the hardest heavyweight puncher?

[slicksouthpaw16]

Foreman is the hardest puncher. He has knocked out the better line of fighters than Shavers.

[IronMike19]

One thing that has to be considered is how the punchers did in their later years when they only had their power left. Shavers, Foreman and Tyson all fought long past their peak.

Shavers dropped Holmes and KO'd Norton at age 35.
We all know Foreman's accomplishments, KO'd Moorer at age 45.
Tyson had that win (turned into a NC) over Golota at age 35.

Shavers never had anything other than his power so it didn't really matter how old he was.
Foreman was still strong, powerful and most importantly, smart at his old age.
When Tyson lost his speed, he was never as good but he still scored some KO's, just not over top fighters.

I have always thought of Tyson as kind of a combination puncher, while Shavers and Foreman just looked for that one punch.

Shavers had big trouble finishing guys when he had his man hurt, Tyson was a GREAT finisher in his prime, Foreman rarely let his opponents off the hook either until he got old and slow.

in your opinion, do you think if tyson had power only, could he hit harder than shavers & foreman?

[Silencers]

in your opinion, do you think if tyson had power only, could he hit harder than shavers & foreman?

I don't think so, Tyson's power was more explosive than Foreman's or Shavers', explosiveness required speed so when he lost his speed, his power wasn't the same, and he didn't actually knock Golota out, Golota refused to continue fighting.

Holmes said that he was out when he got hit by the punch and his head hitting the canvas woke him up. Bert Sugar said it was the only time he has ever seen a fighter get knocked out and come back to win the fight.

[IronMike19]

but hey man, that right bomb from shavers should've knocked out larry holmes big time, but larry has too much heart, he got up, he was still stunned for 2-3 minutes, and came back and won the fight.

[xEDDIEx]

id go with foreman. similar KO ratio, but foreman did it against better fighters.

[Chrismart]

****, how did Holmes get up from that shot.

[IronMike19]

the man has heart and a chin, just like ali, because that right hand could've easily left someone bruised up.

[Tony Jones]

Met Earnie a few times. He works on the door at Yates in Liverpol over here in England. Really nice guy but looked smaller than i expected. He seemed real surprised that i recognised him lol.

[The Wire]

Both had similar KO ratio's: Foreman 76 wins, 68 KO's, Shavers 74 wins, 68 KO's. Both Foreman and Shavers had most of those decisions when they were older.

Foreman won 24 fights in a row by KO, Shavers won 27 by KO, Foreman beat much better opposition during that KO streak (which was ended by Ali), Shavers KO'd many in the first round.

Notable opposition KO'd:
Shavers KO'd/TKO'd Jimmy Young, Jimmy Ellis, Roy Williams, Ken Norton, Joe Bugner
Foreman KO'd/TKO'd George Chuvalo, Gregorio Peralta, Joe Frazier, Ken Norton, Ron Lyle, Dwight Qawi, Gerry Cooney, Michael Moorer

Comparable opposition:
Ted Gullick: Shavers KO6, Foreman KO2
Ken Norton: Shavers KO1, Foreman KO2
Ron Lyle: TKO'd Shavers in 6, Foreman KO5, both were dropped by Lyle but Foreman showed heart by getting up from the canvas twice to KO Lyle.
Jimmy Young: Shavers TKO3, draw, beat Foreman by UD
Muhammad Ali: beat Shavers by UD, beat Foreman by KO8

Foreman was obviously the better fighter with an amateur background, better technique, a powerful jab, an iron chin, strenght, finishing skills and more stamina. He was also taller and heavier than Shavers.

Shavers didn't have much more than his power, his fight against Ali was his best because he kept his composure and showed better conditioning by going twelve rounds.

Both Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes said Shavers was the hardest hitter they ever faced.


Shavers' overhand right against Holmes is one of the hardest ever thrown (02:18).


Shavers KO's Ellis


Shavers KO's Norton


Foreman KO's Frazier, Norton, Lyle, Cooney, Moorer

My conclusion: Both hit pretty f***ing hard.

great post

[PeekaBooPooch]

Tyson can do some serious spanking thats for sure!
Hard- Bad
Harder- even more bad
Hardest- real bad
What ever,....I think mike Tyson is the hardest hitter of all time!!!