The mystery of what makes a powerful punch, how much do you know?

I don't think this will ever satisfactorily be explained. The easiest answer, that punchers are born, is good enough for me.

As said, speed, snap, twisting the body to generate torque...all this plays a part. Yet, you look at Foreman (either version) and he never had much speed, never had much snap, and he'd wobble guys with arm punches. He was big, but not THAT big.
He did really commit to his punches though...that has to have something to do with it.

 

You need to learn how to punch but everyone has their limits. Some boxers have poor technique and hit like an ox but some learn how to use their power.
Martinez is a good example of someone who developed power. As he got older he put on more muscle and developed better technique. Now he is a boxer-puncher.

 

How do the factors mentioned here explain Bradley's shameful lack of punching power?

 

Skeletal strucure?

Maybe that plays a factor.

 

Is that proven, or just popular opinion?

Again: proven or opinion?

Huge fists, solid bone structure, low stance and great weight distribution.

No. That's one of life's great mysteries.

 

No there isnt & its correlation.

Please stop quoting useless & meaningless stats at facts.

 

All this "punchers are born not made" malarkey has to stop. Not that there isn't some truth in the phrase, but it's a hoary old cliche that presupposes that punching power cannot be developed to any significant degree through proper application of technique, improved conditioning, stylistic changes etc, which I think is nonsense. Some people need to be taught to punch hard.

 

Nobody is born with co-ordination, it's something that is learned as a child and developed. Punching power relies on co-ordination, it's a skill that is developed.

What is known is that for a throwing motion like a punch is that forces are summated and that your tendons multiply the speed and power. What this means is that your muscles need to perform work on preferably stiff tendons (Think of them as a thick rubber band), your muscles need to hold force at a high level to stretch and transfer the energy to your tendons.
When you punch you generate force by pushing into the ground and transferring that force through your mid section before releasing it through your arm. The stretch between your hips and shoulders is extremely important, your hips need to stop before your shoulder twists into the punch; this ensures that you get a good stretch and recoil through your midsection.
I believe that's where a lot of fighters fail in their punching chain, boxers are always taught that power comes from the legs and being fast... You see fast guys like Bradley or Malignaggi and people ask why they can't punch, they tend to punch with their hips and shoulders moving at the same time. You then look at someone like Golovkin or Pacman and you'll see that their hips are always very stable at the time they release their hands.
Bradley and co. look fast but their fist at the point of impact isn't accelerating like Golovkin's or Julian Jacksons is.
Golovkin and co. are multiplying their force through a throwing motion throughout the punch, Bradley and co. are moving quickly but pushing it from the waist up so forces don't summate.
It's a coordination/motor movement issue primarily but strength is very important as well.
It's not about how fast a guy is from A to B, it's about what is happening at the point of impact.
A guy might be big and slow looking but if you look at how efficiently he summates his forces through the mechanisms I talked about then he may be a devastating puncher and his fist might be moving a lot faster at the point of impact than a guy like Andre Ward who is a fast body mover but again is slowly pushing a punch at the point of impact.
Look at any good puncher form Foreman to Jackson and you'll notice the stability of the hips and that their fist seems to be gaining something as they're still connecting.

 

Absolutely Absolutely. :good

 

Your chi, how you can channel your life force into the hit. When I went Kung Fu some guys who were small, had small muscles, learnt to channel incredible power with the slightest blow. Some people can naturally do this better than others.

 

it's the power of the mind. it's the "believe" that you put in your punch.
this is top secret. please don't laugh.

 

a strong bass is always good= strong legs

Speed of punch is important

Timing is for sure a big key

 

Clearly some fighters can be taught to improve their power punching, however the hardest punchers just seem to have it naturally and improved technique just makes them hit even harder.

Remember when Bradley drafted in Thomas Hearns to teach him how to punch harder? It didn't make any difference; Bradley will never be a powerful puncher.

There are surely many factors at play, but regardless of what you teach them some guys will always seem to have natural, devastating power while another guy the same size and height, etc will always be feather fisted.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g1GtrWw09eE