My top 15 all time heavyweight crosses

My top 15 all time heavyweight crosses and over hand rights graded as a mix of the following.

The power of the punch.

The speed and velocity of the punch.

The accuracy and technique of the punch.

The range of the punch.

The Stamina of the punch in a number of times it could be thrown,
and ability to carry the power into the later rounds.

The ability to change the course of a fight.

The ability counter with the right cross.

I will only grade boxers who are on film in the ring, so apologies to the John L Sullivan fans, as I suspect he was good enough to rate.


1 ) Lewis - Lewis has everything a heavyweight would want in his right hand and he wasn't shy about using it. The Rahman KO was the epic example.


2 ) W. Klitschko - Wlad had a deadly right hand with excellent speed. The punch also had good accuracy to split the opponents's guard or hit moving targets. Wlad was very skilled using this punch to combo, particularly after a jab landed. Early in his career, Wlad fired this weapon at will, as Champion he was more judicious with this punch.


3 ) Louis. Louis had a textbook delivery on his right hand and was gifted with tremendous velocity and power in the punch. His main drawback was trouble hitting a moving target with his cross and just an average reach.


4 ) Liston - Liston arsenal was fearsome, his main drawback was speed. On film, opponents go down face first from it. For such a heavy handed puncher, Liston very good technique.


5 ) M. Baer's right hand was the ultimate eraser. If he landed it flush, he didn't need many more punches. Baer's accuracy and sloppy technique cost him a higher ranking, but he always seemed fresh in the later rounds.


6 ) Shaver's - Called the hardest hitter by many including Ali and Holmes, and Lyle who fought many punchers, Shaver's right cross was extremely short and powerful. Though it was not very textbook and Shavers lack of stamina in the later rounds cost him. His right hand was highly feared.


7 ) Foreman. The well muscled Foreman oozed power, and his short right hand quickly hurt and ended many of his fights. Foreman was a little wild on technique, and his lack of stamina in his right cross cost him a higher ranking.


8 ) Marciano - Rocky's Suzy-Q put fighters to sleep. Rocky was a little wild with it and lacked range, however, he had the stamina to keep firing all night long and retained 100% of its power in the later rounds.


9 ) Tyson. A short and explosive bomb, Tyson's right hand made people fly backward. The lack of range in the punch and his lack of later round stoppages with this punch prevents a higher ranking.


10 ) Dempsey - People keep writing about Dempsey's hook, but when I watch the films it was often his right hand that floored people.


11 ) Ali. Yes, Ali. Ali's right cross was a game changer. It's the punch that roughed up Litson, floored Foreman for the count, and suddenly changed the course of the Lyle fight where Ali was training on my score card. The timing of when to use this punch, and where it landed, and Ali's ability to counter with it are reasons why I list it here as the power in the blow was just solid.


12 ) Bowe. Bowe right hand was a punch he got a lot of leverage on. And he could combo with it. You could argue a higher ranking for Bowe, but like everything else in his career consistency holds him back.


13 ) Schmeling. Schmeling wasn't the hardest hitter on the list, but Like Ali, he knew when and where to use, it and was an expert counter puncher with this punch.


14 ) V. Klitschko. Vitali had the ideal height and timing, with the uncanny ability to land this punch at multiple angles. Vitali's right cross had a cumulative effect, with good accuracy, ability to string together combinations with it. The power in the punch stayed with him until the final bell, which allowed him to finish many fighters later in the match. Technique was not his forte.


15 ) Holmes. Holmes had a very versatile arsenal, but his right cross is the one that had the most power in it. Holmes right cross was very fast, with reach, and top notch accuracy.



Honorable Mention: 15 names you could argue for Witherspoon, Johansson, Lyle, Willard, Coetzee, Smith, Rhaman, Moorer, Maskeav, Patterson, Page, Briggs, Hide, Haye, and Brewster.

 

Thanks.

This was not an easy list to put together. I liked Liston's range, accuracy, and technique. Shavers and Baer were not as good in these areas. Liston had no stamina issues like Shavers, nor did he clown a round, or not use it at times like Baer. These are reasons why I put him higher. You have to watch the films to really appreciate Liston.

Who hit harder is but one part of the equation in the criteria. Many of the rankings as close!

 

No and I added overhand rights to the post.

 

That he did!

 

start any 7:15 of the below film

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Jeffries has zero to do with this thread, but if I do a top 15 for left hooks or body punches, he should rate.

The rest of your post is not worth replying to as I was talking about Liston.