What's the difference between explosive and heavy punching?

[GrandpaBernard]

"Heaviness" comes from pure strength. George Foreman, David Tua, Marcos Maidana, those kinda guys.
"Explosiveness" comes from technique. Nonito Donaire, Juan Manuel Marquez, Floyd Mayweather, those kinda guys.

"Scary" comes when you get both. Joe Louis, Thomas Hearns, Mike Tyson, Ray Robinson, etc. ATG punchers all generate their power from both strength AND technique, meaning they can wear your out OR stop you with one shot.

You consider Floyd explosive? He's quick and fluid to me but not KABOOM EXPLOSION!

[GrandpaBernard]

What does everyone consider Amir? He has ****** fast hands but doesn't seem very KABOOM EXPLOSIVE to me.

[BigStereotype]

What does everyone consider Amir? He has ****** fast hands but doesn't seem very KABOOM EXPLOSIVE to me.

You consider Floyd explosive? He's quick and fluid to me but not KABOOM EXPLOSION!

There's a huge difference between the two. When Floyd sits on his shots, they hurt. He's got pop, no doubt about it. Just ask Ricky Hatton. As to Khan, he just throws to land. He's a solid body puncher for sure, but most of the time, he's willing to win on points by touching his opponent over and over and over.

[#1Assassin]

I don't really see much of a difference really they both mean that someone hits hard just wanted to see your thoughts on it

someone who is heavy handed will hurt u every time he lands and break u down as the fight goes on, but he rarely knocks guys out early. he doesnt have the explosive power to take u out with one shot, he will need to accumulate punishment in order to knock you out.

someone with explosive power can tap that chin once and knock your lights out. u can have a full tank of gas and be feeling strong, then with one punch get put to sleep.

heavy handed: margarito, williams, pavlik, cotto.

explosive: donaire, bailey, abraham, gamboa.

[GJC]

My man Joe Baksi would count as a heavy handed fighter rather than explosive.

[Daddy T]

A heavy puncher is usually a naturally strong guy who doesn't so much get one punch knockouts (there are of course exceptions) as wears the opponent down through a prolonged beating no single punch of which necessarily has KO power but the cumlative effect of which is pretty much guaranteed to put you down. I think in the modern era Vitali Klitschko or Antonio Margarito are good examples of fighters with heavy hands.

Explosive punchers are the type that tend to suddenly out of nowhere land a single shot with concussive power that can end a fight. Tyson is probably the prime example. Now they might not be necessarily as naturally strong as some of the heavy punchers but through speed skill and timing some of their once off shots can be devastating. I guess Haye is also an example of an explosive puncher. He doesn't necessarily wear the guys out via a series of strong shots but rather looks for one explosive shot to put the guy away.