One of my favorite quotes about boxing comes from former heavyweight champion and longtime color commentator George Foreman: "Boxing is sort of like jazz. The better it is, the less people appreciate it."
This is why I so often urge casual fans to take the time to learn what's going on in the ring.
Like anybody, I get drawn into the emotional intensity of a give-and-take slugfest. Those kind of fights will always be a part of the sport and exciting. Those battles give fighters an opportunity to show their heart and courage.
But even a fat, belligerent drunk can stand and throw haymakers. To develop the finer skills that constitute the art of boxing requires a focused commitment and thousands of hours of practice and drill.
And a fan who truly understands how hard it is to use defense and movement to hit and avoid being hit will never find a brilliant technical performance boring, any more than a jazz aficionado gets bored by a John Coltrane solo.
Here are the 10 most skilled fighters in boxing today.
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