Johnson fought the following fighters who were considered to be puncher's in their day: Klondike Hains X3 This content is protected Hank Griffin X3 This content is protected Denver Ed Martin X2 Sam McVea X3 Sandy Ferguson X5 Marvin Hart This content is protected This content is protected Al Kaufman This content is protected Jim Jeffries Frank Moran Jess Willard Tom Cowler Jack Tomphson Bill Hartwell The guys highlighted in red were all smaller heavyweights under 175 lbs but their reputation as punchers means that they have to at least be considered. Most of the other guys on that list were at or over 200 lbs.
Holyfield fought a lot of solid fighters, with some very good punchers as well. Lewis Tyson Bowe Mercer Foreman Alex Stewart Bert Cooper And a couple more that would probably be considered 'decent' punchers at the weight.
Fitzsimmons landed with more devastating results than most of the men on that list - even the elites, like McVey, at a guess. That being the case, he belongs on the list regardless of stature. And given that Choynski was regarded by men who fought both him and Fitz as the harder puncher of the two, he belongs also. But there's no way Stanley Ketchel was a heavweight puncher.
Yeah, and arguably he was not a puncher by that stage if his supernatural power came as much from timing and reaction as freakish power - and it seems to. But Johnson did face him, and he certainly was a puncher, or as a fighter he fits that description.
I have him in the Dempsey field (except Johnson has better competition) in the 'much less impressive than I thought they were going to be' camp. What about you McGrain? As a man who recently taught me all about balance (the truth) what parts of The Galveston Giant's style strike you as particularly effective? Who's the best fighter you could imagine him beating?
Johnson,never a shrinking violet, refused to take credit for this one ,saying Fitz was " a grand old man ,but past it ".