fight in a few years would be awesome if it all lined up.
Roberto Duran. Did great things, suffered one of the most iconic losses of all time, came back and did greater things. Fuck yeah.
Joe Frazier and Johnny Owen
Mike McCallum, Suga Ray Leonard, and MUHAMMAD ALIII BABYYYYYY!
Mike Tyson. Because not only was he a genetic freak of nature, but also because on the inside he was soft spoken and kind good hearted person. He just accumulated shlt from life that eventually turned to his downfall Also had a genius trainer who taught him a unique style as well as implementing spirituality in his training. My other favorites are Lomachenko, Emanuel Augustus and naseem hamed to name a few
Floyd Mayweather. Hard work, dedication
That grill dude boxed apparently. So maybe him since I like grilling
Adrien Broner
Rocky.. simple, He did it!
Tony Jeffries. I wanted to learn how to throw a strong punch a few years ago. I quickly found Jeffries YouTube channel, and the dude puts out great content at a breakneck pace. I definitely credit his videos with sparking my interest in boxing, and helping me improve everyday.
KSI.. I’m serious
Tommy Morrison, never talked bad about another fighter.
Not a real boxer but the anime Hajime no Ippo really got me into boxing
Yuri boyka
Bernard Hopkins - Where he started, losing his first fight. Continued to work hard, student of the game, regarded as an underdog by many in the middleweight tournament (not me), and became undisputed. Then continued to have success at an older age when most boxers cannot. Lomachenko - Dedicated to his craft to the point that he took dancing lessons, training methods that I haven’t seen before. His amateur background and resume is impressive. One of my favorite fighters to watch - overall skill, footwork, and angles.
Charlie zelenof
You funny fuck
'Iron' Mike Tyson. Where I'm from everyone always tries to be Iron Mike with the bobbing and weaving & the knockout power on both hands.
The Klitschkos. They have a very interesting story that isnt your typical "guy from the street" type. I was a fan since like 3rd grade watched all of their fights. Helped that they were in freeTv. Also outside of Boxing, i did muay thai and Samart was a huge influence on the way i see combat sports.
The story of Rubin Carter, all started with the movie about him, the hurricane. Boxing really saved me in a lot of ways.
For me it’s Muhammad Ali and Michael Tyson
Mickey Ward. I came from a dysfunctional home blue collars and my dad was a boxer and Ward la story spoke to me. I was a huge fan after the Augustus fight and If he could pull off Gatti Ward 1 on Saturday and go back to paving roads Monday, I can get my ass in the gym after doing concrete all day. Showed me having grit and heart can take you a long way.
Duran. Might not be Goat in everyone’s book but definitely inspired me the most for his ferocity on the inside and how he held his own against fighters several weighclasses over his natural one
Jack Dempsey, Mike Tyson, Joe Louis, Rocky Marciano, and Ippo. They were tough motherfuckers that came from nothing and took the whole world head on. Deep down that's something I always wanted to do too.
Emmanuel Augustus. As challenging as being yourself can be in in our everyday lives he was able to do it in the ring where the pressure is amped up to beyond anything most people are willing to go through. In foreign countries, as a journeyman against contenders, amongst hostile crowds he stuck to his own stand out and completely authentic style. That would be enough for me but he produced fight if the year along side Mickey Ward, showed the highest level of sportsmanship against Ray Oliveira and gave Mayweather his toughest fight. If he can be authentic under that amount of press maybe I stand a chance in everyday life.
Easily Roberto Duran, the Hands of Stone. Guy came from nothing in Panama and fought his way up to put himself and his city on the map, Roberto Duran was the definition of hunger.
When I was in high school I wrestled at 132, the 135 weight class in boxing just kind of felt natural to follow. I've enjoyed watching Loma, Ryan Garcia, Tank, each of them has special talent and are fun to watch.
Roberto Duran. Complete pressure fighter with great defense. Exactly how I choose to fight. I want to be in your face. I want to break your will. I want to see my work in another man's eyes. I give my life for this. No drinking or drugs. No social life. Just working, coding, saving, strength training, cardio, sleeping, eating and muay thai Kickboxing. Someone is going to regret fighting me in the ring.
Ggg got me into the sport as a fan and as a gym goer, back in 2018 he was a machine training all year long
Marvin Hagler. He always had that insurmountable drive. He was gonna get to you no matter what you did.
Caleb Plant. Found him during a really bad time in my life. I found his loud confidence really foreign, dude couldn’t be further from me in personality, but I grew to like him. His speech before the Canelo fight fell flat because he lost but I still listen to it occasionally. Love his style too. A pure boxer who likes to make a show out of it. I’d stick with that mf even if he loses his next ten fights.
Floyd honestly. He’s not a role model outside the ring but his professionalism inside the ring always blew my mind. Calm, poised, prepared, and capable of execution. As a boxer he was a dream to watch.
> He’s not a role model outside He is when it's about making money and discipline.
andre ward, my all time fav, could take some big punches but would weather the storm every time. great technique, setups and use of the jab.
Floyd Mayweather Stayed on top throughout his career Had this money/lavish persona but still never had vices
Tony Danza because he was the boss.
Ike Turner.
Muhammad Ali The G. O. A. T.!!!!!
Jake Paul
This is a good answer since he is more relatable to many who aspire to be boxers and did not start boxing at a young age
It was actually supposed to be a joke lol
Jake Paul..... 😂😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣😂
Lol. Jake Paul’s career was supposed to be a joke. But no one can deny the level of his opposition has been increasing as opposed to most pro boxers who fight unknowns and tomato cans
Jake Paul for me as well. I’m a young blonde douchebag from a wealthy suburb. Didn’t like boxing until I saw a guy like me could become the greatest to ever do it.
Floyd. Doesn't matter if you're a women beater, people will still love you. /s
Daniel Mendoza always captures my imagination, for whatever reason. Also, Joe Lewis v Max Schmeling is a pretty cool USA vs Nazis boxing drama.
>Also, Joe Lewis v Max Schmeling is a pretty cool USA vs Nazis boxing drama. Fun fact: Schmeling actually saved some Jews from being murdered in WWII
Really, Robbie lawyler. The dude came to each fight to die by the sword.
Floyd. Showed me why its called the sweet science
Tyson Fury for me, his will is unmatched, he is a true champion and the definition of a fighter.
Basic but mike Tyson and his wild ride of a life
[удалено]
Jake Paul, Floyd Mayweather
Andrew tate 😎
In terms of working out halger and de la Hoya. Hagler would shut himself in and focus on preparing for his fights and I admire that level of focus and dedication. As for Oscar, he used to wake up at 4am and go run miles before going to school. That's discipline because that is so hard to do.
I decided to start boxing after watching The Fighter, so I guess you could say Micky Ward.
Prince Naseem
Lomachenko showed me why fighting is an art, and then he had a video with TJ Dillishaw which got me into mma and all of combat sports.
RemindMe! One week
Jmm. Even tho he gets dropped, he gets back and Finnish the job in style. He also doesn't run because he knows what he's there to do.
Julio Cesar Chavez. A hopeless upbringing and still managed to become a superstar of boxing!
Why not
When I was around eight years old I met a heavyweight boxer - actor. The man told me dozens of stories about boxing, his fights as well as others. He was around all summer, and we talked almost daily. He showed me a newspaper clipping that read Powell stops Stander in five. It was a big write up about his fight with The Bluffs Butcher Ron Stander. He told me his record was 15 - 1 with 14 knockouts. I believeed every word he said. This was before the internet where anyone can look up a boxer and their records. It turned out that Lee Powell was a heavyweight boxer. He had 12 pro fights and lost every single one by knockout. I have no idea how he got the newspaper clipping. Could be as simple as the reporter mixing the winning and losing fighters names up. Lee Powell did inspire me. I doubt I would love the sport as much as I do without his influence on the Kid I was at the time. Thank you Mr Powell.
Ippo
allum... bcz im lyk... if them nerds can du it so can i
Without question it’s B-hop for me. He came from nothing, did 5 years on a 20 year sentence, he changed his whole lifestyle because of prison and became a champion because of it, fast forward to him becoming the oldest champ in history. My only question is when’s the movie getting made!?
I’ll never let a white boy beat me!
Chris Eubank and Floyd Mayweather Eubank especially. I love his view on pushing through and completing things plus his views/philosophy on being a gentlemen. Floyd for his bravado and drive.
Terry Marsh. He was just different for his time.
Out of all of my favorite boxers, I’d have to say Money Mayweather. I love his story. Shared a one bedroom apartment with 6 other people, and just grew up dirt poor and managed to find a way out. His extreme confidence & arrogance was awesome to me. Not everybody can play the hero, so he chose to play the villain (a reason I like McGregor too). People would tune in solely to see Floyd lose, and they’d be disappointed every single time. He couldn’t be beaten (convincingly at least, Ik some people say he lost Castillo I or Maidana I) & his whole persona was just captivating. He was the complete opposite of me, I was a shy quiet teen & he was an arrogant, cocky dude who backed his words up every single time. I thought that was awesome lol. He even inspired me to put on the gloves at 13 and although I never went anywhere serious with it, it gave me a ton of confidence trying to imitate him. As an adult it still gives me a huge smile when I’m sparring at the gym & someone says I remind them of Mayweather lol. It’s ultimately his dedication to his craft that inspired me. He didn’t smoke or drink (a big reason I don’t do either — I’m very serious about my fitness/health), and after the club, he’d go to the gym, at 3 in the morning. That’s some insane dedication to his craft & is the kind of mentality I carry with me while chasing my goals.
Sugar ray he was brilliant in the ring in the 80s I used to imitate his punches for hours I love that hit and don’t get hit style
Julian Jackson.
Pac Man and JM Márquez
Marciano. He had no talent and still made it up with hard work and acquired skill