Top chins cracked by Bob Foster

About the same, maybe #7 and #8. My unconventional high ranker is Henry Armstrong, whose powerful reputation, I feel, is hurt by strictly decision-only footage salvaged on his behalf and none of those twenty six or twenty seven knockouts that happened consecutively in and around the 130lbs mark where he was undeniably most effective; though not typically described alongside more poised and technical punchers like Joe Louis or Ray Robinson, Armstrong made up for it in volume and therefore was one of the most formidable and consistent offensive forces as proved by his results.

In contrast to that, I rate Ike Williams right up there (which I know you disagree with) due to a) various first hand accounts documenting his smaller-packaged, Robinson/Louis-esque prowess, much the same as those testifying to other greats' power such as Jimmy Wilde and Tommy Ryan and b) regardless of his apparent knockout inconsistencies (for which I'm sure there are valid reasons; him being boxer first, puncher second - fighting with 'the cuffs'* etc.) Williams nevertheless displays twice on film some of the most ferocious (TKO6 Jack) and precise (KO1 Gatica) punching I've ever seen - and those were reportedly but a smidgen on a more extensive and spectacular highlight reel (Bolanos I & III, Montgomery, West, Larkin, James...) that sadly no longer exists on film.

*Which can get complicated considering Ike's blackballing and the fact he may have had to win unimpressively in order to get a more lucrative fight or carry an opponent, the emphasis here being on 'may have', although I would lean more towards 'likely to an extent.'

But then we've argued on this before

Anyway - Foster just above Hearns for me because he seemed to carry his power for longer.

The aforementioned plus these...

Archie Moore
Joe Louis
Ray Robinson
Mike Tyson

... Will round out my top eight, in no particular order.

 

Great lhw foster. Undeniable power but never should have gone to lhw.

I think his era gets a bit of unfair stick. He did beat all he could including a legend and a paper champ in roldan.

His last fight with ahumada should have gone the other way imo but he was clearly past prime by then.

Should be a lock for top 10.

 

It's a respectable list.

 

Olivares was about as one handed a great puncher as i've ever seen.

It's not something i've though much on is rating punchers like this, but i'm surprised at you ranking him so high McGrain.I take it he scored highly enough on raw power and effectiveness for you to overlook that, but his style seems a bit too unique and unbalanced to rate as highly here.

Be interested in your thoughts on him.

Moore should be higher than Jones imo.Got to respect a man with that amount of clean knockouts.

 

Not sure about McGrain, but I rate these punchers based on overall offensive output and effectiveness regardless of method. Olivares does well according to that.

 

And just in general fighting style.

Not questioning his effectiveness, but he doesn't seem like the sort of balanced varied puncher i'd expect to see so high, not someone that immediately jumps out when i think the term "composite puncher".I'd have gone more for the likes of Jofre, Carlos Ortiz and Jose Napoles before him, even though they didn't hit quite as hard with any one single punch(well Jofre did imo).

Was just curious on your thinking and criteria for the list and his(and i suppose the few others like Shavers who you could attribute a similar lack of "all-roundedness" to their game)inclusion.

 

I suppose i'd agree with most of what your saying there, and especially the Frazier comparison.I mean don't get me wrong i'm not saying he had no right hand at all, but i still think of him as in that sort of one-handed powerpuncher category at the end of the day- at least in this sort of overall punching ability context.Similar to DLH and Frazier.

It would be enough of an issue for me to rate him lower than you do, though he'd crop up not too far distant.Some of the better punching light-heavies like Spinks and Saad would probably get above him.Or MUGABI.

Got any lists for who you think are the better ones by weightclass? That might be worth a thread actually.

 

Napoles is the first one that comes top mind when I think of a great "one-handed" fighter. He used his right very sparingly.

 

But when he used it, man,...what the "derecho" did to Ernie Lopez:
go to 4:47..
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tccXjGHUimU[/ame]

 

Say what you want to about the quality of Foster's division, the fact is that he was the greatest hitter..the most devastating of all the lightheavies. Only the very elite would have had a chance in surviving with him...and they would have to box, box, box..