Teddy Atlas Lists Boxers With Better Footwork Than Floyd Mayweather
While Floyd “Money” Mayweather Jr. was perhaps best known for his elite defense, much of this defensive aptitude was owed to his having some of the greatest footwork ever seen in the sweet science.
There’s no way a fighter could compile a perfect 50-0 professional record, which includes 15 major world championships across five different weight classes, without being extremely difficult to hit. And Mayweather exemplified this better than just about every other fighter.
However, when it comes to footwork, while Mayweather is near the top of the list, boxing icon Teddy Atlas doesn’t include him in the top five.
Teddy Atlas Claims Mayweather’s Footwork is Sixth Best in Boxing History
On his acclaimed ‘The Fight with Teddy Atlas’ YouTube channel on August 18, the former trainer turned analyst did a ranking of the top 10 boxers with the best footwork of all time. Mayweather earned the No. 6 spot on his list.
When speaking about Mayweather, Atlas said, “A big part of [Mayweather’s defensive success was] legs. Great counterpuncher, he KO’ed tough-chinned fighters like Ricky Hatton. But he did it because his legs set up those counters. Floyd was smooth and special.”
However, there were various other boxers who Atlas clearly thought were more smooth and special when it came to footwork. Above Mayweather on Atlas’ list are Joe Louis (who came in at No. 5), Sugar Ray Robinson (who was No. 4), Vasiliy Lomachenko (No. 3), Muhammad Ali (No. 2), and Willie Pep (No. 1).
Muhammad Ali’s Iconic Footwork Quote
As much of a cultural icon as Muhammad Ali is, and with all that he accomplished in his legendary boxing career, it’s hard to argue that what has lived on the most regarding his legacy as a one-sentence quote.
“Quote like a butterfly, sting like a bee,” Ali said of himself, referencing how light he was on his feet in the ring. And this saying has since transcended into mainstream pop culture, making Ali even more of a symbol that he already was.
Many will be surprised to see that Muhammad Ali isn’t at the top of Atlas’ list, given that most would probably say he has the best footwork of all time. But those who have been following Atlas know how much he adores the underrated Willie Pep.
