I dont mean hardest puncher overall like force just best like i'd say Joe Louis in heavy because of power speed accuracy ect, Hearns in Welter but im not so sure about the other divisions there may be guys that i miss.
good thread... Heavyweight-Louis Light Heavy-Archie Moore Middleweight-Sam Langford/Ketchel/Julian Jackson Welterweight-Robinson Lightweight-Joe Gans/Duran (not hardest but all around best) Featherweight-Saddler Bantamweight-Olivares (double Zs come in close at 2nd and 3rd for me) Flyweight-Wilde
The hardest choice for me is Moore versus Foster. I think Foster had a bit of bad luck with all those good heavyweights about (negating his punching for reasons other than simply being unaffected by his power), but anyone at 175lbs he could turn to jelly. I'm sure he'd have bashed a few heavyweights in a weaker era. Nevertheless I choose Moore, whose science was beautiful against Durelle both times. He has credentials; stopped Whitehurst when Liston couldn't (to be fair Liston nearly did in their rematch) - twice. Stopped Johnson. Knocked out plenty of 200lbs+ boxers, even if most of them weren't all that good (excellent keep-busy stuff for a light heavyweight champion however).
Thank you, sir. Just to expand, just did some research and it seems Moore had about ten or fifteen wins over top ten rated heavyweights, many of whom he knocked out.
honestly, i should have thought of foster to but i didn't. archie jumped outu at 175 like louis does at heavy not the HARDEST puncher but all around best
I'll be real bold in going out on a limb about saying that Wilfredo Gomez is untouchable as the greatest puncher ever in the 122 lb class. In fact they should have just retired that division after he abandoned that title.
Greatest Hardest HW- Louis, Shavers LHW- Moore, Foster M- Fitzsimmons, Ketchel/Steele/Carter/Hart/Lausse/Jackson/Mugabi/etc. W- Robinson, Hearns/Walcott/Cuevas/Etc. LW- Gans (Leonard a close second), Rosario/Aurelio Herrera FW- McGovern, Arguello/Wilfredo Gomez/Dal Hawkins/Ricardo Moreno BW- Olivares, Olivares/Zamora FW- Wilde, Carbajal/Humberto Gonzalez
Heavyweight- Tyson Light Heavy- Archie Moore Middleweight - Roy Jones Welterweight - Ray Robinson Lightweight - Ike Williams Featherweight - Sandy Saddler Bantamweight- Reubs Olivares