best fighter you've seen box in the flesh

[big lennox]

Apart from Sugar Ray Leonard,i have also seen Larry Holmes,Tommy Hearns,Evander Holyfield,all in the flesh and close up,Leonard tops them all though for pure boxing skill,in my eyes anyway he was faultless

Blimey. That is some list of fighters that you have seen live. That's interesting that you pick Leonard. For me, he might be the best, pound for pound, ever. I think he is better than Mayweather even. Leonard was absolutely magic.

[manno]

The smoky small hall dust ups, often between journeymen for small purses, fighting to keep the board off their backs often provide some vicious little fights which go under the radar.

I think one of the first fights I ever saw live was a tough little Greek Cypriot against Shaun Cogan, they knocked lumps off each other and momentum swayed back and forth. I was at ringside too, so really got pulled into it. 20 minutes later he'd had a shower and was sitting in front of us watching the rest of the boxing.

Was it Andreas Panayi (exuse spelling) if it was your right, a right f@@kin handful! Based in Liverpool I think.

[orbtastic]

The smoky small hall dust ups, often between journeymen for small purses, fighting to keep the board off their backs often provide some vicious little fights which go under the radar.

I think one of the first fights I ever saw live was a tough little Greek Cypriot against Shaun Cogan, they knocked lumps off each other and momentum swayed back and forth. I was at ringside too, so really got pulled into it. 20 minutes later he'd had a shower and was sitting in front of us watching the rest of the boxing.

Was it Andreas Panayi (exuse spelling) if it was your right, a right f@@kin handful! Based in Liverpool I think.

Yeah that's the fella. Nails he was!

[manno]

I know, when I had my first pro fight I Liverpool Panayi was at the weigh in, I was nervous as it was then I've got this guy telling me he's fighting me tonight, in broken English and I'm tryin to tell him I'm a middleweight and he's a lt welter so no way, and he's gettin adgitated sayin "fornicate da weight , I fight you"! ...suffice to say board inspector intervened and explained the weight issue etc and I boxed my original opponent I'm glad to say cos he scared the shit out of me!!

[Counter-puncher]

[orbtastic]

Classic

[bigjack]

Apart from Sugar Ray Leonard,i have also seen Larry Holmes,Tommy Hearns,Evander Holyfield,all in the flesh and close up,Leonard tops them all though for pure boxing skill,in my eyes anyway he was faultless

Blimey. That is some list of fighters that you have seen live. That's interesting that you pick Leonard. For me, he might be the best, pound for pound, ever. I think he is better than Mayweather even. Leonard was absolutely magic.

I have seen Leonard twice,first time against Donny Lalonde,second time was the Hearns rematch,also saw Hearns fight James Kinchen,then the other Was Holyfield against Holmes,there were some great matches on the undercards,Micheal Nunn,Roger Mayweather,Vinny Pazienza,also while in Vegas i managed to go to a smaller show and Gerald McClellan was on,happy days when i had spare cash

[Datsue]

Christ I love this forum.

Some fantastic reminiscences in this thread, & some top anecdotes from the harder side of things from manno!

Thanks everyone.

PS: & I'm with you, bigjack & big lennox. Leonard > Mayweather, every day of the week & twice on Sundays.

[bigjack]

Christ I love this forum.

Some fantastic reminiscences in this thread, & some top anecdotes from the harder side of things from manno!

Thanks everyone.

PS: & I'm with you, bigjack & big lennox. Leonard > Mayweather, every day of the week & twice on Sundays.

Leonard could do everything that Mayweather can do,but he was spiteful at times and had much better power.Imagine the smile on my face when i shook the mans hand and got his autograph

[Kevin Byrne]

Rigondeaux, pity he only made it last 2min 43sec!

[gilgamesh]

I know, when I had my first pro fight I Liverpool Panayi was at the weigh in, I was nervous as it was then I've got this guy telling me he's fighting me tonight, in broken English and I'm tryin to tell him I'm a middleweight and he's a lt welter so no way, and he's gettin adgitated sayin "eff da weight , I fight you"! ...suffice to say board inspector intervened and explained the weight issue etc and I boxed my original opponent I'm glad to say cos he scared the poo out of me!!

I gotta take a look at this Panayi fella

[manno]

I know, when I had my first pro fight I Liverpool Panayi was at the weigh in, I was nervous as it was then I've got this guy telling me he's fighting me tonight, in broken English and I'm tryin to tell him I'm a middleweight and he's a lt welter so no way, and he's gettin adgitated sayin "eff da weight , I fight you"! ...suffice to say board inspector intervened and explained the weight issue etc and I boxed my original opponent I'm glad to say cos he scared the poo out of me!!

I gotta take a look at this Panayi fella

Probably a tad short of British title level(if he was eligible) but a very tough proposition just below that, beat kids who were champions but not for any titles, Ross hale, tony swift, hughie ford.

[Karl Jade]

Lennox Lewis

This. He had everything.

Just a masterful boxer, fighter, athlete.

Apart from when he got banged clean out twice....?

Which great fighter didn't lose? Virtually none of them. Ridiculous comment but not at all unexpected from a Tyson Fury fan.

[mickey1975]

I'm not saying he wasn't a great fighter, he clearly was, but wether you like it or not, those two losses and the manner of them are massive blemishes on his record.

[rockyrandall2]

I saw Mike McCallum v Michael Watson, also seen Floyd live. Its McCallum for me....

[Sklar]

I saw Mike McCallum v Michael Watson, also seen Floyd live. Its McCallum for me....

I take it you mean Pink Floyd?

[misterpunch]

that's right - pink Floyd - he is a camp version of "money"

[Syntax Error]

The greatest name I have seen live is Thomas Hearns, although he was well past his best by then.

The best fighter I've seen live is toss up between Naseem Hamed & Lennox Lewis; namely Lewis -v- Ruddock & Hamed -v- Robinson.

Honourable mention to Joe Calzaghe versus Jeff Lacy; he was awesome that night.