Why do these Eastern European/Russian fighters seem to hit so hard?

[Damn Wicked]

Pep and Benitez were some of the most defensive fighters in the history of boxing though.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but Pep had over 200 fights which goes back to saying guys fight past their prime and that causes problems, not because they were aggressive killers.

Even a defensive fighter will get hit a lot more in over 200 fights than an aggressive brawler gets hit in 25 fights. Every fight that a boxer has will increase the punches he's hit with and the physical damage he receives. Also many fighters get hit hard in training. The damage is accumulative. Time and life accumulate damage all by themselves. Add getting punched in the head and body to that. You'll impede the breakdown of brain and body deterioration exponentially with that kind of life style. Boxing is unhealthy for the brain no matter how defensive you are. Being defensive is a safer style for your physical health though. It's not as exciting to watch but it's better for the fighter in the long run.

[Chollo Vista]

Being defensive is a safer style for your physical health though. It's not as exciting to watch but it's better for the fighter in the long run.

Not necessarily.

If you average 3-4 rounds like someone like Kovalev, getting hit less than 50 times a fight, you will sustain less punishment over the course of your career than a defensive fighter who fights on average 12 rounds per fight getting hit 300 times per fight.

Look how defensive Ali was and how much of a killer Foreman was; then compare their current conditions. Heck, look how defenisve Mayweather Sr, Toney and Sweat P were and think about their current speaking conditions.

Goes to show how fighting past your shelf life effects you potentially more than being a killer and getting the fight over with and putting your opponent on the defensive immediately and leaving them shelled up scared to open up.

Another good example of this was Kov vs Hopkins. Hopkins rarely threw anything back because he was so concerned about getting out the way.

[Weebler I]

They don't hit that hard across the board, we just focus on the few that do.

There are a lot Eastern Euros with low KO rates like Glazkov, Postol, Korobov, Khabib, Lomachenko, Gradovich to name but a few.

[PensionKiller]

How do guys like Kovalev have to much power when their physical build is kind of skinny and not muscular? I realize muscularity doesn't translate to power much of the time but it's always weird to see how skinny and weak Kov's arms and shoulders look....and his punches are like bombs. WTF?

Kelly Pavlik was one of the heaviest handed middleweight fighters at one time, yet he was build like a stick. He also took hard punches really well. Lucian Bute was a heavy hitter and he has very narrow shoulders and he's built like a toddler. Unfortunately for him ...he has the chin of a toddler too.

Not that a punching machine is a good way to judge, but I have seen skinny guys punch very hard and big guys not so much. Why? Relaxing and technique helps IMO.

As for power, I have seen Eastern Euros work on building sites. They don't mess about. Strong and durable people

[paulf]

Because they drink Big Red, the proletariat communist fuel

[Crazylegs77]

Spend some time in eastern europe/russia. You will find the answers you seek.
Good luck.

[Scipio2009]

largely marketing spin, tbh

These new wave of fighters seem to have devastating power and are tough as nails. Why is this? is it genetics? upbringing? the environment? post and discuss

Khabib Allahkverdiev didn't hit all that hard, and neither does Viktor Postol, if we're being honest. "Czar" Glazkov's power isn't all that devastating, and neither is Lomachenko's, if we're being honest.

You actually count the guys, coming up with this devastating power, across all of the weight classes and I doubt that the number gets up to even 10 fighters from the old "Eastern block"

[Scipio2009]

No idea but you're right. Kovalev, Beterbiev, GGG, Klitschko, Lebedev, Provodnikov the list goes on and on......

Not really, tbh. There are some youngish prospects who are flashing wrecking ball power, but they've yet to start competing anywhere near the top level.

[Larry the boss]

why don't you say what are you thinking larry, say it, this guys are on performance enhancing drugs.

Obviously that is what you were thinking, nothing about them says ped's to me,the technique is just crisp and precise and beautiful to watch imo

[Mr.Fantastic]

These new wave of fighters seem to have devastating power and are tough as nails. Why is this? is it genetics? upbringing? the environment? post and discuss

They have adapted and their discipline seems to be better.