¿Who, in your opinion, was the fastest heavyweight in history?

TNT had terrifically fast hands - and his rotund shape belied that hand speed, making it seem even more amazing. Lol.

He let those hands go on Tyson to excellent effect but Mike (lightning fast himself) remained focused and took care of business in what was, ultimately, a brief fight.

That was a great performance by Mike that doesn’t seem to garner the credit that it should these days (at least that’s the impression I get).

 

Agreed fully, I think the entire 80s run Tyson went though should be credited better in general - Berbick, Pinklon, Tubbs, Tillis, Smith, Ferguson, Frazier, Tucker, Williams, Holmes and Bruno were all names, all good fighters and proper sized opponents.

 

Larry Holmes deserves a mention for his stinging jab and quickness of foot. He wasn't the fastest but he did have unusual speed for a heavy.

 

Yeah Tubbs weight controversy took some shine off for some, probably unjustly. He'd been offered an extra $50k to come in at 235 or less (he was 228 3/4 in his previous fight) but that wasn't enough money for Tony as he came in at 238 LOL. So there was and is the perception he wasn't in shape. At any rate he looked excellent until he got caught and caused Tyson some problems with that hand speed and sharpness. It's an interesting little fight even on rewatches.

 

LOL! Now that you mention it I do vaguely recall that. Such ill discipline and with 50K on offer with a mere 3 lbs separating him from
the $$$. If I really needed it I think I could lose an unhealthy amount of weight for that kind of money -

A quick check tells me that 50K in ‘88 has the equivalent purchasing power of near $136K in 2025. If Tony had just deprived himself that little bit more he could’ve bought himself a gazillion burgers after the fight with that kind of dough.

 

Oh i hear you. Some of those guys must have LOVED their food, to put it mildly.

 

His run in the 80's tends to be underrated, while his post championship career in the 90's tends to be overrated.

 

Floyd Patterson.

 

I’ll tell you who had fast hands though, out of all those 80s heroin addicts…. Tony Tubbs. I am talking lightning for his weight. Serious.

 

Larry, in his younger days, was very fast.

 

Tubbs and Patterson .very quick Dokes as well and young

 

True .coke not Heroin though.

 

Those 20+ hit combos Ali used to throw to finish a fight when young blindingly fast. I know he finished Williams with one, think he finished London with one as well. But plenty of HW's have been real fast in the middle of combos. Joe Louis. Floyd Patterson. Andy Ruiz. Mike Tyson.

Fastest single punches I can think of are... Joe Frazier's left hook (watch it in the FOTC) and, ok don't shoot me for this one, Moses Ituama. Never seen any big man who can throw a haymaker or check hook that fast. If he's not stepping on the scale with lead in his pockets, he's got the fastest hands P4P of anyone in the sport.

 

Chris Byrd was also a very fast heavyweight (sticking to those who have been world champions).

 

Corrie Sanders had some pretty quick mitts for his size. And frankly, Tyson Fury, for being a 6-9 (allegedly) 300 lb fat ass threw fast shots and was incongruously light on his feet. He was a freak in his prime.