Note: I only included men who were at their BEST in the 40s. So a young Marciano, Nova, Baer, Galento do not make the list. 1. Joe Louis- 6'2 207lb This content is protected 2. Hatchetman Sheppard- 5'11 185lb This content is protected 3. Turkey Thompson- 5'8 210lb This content is protected 4. Lem Franklin- 6'2 200lb This content is protected 5. Elmer Ray- 6'2 190lb This content is protected 5. Tommy Gomez- 5'10 185lb This content is protected 6. Lee Q Murray- 6'3 210lb This content is protected 7. Buddy Baer- 6'7 250lb This content is protected 8. Jersey Joe Walcott- 6'0 195lb This content is protected 9. Archie Moore- 5'11 180lb This content is protected
continued..... 10. Harry Bobo- 6'4 215lb This content is protected 11. Tami Mauriello- 5'11 195lb This content is protected 12. Pat Comiskey- 6'3 220lb This content is protected 13. Abe Simon 6'4 260lb This content is protected 14. Johnny Haynes- 6'4 220lb This content is protected 15. Sid Peaks- 6'4 220lb This content is protected Honorable Mentions: Joe Baksi- 6'1 220lb This content is protected Al Big Boy Brown(Joe Louis' Cousin)- 6'1 245lb This content is protected Rusty Payne This content is protected
Love that Hatchman is number 2. That guy was an unbelieveable hitter from everything I've read. Never knew that Tami Muerello was considered much of a puncher but looking at his record it's clear the guy could hit. Thanks for the list!!!
Eddie Kapphan, who managed both Sheppard and Harry Bobo, attributed Harry's premature death (in the late 1960s) to a blow he took from the Hatchetman in sparring two decades earlier. Ever afterward Bobo complained of headaches and was allegedly complaining of having major trouble with them right before he died. Archie Moore claimed that one of his legs was numb for a week after fighting Sheppard. Charley Burley's manager blaimed one of Burley's losses to Ezzard Charles on a sparring session he'd had with Sheppard, in which Charley took a body blow that just ruined him. Sheppard stories abound in boxing lore. But you gotta dig a little to find 'em!
Great list of punchers S. I saw Baksi, Mauriello, Walcott, Elmer Ray, Tommy Gomez, ringside and they were great punchers. Two lighter guys were Pat Valentino, and Fitzie Fitzpatrick, both bangers...
A fine list. The only thing I might question is the order. I consider your #1 to be the best all round puncher in the history of the heavyweight division, but in terms of pure kinetic power, I doubt that he would top that list. If on the other hand you are assesing these fighters as all round punchers, he is clearly placed corectly. In that case your #2 (who probably is the hardest puncher on the list), might fall below a couple of guys with better punching form. By that criteria, Tomphson and Murray would fare prety well IMHO.
Big Boy Brown was a TANK Surf Brat, good call on Rusty Payne. He was actually next on my honorable mention list. A helluva left hooker. Maybe I will put him in.
Janitor, Joe Louis had more than enough One Punch knockouts to show to me he could hit as hard as anybody.