Why is Liston given credit for being a harder puncher than Joe Louis?

To answer your question, because Louis had to work a lot harder, and often a lot longer to set up his opponent and wear him down before he knocked him out. Liston was almost always able to easily storm out and overwhelm a guy without much technique and just bomb him out.

 

Like the idiot you always were, you're wrong. Unless Louis could KO Folley out of the gate, he wouldn't stand a chance against Folley. Folley would beat him at his own game.

 

I think they're pretty close, but Liston edges it. An important part of Louis' power is how he executed it, his beautiful combinations and timing were largely what caused his KOs, whereas Liston was more powerful when it came to pure punching power.

But there is an argument for Joe as well. Like you said, he knocked out much more modern sized heavies.

 

I never realized that Liston was ranked universally higher as a puncher than Joe Louis. I always figured that there were some who rated him as such but just thought of it as an opinion and nothing more. It’s certainly possible that Liston packed more power in a single punch but either way they’re both great punchers

 

You think Joe Louis could stop Floyd in the first round not once, but twice? Who else did that?

 

Louis could probably do the same thing to Floyd. Including duplicating Liston's fear aura.

On the thread topic: Perhaps Liston also gets a boost in some eyes because there are accounts from common opponents that he hit like Foreman, whose power is almost a meme at this point. Liston seems a little more modern than Louis because of his proximity to the Ali era; he gets some of the reflected glow of that period. He's a little bigger than Louis. Louis is just enough smaller than Liston and Ali -- a matter of a few pounds -- that I think people envision him as out-sized. Some of Liston's crazier body proportions, like his 84" reach add to this impression. He fits the monsterman image better.

The sparring stories Foreman tells about Liston get a lot of play as well. People take a vision of Liston from those anecdotes as basically Foreman with more advanced technical boxing skills: sort of a Foremanized Joe Louis.

You've also got the press and gym legends of frightening power -- damaged sparring partners, super-sized gloves, etc. Lots of people have those stories, though. Marciano has a ton of them.

And, I mean, Liston did hit really, really hard.

 

We just can't say for sure because Liston didn't really fight anyone above 230.

 

Can't agree.

 

Not that he would, he could.

 

Patterson was 194 lbs. in the rematch, but your point is well taken.
I have no doubt Liston hit harder for several reasons.

Anecdotes from fighters & training stories, as already referenced.
That Louis lost his power by the time he was (1)37, according to Marciano, his right hand was "nothing".
That & his easily observable great hand speed when younger show his power & its effect depended largely on speed.
And he was more "efficent" re: his power having a disproportionate effect, due to combatants often not seeing or being able to brace for blows-& even greater accuracy that Sonny.
While combos coming fast can easily have more effect that harder blows that do not come in such bunches.
Much like Tyson's case! He hit really hard, but we & he could name those who hit harder-but were rarely as skilled, or fast.

Liston had huge hands & bone structure & power.
Louis was even better overall.
But in terms of pure Blunt Force Trauma, Liston is gonna hit harder-like a truck.

 

I highly highly doubt Louis bombs out Patterson in one twice. I could conceivably see Patterson taking one bout in a trilogy though I wouldn't bet on it.