Looking at 10 of the Best Trash Talkers in Boxing today

Sunday Puncher Looks at the Pound-for-Pound Best Talkers in the Game

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During the buildup of Errol Spence’s challenge for Kell Brook’s IBF Welterweight belt, fans fixated on Brook’s continued threats to feed Spence “Chocolate Brownies”. Trash talk has certainly changed from the time of Muhammad Ali, and it might seem that the glory days are long past. However, fans should not denigrate today’s own skilled trash talkers and what they bring to the game. This list, which excludes inactive fighters or those whose best displays of verbal vitriol are behind them, compiles 10 of the best trash talkers in the sport today.

10) Carlos Cuadras

Chris Farina / K2 Promotions

The Mexican Cuadras is not historically known for his talking game, but his recent verbal jousts against Roman Gonzalez include him in this company. Cuadras’ charming smile and fashionable blazer, as well as his brandishing of chocolate milk in front of ‘Chocolatito’ Gonzalez, brought about an aura of suavity not seen since the great Sergio Martinez. After his narrow loss, Cuadras accused Gonzalez of being a coward as the latter signed to fight Sor Rungvisai, who Cuadras then predicted would win by KO. This subtle yet clear contradiction, calling Gonzalez a coward for taking on a dangerous fight, demonstrates an ancient law of trash talking: you don’t need to be logical to talk smack.

9) Badou Jack

Jack often seems quiet and lets his mentor, Floyd Mayweather Jr., do most of the talking, but when properly spurred the man can talk up a flurry of his own. The build up to his unification with James Degale showed a strong sense of confidence and coherence, which came out very clearly against DeGale’s own incoherent ramblings. The recent Twitter spat between the two further exemplified Jack’s skill, with Jack cleanly rebuffing the claim of avoiding a rematch and hilariously mocking DeGale’s loss of several teeth during their fight.

8) Curtis Stevens

CURTIS STEVENS SLAMS “PUSSY” DAVID LEMIEUX: “GET THAT THONG OUT HIS ASS” / fighthype.com

Stevens is an old guard of trash talking and can give anyone a run for their money. Pretty much any fight he’s in is guaranteed to have bitter fireworks and cause genuine anger in his opponents. Fascinatingly, reading quotes of his attacks in press conferences or interviews doesn’t really highlight Steven’s true gifts; the usage of body language and negative space. Stevens is actually quite selective in when and where he speaks. He uses his words like careful ammunition, and doesn’t enjoy droll repetition or even raising of his voice. His style creates verbal gunpowder which sets opponents aflame, as happened with Gennady Golovkin and David Lemieux.

7) Sergey Kovalev

One of the few fighters whose trash talking style seems almost inspired by his fighting style. “Krusher” is as cruel with his words as with his fists. His rematch with Jean Pascal saw him, after delivering a beatdown, refuse to acknowledge Pascal even worthy of being called a fighter (in retribution for Pascal’s claims that Kovalev was racist). Kovalev has shown his skill further following the announcement of his rematch with Andre Ward where he has declared intentions to end the man’s career, and has even attacked random fans on Twitter who argued in favor of Ward’s superiority in their first fight.

6) Billy Joe Saunders

Verbally, Saunders is as crude a brawler as they come. He has little technique or refinement to speak of, and even his grasp of basic grammar seems weak. But once he gets his momentum, the man does not stop. His abhorrent attacks on Dan Rafael via Twitter were out of place and hideously indulgent, whilst his frequent comments on Chris Eubank Jr. never seem to get old. He’s revved up the engine for his fight against Avtandil Khurtsidze, calling him “Danny DeVito” as an allusion to the man’s stature. However, Saunders has a ways to go before his skill matches his sheer force.

5) Adrien Broner

Broner’s mention is almost obligatory at this stage, even if his trash talking has gotten stale and uninspiring for many. Still, the man is one of the few in the sport with a deeply established reputation for trash talking, and his ‘Can-man’ bit is unique and memorable, largely due to the fact that few have been silly enough to pursue it before him. The consistency with which he talks down on his opponents actually serves to lift them up in the eyes of the viewer, adding a spice without which Broner’s fights would be far less interesting.

4) Shannon Briggs

Briggs has a refreshing and unique approach to trash talk: simplicity. His fundamentals are rock solid, and while some may call him a one-trick pony, his delivery is impeccable. How often can a fighter associate himself so thoroughly with a single instigating phrase; “Let’s go champ!”. He yelled it out while following Klitschko fight to fight, and after his recent wins in the ring. Briggs brings home the aura of Mr. T’s character Clubber Lang in Rocky III, what with his frank confrontations and booming voice. An old school style for an old school trash talker, and one who nearly trash talked his way into a title shot, were it not for yet another failed drug test.

3) Dereck Chisora

Chisora has long been known for his trash talking might, having engaged in outrageous behavior during his build up to fighting Vitali Klitschko, and even entering into a grudge match against David Haye. He is vicious, unhinged, and simply mean. When there is no beef with an opponent, he will go out of his way to create some. He looks for any excuse to start an argument, and has been known to stretch his pre-fight shenanigans further than just verbal abuse. A perfect example of that was his stunt during the fight with…

2) Dillian Whyte

Dillian Whyte certainly was taken aback as Chisora threw a table at him, but somewhere, deep in his soul, there also seemed to be a sense of welcome. After all, Whyte belongs in the verbal trenches. His build up against Anthony Joshua turned from simple banter to painful torment, as the Olympic Golden Boy had no answers to Whyte’s ingenuity and persistence. And against Chisora, Whyte entered a new realm of back and forth which will not soon be forgotten. Their fight itself wasn’t so bad, either.

1) Tony Bellew

What is it about Tony Bellew’s trash talking? Was it the ridiculously apt likening of David Haye’s hairstyle to Spongebob Squarepants? The sharpness in which he tore down Eubank Jr.’s challenge to him on Twitter? Perhaps the way he talked circles around a visiting Deontay Wilder? … For me, it is nothing but the raw passion and love for competition which he beautifully conveys into his every exchange with an opponent. Wit, creativity, cohesiveness, and a boxer’s soul are what together forge Bellew’s trash talking greatness. Through his unbridled words, the time honored tradition lives on.