Of course it is. Wlad has to rate as one of the biggest punchers in boxing's history. His cautious attititude and boring fights might mask it some but he's obviously a big puncher.
Close call. I might edge Big George just because I'm a little partial to how guys reacted when he hit them sometimes despite looking like he didn't put anything on it. Then again, Wlad's got frightening power when he lets loose and still has damn good power when he's reserved. Both guys hit hard enough and have enough of a track record to be in the same league of KO power. For $1 million dollars in small unmarked bills and the cost of my hospital bill covered, I'd be glad to take shots from each of them and post the results.
You have to consider the shitty level of fighters he's knocking out. Foreman KO'd Frazier. Vlad was KTFO by guys that couldn't hold Frazier's jock.
Foreman weighed between 214-220 consistently until the Ali loss, then he started to balloon. W.Klitschko started his career at 220 and was at 240 by the time he won his first belt from Byrd, he has stayed within give or take 2 pounds of the 240 mark since that time. Weighing in between 246-248 is more an aberration then a norm.
Foreman seemed to have great raw power in a crude arm punch. Wlad has great punching technique. Shannon Briggs said it best when he explained that there are different types of hard and that Foreman's punches felt harder than Lewis'. Still, Lewis knocked him out, Foreman didn't...a lot of fighters in the 90's claimed Foreman's power was brutal, but he didn't KO many elite fighters then. He couldn't knock down Morrison, Schulz or Briggs, neither had a tremendous chin and Wlad easily KO'ed Schulz.
I'd like to see a list of guys you think are bigger punchers than Wlad. He is a 245 pound man with very good handspeed. He has good punching technique and a ko ratio to match. Just who are these numerous heavyweights you think hit harder than Wlad.
Seriously? Come on now? Wlad hasn't been 220 since 1996, he's in his prime right now, imo, and his best weight seems to be around 245. Foreman was his best at 217-224.
I said averaged. Add all the weights and divide them. It won't be over 217. Edit: just did it, Foreman's 70s average weight was 218,4. When he got to 225 he just got a little fat, Wlad is a ripped 245. So therefore Wlad is the much larger guy.
I think Wlad actually has more power than Foreman. However, it's all in the delivery. I think Foreman delivered his punches with complete follow-through. Every punch was thrown to go through his opponents head. Wlad throws punches like a 140 lb fighter. He punches quickly and snaps his arm back almost immediately after contact. He is effectively negating his own power. If Wlad were to be instructed to punch through his opponents, instead of at his opponents, I think we would see many more early ko's. I would suggest the Ray Austin fight as proof of my theory. 4 hooks in a row as fast as you could blink. The final hook that missed was the only one where you see Wlad put his body into the punch and attempts to follow through (too bad he missed that one).
I just started then saw your edit. So 215 was off and you picked one of the lowest weights. That was my only point. Wlad is one of the hardest hitter, Yes I agree.