Boxers who were a lot stronger than people think and Boxers who were weaker than people think

I didn't realize how strong Floyd was until the Mosely fight. Mosley rocked him and when he grabbed Mosley, you see Mosley trying to break free and could not get any seperation. And Mosley was known for being very strong for his size.

 

This is a weird thread.... So I'm going to look at the discussion to see where it goes..... As I'm not sure how you are suggesting that Ali was stronger than Foreman. There was nothing in that fight that suggest Ali was stronger. Ali didn't push him back nor body him with heavy blows. We all know what Ali did to win the fight and it wasn't based on his own strength.

On the flip side....you say Tyson wasn't as strong as projected....... Dude you not understand his size vs his opponents. Do you know what his measures were compared to the average size of the field during his time as a heavyweight. Look at what he did to the big guys like Bruno.....Tyson's opponents normally weighed over 20lbs heavier than he when longer arms. He and Holyfield weren't huge guys compared to the rest of the heavyweights.

Based on you purpose of this thread.....I don't really get the logic of the examples you posed...

 

Sugar Ray Leonard. He didn't have the extreme muscular physique as others at middleweight (like Hagler). But damn the guy was strong. His legs must be extremely strong to move the way he did and to through as much as he did. But even on the inside that sugar weren't so sweet - turned out to be sour.

Similarly, while Mike McCullum had a fairly slim build and was considered "cute", he generally had gravitas in the ring and was a lot stronger than he looked. You can tell from his fights with Toney that guy didn't get pushed around, boxing wise nor physically.

Cotto was a bull too. Came up multiple weights and was still able to bully and have a significant presence.

 

Bud Crawford

Andre Ward

 

Usyk - threw Joshua and fury off him like they were lightweights

 

Tyson was definitely a bad example.

 

The obvious one for me is Loma he was small at 135 but was never out muscled.

 

Great post, Flo!

 

Crawford, coming into the Porter fight although most people had Crawford as going to win they thought Porters physicality might give Crawford problems, where as in reality Crawford was literally picking him up and carrying him.

Even more with the Spence fight, people were saying the Spence would be the bigger and stronger guy in there but Crawford could easily manhandle him

 

I remember Tyson saying after the James Smith fight in 1987 that Smith was able to absorb the punches and was so strong in the clinch and in his spoiling tactics it made it hard for Tyson even though he won the fight unanimously you could see for the first time that Tyson was frustrated by Smiths strength/gameplan. It may well have had something to do with Tyson only being 20 years old and Smith being 33 years old .