Biggest hitting out of these 4 southpaw light-heavyweights

Moorer
Stevenson
Tarver
Johnson

Moorer was probably the most damaging puncher, due to the combination of his huge size, sharp shots and natural power but I think Stevenson was more explosive, and probably the harder puncher P4P. It's a toss up between those two imo, but I went with Moorer. He was weirdly a lefty who really focused on his right hand, which is always nice.

I think Tarver probably deserves to be ranked above Johnson as a puncher. Pops could definitely throw some powerful bombs but Tarver's technique and style probably made his punches more powerful. Johnson would probably do more damage to you over the course of a fight, but Tarver would probably do more with one punch.

 

Thank you, you're a great poster too mate. Yeah, I thought I'd heard that from @AwardedSteak863 a few years ago. Iirc, he'll probs something to say about Moorer and Tarver too, I remember him being quite impressed with them.

Cool thread, it combined my three favourite types of boxers. Punchers, southpaws and light heavyweights

 

Like George said, it's a near tossup between Moorer & Stevenson for #1 IMO. I would give Stevenson a slight edge as I think he beat/Ko'd better competition @ the weight.

Tarver could perhaps do as much damage as Moorer or Stevenson w/ a single shot, but he had to catch you just right in order get those kinds of results, so I rank him 3rd.

Johnson was never really a 1-shot KO artist IMO - his kos typically came about from relentless waves of hooks, a bit like Joe Frazier IMO.

 

1. Moorer
2. Stevenson
3. Tarver
4. Johnson

Like @bolo specialist said Stevenson has a strong argument to being number 1 due to stopping better opponents at Light Heavyweight but I give Moorer the edge based on his extra size. I also think Moorer had better power in either hand aswell meaning he could stop you with his straight left or underrated right hook or right uppercut.

Tarver has shown some good power he even ended Chris Johnson's career who ended up on a stretcher. He's also obviously stopped RJJ, Harding, and has even shown power at Heavyweight. I think Tarver could be just as dangerous as Stevenson with single shots but overall Stevenson impressed me more with his power at Light Heavyweight.

Johnson was more of a whirling dervish with a good punch but not a devastating puncher as much I love Johnson as a fighter he's not quite on the same level as the other 3 in regards to single punch power.

 

I generally defer to @George Crowcroft in all things light heavyweight, but I’ll offer a counterpoint.

Moorer was wickedly overpowering at light heavy … but he was for the entirety of his run the fourth of four light heavyweight champs with the then-in-particular lowly-regarded WBO dangling around his waist and a list of challengers who you would find had unlisted numbers in any ‘light heavyweight contender phone book’ of the day.

In short, he was making title defenses against journeymen and blasting them out. But I find that on par iwth Tommy Morrison blasting out heavyweight journeymen and judging him as some steamroller/Godzilla combo based on those spurious wins.

I have no reason to think all of the above wouldn’t KO every single guy Moorer did. (Yes Leslie Stewart did stop Marvin but only after Marvin ran him out of the ring, and Pops was on his last unsteady legs by the time of the rematch after a hard career facing guys Moorer would never have faced at 175.)

Keep in mind also that Moorer was an artificial light heavy entering the day-before weigh-in days. When he moved up from light heavy, four months later he was like 40 pounds above the 175 limit. In short, he was a weight bully fighting journeymen propped up as contenders.

So with all due respect;

Stevenson (ridiculously explosive)
Pops
Tarver
Moorer

Last two are harder as Tarver was more sniper than bomber so his were precise and he didn’t always unload the heavy artillery.

 

I don’t think his ability to carry that power later in fights was ever tested at 175, especially against quality opposition who might have taken some starch out of him by making him move/work early in fights.

And Jirov was two fights removed from cruiser and never fought enough punchers at heavyweight to really test that. MM was like 30+ pounds bigger when he fought Jirov, and Moorer’s overall record as a puncher at heavyweight isn’t particularly impressive apart from a shootout with Bert Cooper.

 

I agree 100%. Stevenson was certainly the most explosive while Moorer has really heavy hands. Tarver hit hard but most of his knockout were because of his excellent counterpunching and timing with the Jones Jr KO being the best representation of that.

 

Single Shot Stevenson

 

This. Stevenson could change the course of a fight through a single punch and it could be either the head or body.
Like him or hate him Stevenson was one of the greatest punchers in that divisions history.
Speaking on Canada Lalonde was another one who had one punch power in that right hand.

 

Moorer
Johnson
Stevenson
Tarver

 

Adonis. 9-1-1 in title fights . The loss and draw were influenced by his age. During the nine wins he stopped everyone except Bika, who never got stopped in his career. Fonfara did last the distance, but got blasted out in one in the rematch. And he would've been mediocre without the power.

 

Johnson was more of a volume puncher with a high work rate.