Top 36 HW punchers of all time

Discussion in 'Classic Boxing Forum' started by HistoryZero26, Feb 18, 2026.


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  1. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    In 2003 Ring released their list of the top "100 punchers ever". Of these 100 there were 36 guys who were either HWs or fought for a HW title. 20 something years later what would your top 36 look like?

    Heres the 36 in chronological order. I'm more curious about the group I find arguments splitting hairs over whose 22nd and 23rd to be kinda silly.

    Fitzsimmons
    Tom Sharkey
    Jeffries
    Langford
    Ketchel
    Fulton
    Wills
    Dempsey
    Firpo
    Godfrey
    Schmeling
    Max Baer
    Louis
    Elmer Ray
    Buddy Baer
    Walcott
    Tommy Gomez
    Rocky Marciano
    Satterfield
    Archie Moore
    Johansson
    Liston
    Cleveland Williams
    Joe Frazier
    Foster
    Leotis Martin
    Foreman
    Shavers
    Cooney
    Michael Spinks
    Tyson
    Ruddock
    Holyfield
    Lennox Lewis
    Tua
    Roy Jones


    Who would you take out who would you replace them with? Will make a seperate post with my own.
     
    HistoryZero26, Feb 18, 2026
    HistoryZero26, Feb 18, 2026
    #1
  2. Spreadeagle

    Spreadeagle Active Member Full Member

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    That edition of the Ring is my favourite boxing magazine of all time.William Dettloff's analysis of each
    fighter was simply superb.
    Ok the top 36 HW punchers of all time ? The heavies have produced so many great punchers there is plenty
    to choose from.In no particular order how about :
    1) Joe Louis
    2)Sonny Liston
    3) Earnie Shavers
    4)George Foreman
    5)Tommy Morrison
    6)Max Baer
    7)Jack DEmpsey
    8)Fabio Wardley
    9)Lennox Lewis
    10)David Tua
    11) Gerry Cooney
    12) Moses Itauma
    13) Razor Ruddock7
    14) Joe Frazier
    15) Daniel DuBois
    16)) Rocky Marciano
    17) Ron Lyle
    18) Zhilei Zhang
    19) Deontay Wilder
    20) Anthony Joshua
    21) Bob Satterfield
    22) Jim Jefferies
    23) Cleveland Williams
    24) Ray Mercer
    25) Bob Fitzsimmons
    26) Tim Wittherspoon
    27) Sam Langford
    28) Joe Joyce
    29) Max Schmeling
    30) Ike Ibeabuchi
    31) Bert Cooper
    32) Michael Moorer
    33) Wladimir Klitschko
    34) Mike Tyson
    35) Martin Bakole
    36) Vitali Klitschko
     
    Last edited: Feb 18, 2026
    Spreadeagle, Feb 18, 2026
    Spreadeagle, Feb 18, 2026
    #2
    HistoryZero26 and Mike Cannon like this.
  3. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    So I went

    Killen
    Fitzsimmons
    Goddard
    Schreck
    Langford
    Ketchel
    Bill Lang
    Wills
    Coffey
    Fulton
    Miske
    Dempsey
    Gastanaga
    Max Baer
    Louis
    Buddy Baer
    Sheppard
    Lee Murray
    Cleveland Williams
    Liston
    Frazier
    Foreman
    Shavers
    Lyle
    Cooney
    Bruno
    Tyson
    Seldon
    Bowe
    Lennox Lewis
    Shannon Briggs
    Rahman
    Wladimir Klitschko
    Wilder
    Luis Ortiz
    Dubois

    Guys who I was thinking of putting but didn't for whatever reason include
    Tommy Burns
    Jim Flynn
    Godfrey
    Braddock
    Retzlaff
    Ingo
    Leotis Martin
    Bob Foster
    Norton
    Ruddock
    Tua
    Andy Ruiz
    Joshua
    Zhang

    For Tua and Andy Ruiz it was really because of the BMI.
     
    HistoryZero26, Feb 19, 2026
    HistoryZero26, Feb 19, 2026
    #3
    Spreadeagle likes this.
  4. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Tommy Morrison at 5 but Wlad at 33?

    Please.
     
    Seamus, Feb 19, 2026
    Seamus, Feb 19, 2026
    #4
    BCS8 likes this.
  5. Mandela2039

    Mandela2039 OFFICIAL THREAD DIDDLER banned Full Member

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    "In no particular order"
     
    Mandela2039, Feb 19, 2026
    Mandela2039, Feb 19, 2026
    #5
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  6. Spreadeagle

    Spreadeagle Active Member Full Member

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    Please read and digest the words '' in no particular order ''.

    Cheerio.
     
    Last edited: Feb 20, 2026
    Spreadeagle, Feb 20, 2026
    Spreadeagle, Feb 20, 2026
    #6
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  7. Spreadeagle

    Spreadeagle Active Member Full Member

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    Cheers mate.This guy needs to improve his comprehension skills.
     
    Spreadeagle, Feb 20, 2026
    Spreadeagle, Feb 20, 2026
    #7
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  8. mattdonnellon

    mattdonnellon Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Maher was probably the hardest puncher pre-Dempsey.
     
    mattdonnellon, Feb 20, 2026
    mattdonnellon, Feb 20, 2026
    #8
  9. BCS8

    BCS8 VIP Member

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    ****ing lol
     
    BCS8, Feb 20, 2026
    BCS8, Feb 20, 2026
    #9
  10. JackSilver

    JackSilver Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Trying to put them in order of when they around

    Jeffries
    Dempsey
    Schmeling
    Baer
    Louis
    Marciano
    Williams
    Liston
    Frazier
    Foreman
    Lyle
    Shavers
    Cooney
    Weaver
    Bonecrusher
    Tyson
    Holyfield
    Moorer
    Mercer
    Ruddock
    Bowe
    Lewis
    Morrison
    Briggs
    Tua
    Ibeabuchi
    Wlad
    Vitali
    Sanders
    Haye
    Joshua
    Wilder
    Zhang
    Dubious
    wardley
     
    JackSilver, Feb 20, 2026
    JackSilver, Feb 20, 2026
    #10
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  11. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    No way Tommy should be number 5. Just saying.
     
    Seamus, Feb 20, 2026
    Seamus, Feb 20, 2026
    #11
  12. Yorbals

    Yorbals Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I made the same mistake reading that numbered list at first..the top few are all massive punchers too so easily done.
    Don’t know how Jones is in the original list?
     
    Yorbals, Feb 20, 2026
    Yorbals, Feb 20, 2026
    #12
  13. Ken Ashcroft

    Ken Ashcroft Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Or on anyone’s list. He had one fight at Heavyweight. Probably on the list for the same reason as Bob Foster and Michael Spinks who were both exceptional punchers as light heavyweight but not at heavyweight, somehow both also made the original list.
     
    Ken Ashcroft, Feb 20, 2026
    Ken Ashcroft, Feb 20, 2026
    #13
    Fergy likes this.
  14. Seamus

    Seamus Proud Kulak Full Member

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    Johnny du Plooy should be number 5.
     
    Seamus, Feb 20, 2026
    Seamus, Feb 20, 2026
    #14
  15. HistoryZero26

    HistoryZero26 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Its from a top 100 for all of boxing. I took out the 36 who fought at HW. Roy Jones Jr is a HW champion hard to really exclude him on that basis.

    I wrote this in the starting post.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2026
    HistoryZero26, Feb 21, 2026
    HistoryZero26, Feb 21, 2026
    #15
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