Tua the hardest hitting heavyweight ever?

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Tua hardest puncher ever?? possibly...

But 1st of all let me say this- KO PERCENTAGES MEAN NOTHING, U MUST TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE QUALITY OF OPPOSITION AND THE MANNER OF THE STOPPAGES!!!

Peter McNeely had a better KO percentage than Tyson when they faught, does that mean McNeely was a better puncher?? Please!

Great point!

I never understood how earnie shavers is considered such a great puncher. If you add up the cumulative record of his opposition its probably something like 200 wins and 700 losses

The whole "hardest puncher" thing is one of those abstract questions. Different kinds of punches, different physiques lead to different kinds of power. But quality of opposition is a major factor..it's much easier to KO a guy looking to get lucky or cash a quick paycheck than it is fighting quality opp with a desire to win. Lots of guys with high KO % for the first 20-25 fights or so then not see many after that.

Tua has that powder-keg explosive type power that can leave someone's brain a mess. Tyson explosive and fast. Foreman leverage and thudding. Those are my top 3 as well.

Shavers always gets a mention because anyone who ever fought him said that he is the hardest hitter they ever faced.

There are 2 clinchers for me: Muhammad Ali & Larry Holmes.

Muhammad fought some of the biggest punchers of all-time & he cites Shavers as the hardest.

Larry Holmes, who fought both Tyson & Shavers said that Shavers was the harder hitter.

I believe that Shavers is more heavy handed that Tyson for instance, but I believe Tyson is the more effective KO artist; a man more likely to KO a top quality opponent than any other HW in history because of his handspeed, two handed power & combinations.

[Majesty]

Earnie Shavers was probably the hardest hitting.

[El Kabong]

Joe Louis, George Foreman, Earnie Shavers...I think those guys deserve the nod over Tua

[Beanflicker]

I can't believe people are questioning the power of Earnie Shavers. We're fans, we look at footage and we form opinions.

Shavers has on his resume 3 guys who claim he was the hardest puncher they've ever faced: Holmes, Ali, and Cobb. I'm sure more would admit it, but those are probably the only 3 guys out of his KO victims that can remember fighting him.

That covers a lot of ground. Ali of course fought Liston, Lamar Clark, Frazier, Foreman, Chuvalo, Quarry, ect ect. Holmes fought Tyson. Cobb Made his rounds as well.If these 3 guys say Shavers was the hardest puncher they've ever fought, I'm inclined to believe them.

SOme of you forget that punching power is just that: punching power. We're not talking about greatness or any other factor. There are a ton of clubfighters and journey men out there who hit harder than some of the current belt holders. Doesn't mean they are better fighters, it just means (if you agree with the assessment that punchers are born) they were blessed with a lot of power.

KO ratios are NOT meaningless. Like power, there are a ton of journeymen and club fighters who can take a punch better than a lot of upper-class guys and belt holders. Again, doesn't mean they are better fighters, just that they were born with a better chin. Take for example a guy like Sanderline Williams. Journeyman as best, 25-16 I think, but out of that 16 losses he was only stopped once. He took guys like Merqui Sosa, Nigel Benn, Gerald McCllelan, James Toney (Twice) the distance. So if someone blew him out in the first round, would that not be impressive??

[Beanflicker]

I think the distinction also needs to be made between huge power and Great Puncher. They are not the same thing. Joe Louis was a better puncher than Tua, but there is no way he generated the same power in his punches. Tua was a BIGGER puncher, Louis was a BETTER puncher.

Joe Frazier doesn't deserve to be mentioned. AMAZING left hook, so-so right hand, but most of his ko/tko wins were accumilation. More often than not Joe would bang away at his opponent and wear them down before the KO.

A huge puncher (guys like Julian Jackson) will more often than not blast a guy out with one punch.

[Violent Demise]

Naw, I think that might have been Curtiss "The Hatcheman" Shepard

Ah no. Lost every big fight he was in

[HattonTheHammer]

Earnie Shavers was probably the hardest hitting.

tyson lives up to his name as the hardest puncher in the game

If tyson caught someone flush in the late 80s, early 90s they werent rocked...or knocked down they were out of the fight completely

[The Fightfan]

Hardest hitting heavyweight for me is Earnie Shavers. Not very talented but seemed to change fight's with 1 knockout blow.