Which Heavyweights KO Record Is Most Misleading When Judging Their Actual Power?

Ali's. His kayo % was about 66% of his wins which is more than decent. But he was mainly fighting top tier opposition from 64 onwards. Very little filler. Put even top punchers in against that level of opposition and their KO record looks more human.

Ali also carried opponents a bit, to save his sore hands. But when he wanted to pour it on, he hurt guys badly.

 

I was just going to bring this up.

 

A knockout is often the result of not seeing the punch coming as much as it is power. Boxers who throw a lot of combinations (Holyfield) open up opportunities for a punch to be delivered unseen, hence the KO. There is also the matter of quality of opponents. Someone like Wilder can have a high KO percentage not only from his power but the long string of no-hopers and C-rate fighters who he fought. If you line up a bunch of club fighters, stiffs or smaller opponents for a hitter (Louis, Marciano, Bowe) they are bound to have a higher KO ratio.

 

He also had a knack of cracking chins that were at the time thought undentable, visibly hurting guys who had legendary mandibles or changing fights instantly with one punch.

He genuinely hurt Liston with a chopping right hand in the first fight.
Dropped Bonavena with a nice hook.
Rocked Chuvalo's head in both fights.
Stopped Foreman.
Changed the Lyle fight with one right hand.

 

Whenever I watch a replay of the FOTC (which is at least once a year LOL!!) I look at the first few rounds and think to myself: "Man, Ali is sitting down on those punches and busting Frazier with HEAVY shots." I think Ali would have KO'd ANYBODY else that night!

The reason I cite that particular fight is that to me it's a classic example of the damage Ali could inflict when he unloaded the heavy artillery!

PS--Ali's late 9th round flurry in that fight is another example--stopped Joe dead in his tracks--a lesser fighter would have hit the deck!

 

Alex Stewart

 

Another thing about KO% dropping against top tier opposition: -

Besides the obviously implied greater skill of the opposition, I would say the level that they have achieved has more likely filtered out the greater number of lesser chins and lesser commitments of the balance of the division.

As far as commitment goes, say you were one of the lesser lights who comprised Earnies Shavers’ KO record - and further say that Earnie is giving you a good going over and/or drops you - even if you were still somewhat viable and could continue or arise the question of same being worthwhile would have to cross your mind and influence how much you were willing to put yourself out and on the line.

The far better fighters of the division had far greater reputations, statuses and the promise of future significant and even greater pay days to protect.

 

Well no, but it is the opposite of being a fan/atic to right away admit he was not a huge puncher.

You seemd to argue against a Straw Man: they volunteered it was accumulation punching.
But Vitali had limited time to pile up damage because his own face was falling off!
But he was ahead by 2 rounds when forced to stop.

 

He's not talking about in this thread, he's talking about on the forum as a whole.

 

Not a heavyweight but I remember back in the 80's World Boxing, Ko Magazine and other mags made out Billy Costello to be this monster puncher, eventually even one of those mags brought up that while Costello had power he wasn't the puncher that he was made out to be.

 

Very true.