LOL @ Big Hands being mentioned like it matters!

[WILL2WIN]

I agree with that, big hands don't amount to much of an advantage. I think there are more good boxers with more normal size hands. Just because there are not that many people with hands Listons size. And talent counts for a lot more then big hands lol. Liston had talent and big hands but the combination is rare.

Thank you for your intelligent posts,you and i are in agreement than! :P

[nomadman]

I don't know the physical reason behind it, or even if it's a factor at all, but an historically large number of heavy hitters also had abnormally large hands. Whether this is due to more weight in the fist (something which I think would be neglibile), less padding due to the glove having to stretch over a larger surface area, a denser overall bone structure of which the fist is merely the most visible element, or any number of other factors I have no idea. Certainly a person with a larger fist would also most likely have thicker and stronger bones in general, which can help with avoiding breaks or other injuries. It would also help stabilise the fist upon impact, which would enable the fighter to deliver a higher percentage of their power to the target. This is more important to power than speed, in my opinion. Look at someone like Marciano or Liston for example. Both guys were pretty slow of handspeed yet their fists just drove through their opponents as though they weren't there. Then look at Byrd who, whilst technically excellent and very fast, dissipated most of his power upon hitting the target. I certainly think that any truly heavy hitter requires a solid skeletal muscular framework behind them, and most every fighter I've seen with large hands was also extremely stocky and well built: Marciano, Liston, Abraham, Rahman etc. Of course, there are plenty of hard hitters with tiny fists relative to their height and weight, Tua for example, so it shouldn't be seen as that great a criterion in determining power.

[WILL2WIN]

I don't know the physical reason behind it, or even if it's a factor at all, but an historically large number of heavy hitters also had abnormally large hands. Whether this is due to more weight in the fist (something which I think would be neglibile), less padding due to the glove having to stretch over a larger surface area, a denser overall bone structure of which the fist is merely the most visible element, or any number of other factors I have no idea. Certainly a person with a larger fist would also most likely have thicker and stronger bones in general, which can help with avoiding breaks or other injuries. It would also help stabilise the fist upon impact, which would enable the fighter to deliver a higher percentage of their power to the target. This is more important to power than speed, in my opinion. Look at someone like Marciano or Liston for example. Both guys were pretty slow of handspeed yet their fists just drove through their opponents as though they weren't there. Then look at Byrd who, whilst technically excellent and very fast, dissipated most of his power upon hitting the target. I certainly think that any truly heavy hitter requires a solid skeletal muscular framework behind them, and most every fighter I've seen with large hands was also extremely stocky and well built: Marciano, Liston, Abraham, Rahman etc. Of course, there are plenty of hard hitters with tiny fists relative to their height and weight, Tua for example, so it shouldn't be seen as that great a criterion in determining power.

Great points! Thank you for your knowledgeable post.

[nomadman]

Also,yeah Liston did have huge hands,i think the only Champion with bigger hands is Valuev,but is Valuev known for his knockout power,speed or accuracy,no......

That is my point,Valuev has bigger hands than all the other heavyweights,but who would you pick as a bigger puncher,him or Vitali? Hand size alone doesn't always mean bigger puncher,although sometimes it can,but it's not wut it's cracked up to be IMHO

Thing is, with guys like Valuev and Carnera you're essentially dealing with the products of a disease. They're fighters who are much larger than they were genetically designed to be as a result of pituitary gigantism, and can't be seen as entirely consistent with the normal flow of human development. Sufferers of acromegaly and gigantism often have disproportionately large hands and feet relative to their overall bone structure and musculature, as well as a whole host of other problems relating to coordination, balance etc. Not great traits for a boxer to have.

[nomadman]

Great points! Thank you for your knowledgeable post.

No problem.