Hardest Hitter :Lewis Or Louis?

Thee are many variables that you can measure a fighter on, and I think that smaller fighters relative to their weight class, often punch above as finishers.

It becomes an option that they sometimes have to commit to.

 

Lewis, but not by too much.

Joe was the master of powerful combinations.

 

Agree, for all his speed, accuracy and punching in combination, the true extent of Mike Tyson’s own single shot power appears to have also been lost in translation over the years.

 

It might seem more logical to pick the 3-4” taller and 40+ lb heavier Lewis who still hit hard even for his own size. I wouldn’t necessarily argue with that conclusion.

However, to see Louis’ punches detonate off the chins of well sized guys like Simon and Buddy Baer, the granite jawed Max Baer and even Primo Carnera - isn’t just amazing for Louis’ own size but awe inspiring in absolute terms.

The bigger slower guys can be hit more flush - thus allowing for max. punch effect - and though Lewis himself was relatively quick for his size - he also benefited against the bigger slower guys who he could truly line up for his power shots.

At the least, I agree that Louis was faster and the better puncher in terms of accuracy and punching in perfect combinations, each punch in sequential complement to the preceding punch and the punch that followed.

 

Lewis hits harder with one shot but Louis has huge power himself and puts them together like no-one.

 

So this is one argument for the effectiveness of Louis as a puncher: he was fast and accurate. I think the guys that he smacked around simply did not have have that half second of awareness before he detonated on them. I've used to wonder why, for instance, people used to say Sanders hit so hard when they'd been in there with bigger and more muscular guys. And I reckon it is the speed of the punch that flummoxed them, catching them slack and unready for the blow. Louis was indeed unusually quick for his size.

 

Another factor which is associated with speed is the snap of punch.

It’d come down to minute fractions of a second - but the less the duration of the actual collision time the greater the transference of force - so a faster recoil and after impact literally lends to a harder punch.

Prime Louis definitely had that snap factor going for him also.

 

Louis faced stiff bums and he wore small gloves, it's only logical he inflicted more damage. Also, he threw way more punches.
If we're analyzing the power from a single blow, Lewis is lightyears ahead.

 

While I agree with you, there is certainly also the fact that Louis was a bigger hitter than his size would imply and that if somebody said that Louis hit P4P harder than Lewis, that they might be right.

 

P4p I totally agree, but this was not about that.
Otherwise you could put someone like Duran or Hearns in the mix, they certainly hit way harder p4p.

 

NOooooo...... I can accept that Lewis may be the harder puncher ( albeit marginally )
but nobody,and I mean NOBODY,is '' lightyears ahead ''of Joe Louis as
a single power- puncher.Not humanly possible.
By the way,I do wish you and others would stop using the words '' bum '' or ''bums''.
These were brave men who were risking their health,or even their lives.They deserve
more respect.

 

Who’s the other 3?

 

Jack Dempsey, Sonny Liston, Mike Tyson.

If we are going to make it a round half dozen, then we can throw in Sam Langford.