Top 15 Hardest Hitters 1940-1950

Yes, definitely.:good

 

I've done extensive research on Lem Franklin and found that many sportswriters and watchers of the sport thought Franklin at the time was a harder puncher than Joe Louis. Baseball Hall of Famer Tris Speaker thought so (he was a big fight fan) as did the amateur coach who trained both Joe and Lem. That's a pretty heavy endorsement!

 

My own top three HARDEST (not greatest) would be Sheppard, then Franklin, then Louis.

 

Chauncy Welliver.

 

Awesome thread, thank you for introducing me to some of these fighters.

 

was abe simon mentioned in the scariest lookin heavyweight thread?

 

True, but he started to slide when he at 197 lbs, was kod by Bob Pastor at 181 lbs. in 1942. Pastor was a hell of a boxer who tackled the big boys those days...What seperated Joe Louis from the rest of the hard punchers, was not only concussive one-punch power, but it was followed by pinpoint
combinations that followed, if necessary....

 

I am a firm believer that the hardest puncher in a given era, is rarely the greatest fighter, or even the best finisher.

If Joe Louis had been born with Holyfield's power, he would still have been knocking guys out, based on technique.

For me, the hatchetman is the Earnie Shavers of the era. Not the best fighter around by any means, but the one who the testimonies suggest to be the hardest hitter. He might even have hit harder than Max Baer!

 

Great thread .. I'm going to study a lot of these guys ...

I'd love to see a 1930"s and a 1920"s ...

 

it's been said but thanks suzie, great thread!

 

Well, there should be one sour apple in the barrel, so I will assume the role.

The list isn't bad, but how can you leave off Lee Savold?

Savold had 71 ko's in 149 fights, fought consistently top men, and ko'd quite a few of them, including:

Ford Smith, Maurice Strickland, Lou Brooks, Buddy Knox, Lou Nova (2), Johnny Flynn, Nate Bolden, Lem Franklin (2), Eddie Blunt, Kid Rivera, Bob Garner, Duilio Spagnola, Buddy Walker, and Bruce Woodcock.

That is a pretty impressive list for a mere contender.

Al Brown on the other hand. He stopped 9 men in 38 fights. His only name victims are Red Burman and the weak-jawed Lee Oma. Frankly, I think Savold is an easy pick over Brown. I would put Savold somewhere between 6 and 10 myself. He might well have been a better puncher than Tommy Gomez as he fought much tougher competition.

*I would question putting Archie Moore among heavyweights in the forties. And Joe Baksi seems to have been more of a mauler than a big puncher. A strong, tough man, but not a big puncher.

 

Damn, these dudes are small and not at all ripped.

They would have suffered severely today.