who was a harder puncher Holmes or Holyfield?

This puzzled me for a while.

Then I realized what you meant.

Holyfield in 2010 probably punched harder than Holmes in 2010. Yeah. I agree. :thumbsup

Holmes in 2010 probably wouldn't have stopped Botha.

 

That wasn't his only punch, just his best.

The rest of his arsenal (like Quartey's) gets severely underrated.

I'd honestly rather take a right hand from Holyfield (but overall, preferably from neither :yep)

I might consider taking a Holmes right before a Holyfield butt...:think

 

My thoughts exactly. Holyfield turned into a bigger puncher later in his career. His left hook was sharp and strong. I would say Holyfield was, overall, a harder puncher than Holmes.

 

I don't know, I think people here are underrating Holyfield's power, or at least his ability to do serious damage. Maybe he doesn't have a lot of raw power or heavy hands, but he hurt guys known for durability.

Mercer had an iron chin and Holyfield dropped him with a left hook to the head. It wasn't a flash KD, Mercer was hurt and reeled back, then took a knee.

Bowe had never been dropped before and Holyfield almost ended it with a single left hook.

Tyson seemed to have taken less cumulative damage when Holyfield stopped him than when Douglas and Lewis did.

Holyfield hurt Foreman in the 9th round of their fight. That was the most hurt and closest to getting dropped that Foreman was in his second career.


Holyfield wasn't some brutal heavy-handed guy, but he could pop and his accuracy and timing enabled him to do some real damage to tough, durable HWs.

 

He did turn his punches over better over time, yes...but he simply never hit as hard at HW as Holmes IMO.

Now, you could easily make a case for him hitting harder at CW in p4p terms...

People get hung up on Larry not being a power puncher just because the jab was his big meal ticket...it isn't like he had pillows on his wrists.