How is Tyson not the greatest heavyweight puncher?

[El Kabong]

Tyson is up there, fast hands, good power with both hands.


Joe Louis
George Foreman
Lennox Lewis
Rocky Marciano
Jack Dempsey
Vitali Klitschko
Wladimir Klitschko
Ron Lyle
Earnie Shavers

There are plenty to consider, but I'd say Prime Tyson is no lower than Top 5. I would put Louis, Marciano, and Foreman at or around the same ranking...not much between those 4. All knocked fighters out consistently, all had KO wins vs some very solid competition at the very top of the division.

[Beanflicker]

There are plenty to consider, but I'd say Prime Tyson is no lower than Top 5. I would put Louis, Marciano, and Foreman at or around the same ranking...not much between those 4.

What's the logic for ranking Foreman above Tyson? He had godlike power in his fists, but his technique was awful, he was very slow and inaccurate with his punching. He was just fortunate enough to have two wrecking balls in his fists and destroyed whatever they managed to land on.

I think Louis and Marciano are great names to consider, but I think Tyson's superior speed and power would put him over the top of those guys.

[El Kabong]

George Foreman had poor technique to start with, but 68 KO's out of 76 wins shows how long he carried his power and how good he was at finishing a fight.

Foreman 89.47% KO rate
Tyson 88% KO rate

They're closer than you want to give Foreman credit for.


And just for shits and giggles

Louis 78.7% (lower than I expected honestly)
Marciano 87.7%
Vitali 91.11%
Wlad 83.6%
Shavers 91.89%
Lyle 72%
Dempsey 77.27% (lower than I expected again)

So there are the actual KO percentages

[Mr140]

He may have better way to delver the punch but hell Foreman as slow as he was fucking put people way just by tapping them. I think Foreman's gifts make him better heavyweight puncher because he didn't even have to land to well or through fast to knock you out. Also Tyson when faced with a great fighter in Holyfeild i don't think he mange to hurt Holyfeild as much as Foreman did and that man was like 40 i think maybe older not sure exact age so i don't have a problem with Foreman being better puncher or rated higher because he didn't need technique and he was able knock people out in his late 40's.

[Master]

George Foreman had poor technique to start with, but 68 KO's out of 76 wins shows how long he carried his power and how good he was at finishing a fight.

Foreman 89.47% KO rate
Tyson 88% KO rate

They're closer than you want to give Foreman credit for.


And just for shits and giggles

Louis 78.7% (lower than I expected honestly)
Marciano 87.7%
Vitali 91.11%
Wlad 83.6%
Shavers 91.89%
Lyle 72%
Dempsey 77.27% (lower than I expected again)

So there are the actual KO percentages

You missed out the great Bruno from your list.

[Beanflicker]

George Foreman had poor technique to start with, but 68 KO's out of 76 wins shows how long he carried his power and how good he was at finishing a fight.

Foreman 89.47% KO rate
Tyson 88% KO rate

They're closer than you want to give Foreman credit for.


And just for shits and giggles

Louis 78.7% (lower than I expected honestly)
Marciano 87.7%
Vitali 91.11%
Wlad 83.6%
Shavers 91.89%
Lyle 72%
Dempsey 77.27% (lower than I expected again)

So there are the actual KO percentages

I'm not really interested in KO percentage because it isn't really relevant to who was the better puncher because there are a ton of other factors that enter into a guy's KO percentage as well.

I'm talking about the whole package, not necessarily who hits the hardest, who had their power the longest, who knocked out more guys, ect.

We all know Tyson, Foreman, Marciano, Dempsey, Shavers, Louis, ect were great KO artists. But watching them and examining everything: technique, speed, power, combination ability, the variety of punches used effectively, ect, who could possibly be a better "puncher" than Tyson?

There are guys in that list that no doubt trump in in certain aspects (Foreman probably trumps him in pure power), but when added all up who has a better combinaton of all those factors than Tyson?

[El Kabong]

I understand that, Tyson was intriguing because he threw punches the way a middleweight would only he was a heavyweight and they landed with fury