Ranking the Hardest Puncher in Boxing History (My Opinion & Tell Yours Also)

By hardest you actually mean the force of the blow? Not who had the best punch?

 

1. Mike Weaver
2. Sonny Liston
3. George Foreman
4. Lennox Lewis
5. Ernie Shavers
6. Mike Tyson
7. D. Wilder
8. Joe Louis
9. Cleveland Williams
10. Slapsie Maxie Rosenbloom

 

Don’t see how you can have a top 30 without Bob Fitzsimmons in there.

 

This is a decent list!
I assume you mean what was already asked of you, hardest punches, not effectiveness.
The biggest differences is some lesser fighters would make the list.
More SHW sized guys would make the list.
And I think nobody under 200 lbs. would make the list.

Marciano hit you more often. ISome said he was not the hardest hitter even in his time.
Satterfield & the likes of Fitzsimmons would be remarkable-like Curtis Sheppherd-for how hard they hit pound for pound.
But they would not hit among the top 30 ever in absolute terms!

Look a Marciano & Louis & Patterson & Dempsey & Frazier & punched very hard.
But they were great due to speed, combinations, work-rate...They would not hit as hard as some inferior but somewhat bigger fighters. Walcott & Tunney would not come near it.

Like in hitting a ball really far & in throwing the very hardest-with exceedingly rare freakish anatomical exceptions such as Steve Dalkowski & to a lesser extent Billy Wagner...There is a critical mass of size above 200 lbs. where you at least can approach the hardest/fastest...After that there are diminishing returns.

There would be less successful 230 + fighters on this list. but if a guy did not have a reputation for great power, they would even then not make it. Like Bowe would not make it.

A Butterbean might make it. Maybe Galento. Tyson has a chance, but in terms of single shot I am skeptical he could beat many lesser fighters.

But you named a lot of good ones!

 

Mike Weaver number 1???

 

Rocky at number 3???? What?

 

Just heavies?

 

Lewis at 14 is even worse.

 

Tunney was more boxer than puncher. Think I would have had Ike Ibeabuchi and Elmer Ray in before him.

 

Mike Tyson is too low ..,,and I’m not sure Gene Tunney should be on the list

 

I wouldn't know. I stopped reading at 3

 

Which lighter weight fighters can hit as hard or harder than the hardest hitting heavyweights?

 

#10. Rocky Marciano
#09. Joe Louis
#08. Lennox Lewis
#07. Max Baer
#06. Mike Tyson
#05. Wladimir Klitschko
#04. Sonny Liston
#03. Deontay Wilder
#02. George Foreman
#01. Earnie Shavers

 

Pound for Pound? Many.