Ali the hardest puncher ever?

[Bundini Hauser]

I am ready to jump in with my first post. I have noticed that most share a deep respect for Muhammad Ali. So, I think it appropriate for my first post to be about the GOAT - Ali. I have never seen this topic discussed before.
What if Muhammad Ali had continued to use the Anchor Punch? Would he be recognized as the hardest punching heavyweight in history? He was able to knockout the huge, powerful Sonny Liston with it, something that recognized hard punchers like Cleveland Williams and Mike DeJohn couldn't do. Remember, Ali liked to "float like a butterfly" and probably didn't want to hurt his opponent because he was such a religious man.
But, when angered or pressed, remember how he destroyed good boxers like Richard Dunn, Zora Folley, and Oscar Bonavena. I think the shot that dropped Bonavena the first time was a variant of the feared and respected Anchor Punch. What do you think?

[Goodnight, Irene]

I think you're trying to stir the pot, & aren't particularly original in your approach.

[BoxBuzz]

As I recall the nuclear regulatory agency demanded that he retire the anchor punch or face sanctions.

[raylawpc]

What do you think?

I think that you have a very interesting screen name.

Welcome to the board.

Ali explaining the "anchor punch:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPYPZc3vx3U

After hearing that explanation, one can see how Ali managed to graduate # 313 of 323 students academically in his high school graduating class, and was initially classified 4-F by his draft board for his low score on his induction aptitude exam.

[Bundini Hauser]

Thanks Raylawpc. Just think what Ali would have done to Sonny if he had rotated his body when he punched...that looked like all arm but he knocked down a man that had only been down once I in his career. Ali has to be the most powerful heavyweight of all time.

[dempseyfire]

I think you're trying to stir the pot, & aren't particularly original in your approach.

Clearly. Look at the username. Some people just have way too much time on their hands.

[Bundini Hauser]

I guess you are one of those guys who thinks Ali couldn't punch? How many people knocked out Liston and Foreman? I'd like to see you take one of his punches.

[wouter]

I guess you are one of those guys who thinks Ali couldn't punch? How many people knocked out Liston?

One. Leotis Martin.

[raylawpc]

Thanks Raylawpc. Just think what Ali would have done to Sonny if he had rotated his body when he punched...that looked like all arm but he knocked down a man that had only been down once I in his career. Ali has to be the most powerful heavyweight of all time.

He did rotate his body - look at his hip in this clip:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4EotRG1D9Tk

It was a good right cross. Nothing special. In this case, Liston was moving in, got hit in the right spot, and went down. I've always believed it was a flash knockdown and he could have gotten right back up. God only knows why Sonny chose to flop around like a fish out of water.

Ali was a marvelous fighter - but he was not a power puncher. In most cases, he stopped his opponent through an accumulation of punches.

[Knucklez]

Hello Granberry, welcome back.

[pete]

Exactly who I thought too.First take the preposterous "position" that Ali was a terrible fighter.Get banned for idiocy and come back taking another outlandish "position".
Welcome back indeed.

[BoxBuzz]

C'mon...granny? Masquerading? Say it aint so!

[BoxBuzz]

Hey Bundini...are you a fan of both Thomas Hauser AND Bundini Brown? In your opinion are they the two most knowledgable men boxing has ever produced? Or is there someone with even more knowledge than them? If so, Who?

Do you think anyone else will ever master the Anchor Punch? Or is it likely lost forever?

[Bundini Hauser]

Thomas Hauser, as you know, is one of the best boxing writers ever while Bundini was an important part of Ali's career. I combined the names because of my respect for both. The anchor punch may be unique to Ali, he might have been the only boxer with the quickness to make it work.
What do you think? Do you think we might see the anchor punch again? I would like to read some serious discussion on this subject. Apparently some of you think that Ali could not punch and for anyone to point out that he could it has to be a hoax. Ali could punch and he could punch hard. Watch Ron Lyle's reaction when Ali stopped him. Who else dropped Chuck Wepner? Just because a boxer doesn't throw wild looping punches or throw every punch hard doesn't mean he can't punch.

[futbolista89]

What do you think?

I think that you have a very interesting screen name.

Welcome to the board.

Ali explaining the "anchor punch:"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xPYPZc3vx3U

After hearing that explanation, one can see how Ali managed to graduate # 313 of 323 students academically in his high school graduating class, and was initially classified 4-F by his draft board for his low score on his induction aptitude exam.

Thats an awesome vid man. thanks, I can't believe I never seen it.

[BoxBuzz]

Bundi....(can a call you Bundi?)

Here is what happened.....Ali did hit him with a bit of a stunner of a punch, and created a flash knockdown, Liston was capable of getting up and he did. But Liston wanted no part of the inevitable and certain beating that was going to come his way if he stood his ground.

Liston was psyched...as he had done to so many others, but make no mistake about it, Ali did NOT KO him with that punch. His lights were only slightly dimmed and not turned out by any means. He just didn't have the intestinal fortitude to continue, whether by fear, anxiety, lack of confidence or whatever. And I feel he had little hope of winning so he made a decision to quit.

But that single punch though fast and a bit stunning for his opponent was no major news event in and of itself. Even Ali in his own way admits that this moment was not the defining moment. The defining moment was in Liston's mental state....he faced what some would call "The Dark Night of the Soul". He simply made a choice not to take an assured long drawn out beating from an opponent that he believed (correctly by the way) to be superior.

IMHO.

[Robinson]

If I am not mistaken, The One is Here 2008 made a similar claim
in regards to Ali's power.

In regards to an additional punch to Foreman would have ended
his career, perhaps crippling him.

Perhaps TYOIH2008 has a new friend here.

Welcome to the forum Bundini....

[Bundini Hauser]

Thank you Robinson. Good point by The One is Here, what would have happened to Foreman if Ali had thrown the anchor punch while he was already falling? Serious injury. The One is Here sounds like a smart guy.

[bennie]

The most frustrating aspect of Ali-Liston, for me, is that Liston did finally get up and did fight on (well, he was covering up) before Walcott stupidly - yes, stupidly - stopped the fight, apparently because a few arrogant, big-mouthed observers at ringside were shouting that Sonny had failed to beat the count. Walcott should have ignored anyone unofficial, let the fight go to a natural end - and nobody would ever be talking 'anchor', conspiracy, Maine...

[wouter]

Thank you Robinson. Good point by The One is Here, what would have happened to Foreman if Ali had thrown the anchor punch while he was already falling? Serious injury. The One is Here sounds like a smart guy.

One can only imagine what would have happened if Ali had less pity on Holmes and had pulled out the Anchor Punch one final time.

[BoxBuzz]

Thank you Robinson. Good point by The One is Here, what would have happened to Foreman if Ali had thrown the anchor punch while he was already falling? Serious injury. The One is Here sounds like a smart guy.

One can only imagine what would have happened if Ali had less pity on Holmes and had pulled out the Anchor Punch one final time.

No way. After Ali took a firm anti war stance, and agreed to the nuclear regulartoray agency to retire the Anchor Punch, using the Anchor on Holmes would have opened up a legal can of worms he could never have afforded. Unlike the U.S. who used nukes twice...Ali decided that once was enough.

[wouter]

Thank you Robinson. Good point by The One is Here, what would have happened to Foreman if Ali had thrown the anchor punch while he was already falling? Serious injury. The One is Here sounds like a smart guy.

One can only imagine what would have happened if Ali had less pity on Holmes and had pulled out the Anchor Punch one final time.

No way. After Ali took a firm anti war stance, and agreed to the nuclear regulartoray agency to retire the Anchor Punch, using the Anchor on Holmes would have opened up a legal can of worms he could never have afforded. Unlike the U.S. who used nukes twice...Ali decided that once was enough.

That's way the U.S. government went to such lenghts to induct Ali in the U.S. Army. They knew that the Anchor Punch would have meant the end for the Vietcong.

[Jaywheel]

The anchor punch would find bin laden so fast

[Robinson]

Perhaps BH and TOIH2008 are friends.

[enrique]

Consider this:

The anchor punch was just propaganda bullshit, something that Ali was a master at doing.

The knockdown was a flash knockdown. At the time the fight was stopped Liston was on his feet fighting and Jersey Joe Walcott made his biggest blunder in his referreeing career

Ali could punch. Any heavyweight can punch. As far as being the hardest puncher.... no way. Ali did not stop people cold with a single shot in the first round and I don't remember any opponents with broken jaws like the men who fought Foreman, Shavers. etc.