Where do you rank Joe Louis punching power in history?

Im sure Joe Louis hit very hard. But it’s hard to rate because I think a lot of his knockout capabilities also came from his speed and accuracy.

 

I've written many times about Joe Louis's punching power.
In my opinion he's the greatest offensive heavyweight in
history. Some may have hit harder with one punch(Many?)
But no heavyweight had his complete repertoire of speed,
technique, timing, accuracy AND power.
With any power shot he could ko an opponent.
His intuitive feel for where an opponent's chin
WILL BE was 2nd to none.
Though I believe Tyson hit harder, and is the 2nd
best offensive heavyweight in history, he was more
predictable with his combo's and less accurate.
So yes many heavyweights hit harder with one punch
than Joe Louis, but no one,,,, NOT ONE, had
Louis's total offensive prowess.
Louis and Alexis Arguello were carbon copies
of each other style and skill wise .

 

He was a monster puncher and without question the hardest hitting boxer puncher that ever lived. He did not load up like a Wilder or a Shavers or at times a Lewis .. however his power was exceptional ... look at how he took an iron chinned Max Baer apart early ... look at how happy Carnera was when the ref stopped the fight after two knockdowns, the same Carhewra who got up eleven times vs Baer .. Look at the left hook that lifted 240 Tony Galento off his feet and dropped him ... Louis on film is the hardest P4P puncher I've ever seen after Wilder but obviously infinitely better as well ..

 

He was a huge puncher.

 

Top of the heap

 

Not as drunk as Dino, my favourite Rat Packer.

IIRC, vs Marciano, Joe cracked Rocky with a right hand, on the button, that appeared to lift the Rock’s lead left foot ever so slightly over the canvas. Marciano took it well but the sheer force was clearly evident.

 

Agreed. We can get into the science of making deductions for contributing speed/technique/accuracy - but never arrive at a perfectly accurate answer that isolates and compartmentalises absolute raw power - a concept that might only exist in hypothetical terms.

And the snap on Louis’ punches? - perfectly efficient for optimal transfer of momentum to impact force - unbelievable!

When he hit guys like Abe Simon, it was as if his punches also detonated on impact - explosive. And the sheer force of his shots often shifted his opposition in whole body terms (including the famous Galento example already cited by @he grant).

Even watching Louis hit the heavy bag is a thing of beauty - so precise with the all the power concentrated down to and through the fist.

Okay, it doesn’t take a Sheer Luck Holmes to work out that I’m a big Louis fan but I remain objective as always.

 

Excellent summary of the overall package of the great Joe louis's
punching prowess.
Also,yes,Mike Tyson is his closest rival for complete
excellence as a puncher.

 

Undoubtedly very high,whilst he may not have had the one punch power of Shavers and Foreman ,he wasnt far behind them, and his blistering, absolutely correctly thrown combinations, put him among the every top echelon of bangers,imo.
His economical,clinical finishing makes the likes of Baer and Wilder look like enraged drunks, swinging at a guy whose stolen their beer .

 

Lol, I’d never steal Louis’ beer let alone be the one standing between Joe and his new bride/honeymoon.

 

Louis was faster. No knock on the exceptional Arguello.

 

No argument from me, especially when considering the 70-80 lbs
weight difference.

 

The same wollop as a tungsten calibre penetrator

 

I don’t know how old he was, but he got his ass kicked.

 

First tier: Shavers, Foreman, Wilder
Second tier: Louis, Tyson, Weaver, Wlad (quite possibly Lewis and Bowe when they really sat into their punches)