Earnie Shavers, hardest puncher of all times?

[User Name HERE]

Built up record against smaller guys with losing records.
Under achievers such as Shannon Briggs, Ron Lyle and Frank Bruno compare or even exceed Shavers power.

[historical boxing society]

I'd be super inclined to say it was a far more modern heavyweight. Who I'm not sure, but if you're examining the hardest puncher ever I'd say it's someone who can knock a guy out with very little space. A good example would be Andy Ruiz vs Luis Ortiz just last year. Andy doesn't have any big windup's on his knockdown blows, Now Andy Ruiz isn't a hardest hitter ever...but it's this type of execution i would be looking for hardest hitter ever. A quick cross with enough power you dont ever need a full windup it's a rare trait. Marciano was extremely gifted with this also.

[The D3vil]

Built up record against smaller guys with losing records.
Under achievers such as Shannon Briggs, Ron Lyle and Frank Bruno compare or even exceed Shavers power.

Dude, he fought some of everybody Ali, Norton Jimmy Young, Jimmy Ellis, & Larry Holmes

They ALL say he was the hardest punching dude they fought.

Who cares what his record was.

Power's not the only thing that matters.

[User Name HERE]

Dude, he fought some of everybody Ali, Norton Jimmy Young, Jimmy Ellis, & Larry Holmes

They ALL say he was the hardest punching dude they fought.

Who cares what his record was.

Power's not the only thing that matters.

Some women are attracted to power.

[Anthony342]

I'd say Foreman, but Shavers is up there. Along with Julian Jackson, Sonny Liston and Mike Tyson.

[Slugfester]

Could Shavers's fists slam into and move a heavy bag like Foreman's? I still believe Foreman's punches were more powerful but less accurate and easier to see coming. Ernie's punches got to their target much faster and were harder to see coming. I am pretty sure Shavers is among the hardest punchers ever though.

[Willow The Wisp]

A couple of observations. 1. Ruiz didn't come close to knocking OUT Luis Ortiz. Indeed, a razor thin fight. 2. Julian Jackson didn't have heavyweight power, as he wasn't a heavyweight. 3. Woman are indeed attracted to power. Of course, we all knew that.
My stock answer generally makes mention of the usual suspects like Fulton, Dempsey, Godfrey, Baer, Louis, Murray, Marciano, Satterfield, Liston, Williams, Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, Tyson, etc.

However, someone mentioned that the pick should go to a very modern heavyweight who routinely blows away the bigger heavyweights of the current century; and that distinction belongs to Deontay Wilder exclusively.
43-2-1 with 42 knockouts, 8 years at the top of the profession, 10 title fight wins, Olympic medalist, 2nd best of his generation and a draw and 4 knockdowns scored againt the 1st best.
Among the most modern-day heavyweights, Wilder stands completely alone as the biggest hitter.

Like all fighters, Wilder receives plenty of undue criticism from fans who wouldn't have what it takes to step into a ring against someone they didn't know who's there to feed their family; but my perception of them all is that they commonly operate with considerably less boxing knowledge than they perceive themselves as having, which is an easy thing to spot.

[crimsonfalcon07]

Making a heavy bag move isn't an indication of power. Hitting so hard that the bag doesn't move is a much better indicator of power, because the power penetrates and does damage. If the bag moves, you're pushing the bag more than punching it. When you watch the best punchers do bag work, it's not swinging all around. Same deal when you're watching the hardest kickers work the bag. Bag only swings during things like push kicks. Anything with real force and speed will indent the bag at the point of impact with minimal movement otherwise.

[billeau2]

Making a heavy bag move isn't an indication of power. Hitting so hard that the bag doesn't move is a much better indicator of power, because the power penetrates and does damage. If the bag moves, you're pushing the bag more than punching it. When you watch the best punchers do bag work, it's not swinging all around. Same deal when you're watching the hardest kickers work the bag. Bag only swings during things like push kicks. Anything with real force and speed will indent the bag at the point of impact with minimal movement otherwise.

This is absolutely true.

Shavers belongs to be in the conversation for hardest hitter. hard to say who was...

[Anthony342]

A couple of observations. 1. Ruiz didn't come close to knocking OUT Luis Ortiz. Indeed, a razor thin fight. 2. Julian Jackson didn't have heavyweight power, as he wasn't a heavyweight. 3. Woman are indeed attracted to power. Of course, we all knew that.
My stock answer generally makes mention of the usual suspects like Fulton, Dempsey, Godfrey, Baer, Louis, Murray, Marciano, Satterfield, Liston, Williams, Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, Tyson, etc.

However, someone mentioned that the pick should go to a very modern heavyweight who routinely blows away the bigger heavyweights of the current century; and that distinction belongs to Deontay Wilder exclusively.
43-2-1 with 42 knockouts, 8 years at the top of the profession, 10 title fight wins, Olympic medalist, 2nd best of his generation and a draw and 4 knockdowns scored againt the 1st best.
Among the most modern-day heavyweights, Wilder stands completely alone as the biggest hitter.

Like all fighters, Wilder receives plenty of undue criticism from fans who wouldn't have what it takes to step into a ring against someone they didn't know who's there to feed their family; but my perception of them all is that they commonly operate with considerably less boxing knowledge than they perceive themselves as having, which is an easy thing to spot.

The question wasn't who had the best heavyweight power. It was who is the hardest puncher of all time. So since weight class wasn't specified, that includes any weight class. And 49 KOs in 55 wins is damn good punching power. Ditto for Nigel Benn (almost 73 KO percentage) and Carlos Zarate (90%).