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With the Trinidad-Wright coming up this weekend, I started wondering who everyone thought were some of the best finishers ever. I'm a big Trinidad fan and he's definitely up there. I'd also have to say early to mid career DLH would be on my list. Any other thoughts?
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Roberto Duran as a Lightweight was one of the best finishers I have ever witnessed. Used to enjoy watching Duran take his opponents best punch and smile...you knew then it was on (as did his opponent) and only a very short time before it was over. Although in several Lightweight fights Duran appeared unmotivated to finish it until he actually got hit. Once an aging Duran moved out of the Lightweight division and up in weight, he lacked the power to finish as he did when he fought at lightweight.
Super Featherweight, Lightweight and Light Welterweight Julio Cesar Chavez in his prime was another great finisher, definitely one of the best ever.
Jr Welterweight Aaron Pryor was another very good finisher who swarmed opponents and threw many punches from all angles. Pryor was unique in that respect and very underrated.
For Heavyweights Rocky Marciano was surely one of the best finishers ever. As were George Foreman and Ernie Shavers, when he didn't run out of gas. Larry Holmes was lucky to survive the Shavers onslaught in Holmes-Shavers II before Shavers ran out of steam. Either Foreman or Shavers likely had the most powerfull punch in heavyweight history. Which did not hurt eithers ability to finish fights at all. Both men were also like animals in the ring when they smelled blood, so to speak.
Gotta also agree with the previous post of Welterweight-Middleweight Sugar Ray Robinson and Middleweight Marvelous Marvin Hagler. Two more of the best ever. While Sugar Ray Leonard was a very good finisher, I feel like he got the benefit of the doubt in several of his fights in which the opponent did not appear hurt. His Welterweight Title fight with Wilfredo Benetiz is one that comes to mind...who incidently was engaged to Leonards sister at the time of the fight if I remember correctly.
Today's great finishers look to have already been listed as well in the other two posts.
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