IYO how could George Foreman, Earnie Shaves, John Mugabi, etc, punch so hard?

[Isaac Hunt]

great boxers are made, great punchers are born

This is the truth.

[Scott9945]

Some guys just have it. We've seen slow punchers, fast punchers hit hard and soft. We've seen tall guys and short guys hit hard and not so hard.

For a while I thought it would be the thick wrist + big hand thing and even then Ernie Lopez had HUGE wrists and fists and he won by KO only 6 times in 51 wins

If you are talking about former welterweight contender Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez, he had 24 KO's in his 48 wins and was no soft puncher. That's the only Ernie Lopez I remember in boxing.

[them_apples]

Science/physics doesn't always explain things in terms of punchers either though.

Force = mass x acceleration: doesn't explain why old/slow Foreman was still one of the heaviest pound for pound punchers, he had next to no acceleration or velocity in his punches in the 90s. His mass at the time was rather less than the likes of Valuev who punched every bit as slow but with much greater mass (but had rather less concussive power).

The knockout blow must be a culmulation of several other factors too besides raw 'force'. Full body technique, timing, accuracy, the actual point of impact, following through the target, catching the opponents unawares.

As Scott9945 says 'Some boxers are gifted with exceptional power just like some baseball players were born to hit a lot of home runs'.

Sometimes we just have to accept that we can't fully explain why some boxers are such good punchers.

there is also technique though. Foreman mastered the art of following through. for slow punhces they were pin point and dense.

[Sugarj]

there is also technique though. Foreman mastered the art of following through. for slow punhces they were pin point and dense.

I said 'technique' in paragraph 3 of my post. My exact words were 'full body technique' because as most of us know throwing a heavy punch is all about correct setting of feet, body pivoting, twisting the wrist, landing correctly with the knuckle area and as you say 'following through'.

Your quite right about George, he did follow through so well.

[them_apples]

I said 'technique' in paragraph 3 of my post. My exact words were 'full body technique' because as most of us know throwing a heavy punch is all about correct setting of feet, body pivoting, twisting the wrist, landing correctly with the knuckle area and as you say 'following through'.

Your quite right about George, he did follow through so well.

so if all boxers has identical technique..wouldn't the thick boned guy hit the hardest? As long as he had equvalent velocity. Margarito is big boned but he's so slow it takes away from it but he still hurts guys. Foreman and shavers fired shots off with remendous velocity. To me its just like getting a dowel or log in the face at the same velocity, ones gonna hurt a lot more.

[Sugarj]

so if all boxers has identical technique..wouldn't the thick boned guy hit the hardest? As long as he had equvalent velocity. Margarito is big boned but he's so slow it takes away from it but he still hurts guys. Foreman and shavers fired shots off with remendous velocity. To me its just like getting a dowel or log in the face at the same velocity, ones gonna hurt a lot more.

In reply to your point in bold, most likely for as long as reach and height were also identical! Again for as long as velocity/acceleration is equal too. But I think we have to consider the many muscles involved too, not just the skeletal structure, muscle density, tendons. Physiques differ greatly and must surely have an effect too.

Other factors too such as grip in footware on the canvas! I know we're splitting hairs now! Ha ha

[monkey skeleton]

If you are talking about former welterweight contender Ernie "Indian Red" Lopez, he had 24 KO's in his 48 wins and was no soft puncher. That's the only Ernie Lopez I remember in boxing.

You're right... I had never seen him fight before and I only took a glance at his wikipedia after seeing a picture of him in a Classic Pictures thread... Wikipedia has him at 6 KOs

[greynotsoold]

I think that, with Shavers and Foreman (young), they were big strong guys that swung for the fences with every shot. They didn't have much technique, and thus they got tired pretty readily throwing those big bombs. Mugabi got tremendous "snap" on his punches; check out the left hook he missed early, 1st or 2nd, vs Hagler. That must have whistled like a bullet going by.
Joe Louis had textbook punching technique, so he punched real hard. Marciano used to wing them, but he lost some power, but became a better inside fighter and defensive fighter, when Goldman shortened his stance.
A huge part of punching hard is timing, hitting the other guy when he doesn't expect to get hit and is therefore vulnerable.

[theproof]

man that samchez avitar brings back memories. wonder how he would rank all time. anyway as for the great punchers. i think it is still quality of opposition. how hard were their punch against the elite ? IN SOME OF THEIR LOSSES THAT GREAT POWER DIDN'T BREAK AN EGG.

[greynotsoold]

To paraphrase somebody talking about something else...To work properly punching power must be applied in the proper amount, at the proper time and in the proper way to be effective.