Ali is the better fighter but he doesn’t punch harder. Ali even said himself he wasn’t the biggest puncher
Ali is a bit of an underrated puncher, but he's nothing like Tyson who can fairly be considered to be one of the hardest hitting HWs. Maybe he's only mid-pack in the group of "hardest hitting HWs", but Ali isn't remotely in that group. Difference between Ali and a real puncher can easily be seen by comparing him to Foreman in fights against Norton and Frazier. Ali just could not knock out either man and fought them both three times. Foreman blew them out easily. Tyson is a LOT closer to Foreman in power than Ali.
Tyson of course but the notion that Ali was a patty-cake puncher is an absolute myth, prime Ali could come off his toes and pop you, he was swiveling Foreman's head in Zaire way before Foreman got tired.
Ali pressed Foreman's gas pedal then finished off a spent force, his ko had nothing to do with power. If you look at some of Foreman's fights, he's taken some hellacious shots (bigger than the right Ali dropped him with) and fired back. Tyson was a much bigger puncher.
Mike by a large margin. Ali had his moments (check out the right hand that ruined Ron Lyle), but he rarely sat right down into his punches. In fact (I could be wrong but) I think the Lyle shot was more perfect timing and placement than actual power.
Ali did tag him though, and hard. Foreman's face was banged up like never before. Obviously not the way Alex Stewart dinged him up but there was substantial damage on George's mug after 8 rounds.
Of course Ali hit harder, the guy flatten the great Sonny Liston in 1 round with 1 punch. Knockout Big George and stop Fraizer.
Sorry Dude if you took me literally - it was meant to be tongue in cheek (maybe your post was too) but you’re bang on. I was definitely sourcing from Tillis and his ridiculous comments re Iron Mike - who Tillis did originally nominate as the hardest puncher he had ever faced...before he later switched to Shavers whilst trying to belittle Mike at the same time.
Georges face during and after the Stewart fight was horrific. Eye watering just to look at him. Stewart could punch but didn’t Foreman have an issue with his sinuses or something like that - a blockage that exacerbated the swelling, causing it to build up well above normal without normal drainage?
