crusader wrote:Paul Malignaggi has fast hands! As does Eddie Chambers, I wonder why they have no power. The guys who stand out to me for their KO power like Abraham, Tua, Pavlik, Froch, Klitschko, Adamek, Ortiz, JML, Daniel Ponce de Leon, Julian Jackson, Ernie Shavers, George Foreman etc, etc are slow. Just because Kevin Kelly thinks one thing doesn't make it true and I never considered him to be a legit power puncher.
On the other hand , speed allows guys to land hard shots more often with their full power before the other guy can respond, and even an average hitter can hurt you if he lands clean. Speed also helps you connect more often and thus the accumulation of shots will wear down your opponent. But I disagree with the simple statement speed=power. I usually find that match ups are between a fast lighter hitting guy, and a slower stronger fighter.
And a guys like Paquaio and Tyson don't prove speed=power. I'm sure its also possible to have naturally fast hands and a natural KO punch. This combination is what makes guys like them so rare and stand out from the rest of the field. Can you imagine how devastating FM, Calderon, and Malignaggi would be if they had serious knockout power?
good post, punching power goes a lot further than just speed=power, it is actually an incredibly complicated sequence of things which often divides boxing experts. Leg and shoulder strength, speed, torque, leverage, arm length, body proportions, they all contribute to varying extents for different fighters. Relative to the top hitters, Khan is not a power puncher, you can tell by the way guys react to his shots, stick around, he doesn't deck people hard, etc.