Who hit the harder - Lennox Lewis or Mike Tyson

[FLINT ISLAND]

This is just a flat out poll vote

2 options - either Lewis or Tyson

Who hit the harder

Just a reminder of some of Lewis punch power:

KO 2 Razor Ruddock
TKO 6 Tommy Morrison
KO 5 Shannon Briggs
KO 1 Andrew Golota
KO 4 Hasim Rahman

Just a reminder of some of Tysons punch power:

KO 2 Trevor Berbick
KO 4 Tony Tubbs
KO 1 Michael Spinks
TKO 5 Frank Bruno
KO 1 Bruce Seldon


Both really powerful punchers - who hit the hardest ?

[forcefraser]

I`d have to go with Enzo instead of these two.

However, if forced to pick one - I`d say Lewis for one punch power

[jamesmcdonnell]

Tyson was a far better combination puncher, and this was what devastated his opponents, his double left hook to the body followed by a left uppercut was a thing of beauty.

Lewis however had the single heaviest punch, his right cross, thrown with full weight behind it was harder than any single shot in Tyson's arsenal. See the Rahman II fight - I think this is probably the hardest punch ever thrown in a boxing ring.

Tyson was the more naturally destructive fighter however.

[stujones]

Tyson for me, can see what James is saying though. I would edge it to Tyson. The Botha shot... also had the distinct impression prior to their fight that both Bruno (common opponent) and Julius Francis (a man who has shared the ring with both) felt Tyson had the edge in power.

[Deserter]

Enzo - the punches he hit Bobby Gunn with would have knocked out Oliver MaCall.

[DG.]

I`d have to go with Enzo instead of these two.

[MacTavish]

Tyson Fury

[Old bones Ian]

Pretty hard to call, Thing is their knockouts were different types, if that makes sense.

Lewis Knocked people out, Tyson made people do silly things when he knocked them down, look at his Ko's of Berbick, Holmes, Tubbs etc, its like their bodies short circuited, they had no control of them.

Compare to Lewis, he tended to KO people straight out.

[Phenomenal-Nutrition]

It isn't all about power its about placement, Tyson said its not just how hard you hit but where you hit them. Its also actually managing to land flush and usually its going to take more than 1 shot if you have a durrable opponent there. Both fighters also have different types of power and different money punches, Tyson tends to get it done with the left, Lennox with the right

[jamesmcdonnell]

Tyson for me, can see what James is saying though. I would edge it to Tyson. The Botha shot... also had the distinct impression prior to their fight that both Bruno (common opponent) and Julius Francis (a man who has shared the ring with both) felt Tyson had the edge in power.

I think the thing with Tyson, was that every single shot he landed hurt - with Lewis many of his shots were to control distance or score points, but when he unleashed the biggest shots - they tended to knock people spark out, which is a sign of devastating power.

[teddy007]

Enzo - the punches he hit Bobby Gunn with would have knocked out Oliver MaCall.

x2 out of this world power.

[tannervegas]

Enzo - the punches he hit Bobby Gunn with would have knocked out Oliver MaCall.

x2 out of this world power.

Yeah but how would Enzo have fared against a prime King Kong?

[teddy007]

Enzo - the punches he hit Bobby Gunn with would have knocked out Oliver MaCall.

x2 out of this world power.

Yeah but how would Enzo have fared against a prime King Kong?

He would of arse f*cked him and ripped his huge balls off.

[stujones]

Tyson for me, can see what James is saying though. I would edge it to Tyson. The Botha shot... also had the distinct impression prior to their fight that both Bruno (common opponent) and Julius Francis (a man who has shared the ring with both) felt Tyson had the edge in power.

I think the thing with Tyson, was that every single shot he landed hurt - with Lewis many of his shots were to control distance or score points, but when he unleashed the biggest shots - they tended to knock people spark out, which is a sign of devastating power.

Yeah, I don't think its really anything much between. Get hit flush by either and your likely to be going down.

What swings it for me to Tyson was how he used his power against Botha and Douglas. He was very tired, out of conditioning, against both. Yet he scored a devasting one punch KO against Botha (really got him out of Jail) and nearly against Douglas. It wasn't often you'd see Lewis score clean KO's when in trouble or late in fights. I think the only time Lewis' power got him out of jail was vs a tiring Bruno.

Lewis often would "need" to catch them right to get the spectacular KO (and yes, as spectacular as Tyson's KO's were - Lewis were more spectacular). However, Tyson had more KO punches (I mean different shots that would be KO's) in his arsenal. You avoid that amazing right hand of Lewis' and you tended to go the distance. You avoid the left hook of Tyson, you also have the Uppercut (both hands), straight right, body shots, right hook - which could flattern you. Tyson could one punch KO people with a greater variety than Lewis - who was really all about the right hand (in terms of his KO power).

[Captain Hook]

Lewis had better one punch KO power IMO

[Grimm]

I think Lewis hit harder but Tyson was the better puncher.

Tyson was faster and had better punch placement.

[n1ebf]

I`d have to go with Enzo instead of these two.

Good! I like your attitude

[jamesmcdonnell]

It wasn't often you'd see Lewis score clean KO's when in trouble or late in fights. I think the only time Lewis' power got him out of jail was vs a tiring Bruno.

Tyson did not score late KO's. Ribalta notwithstanding. Lewis knocked Tyson out quite late in their fight.

I think only Tyson's ridiculous ability to soak up punishment allowed that to last as long, he absorbed one hell of a beating that night.

[BroughtonRulesRefuge]

It wasn't often you'd see Lewis score clean KO's when in trouble or late in fights. I think the only time Lewis' power got him out of jail was vs a tiring Bruno.

Tyson did not score late KO's. Ribalta notwithstanding. Lewis knocked Tyson out quite late in their fight.

- Hmmmm, Ribalta not withstanding, Tyson KOed once beaten Neilson in 7 as he did the undefeated Gold Medalist Biggs who sent Lewis to the back of the ama line for 4 yrs before turning pro not to put too fine of a 1 rd difference to it..

Tyson was pushed down for the supposed "KD" leading to the KO, and chose to stay there, but he just as easily could've pulled the plug in the 7th like Neilson did. Face it, neither Lewis or Tyson noted for late round KOs.

To the point of the thread, Lewis' flush right hand probably more powerful than anything Tyson threw, but a prime, well trained, undrugged, uncheated, Tyson was the most effective puncher in history. How else is a 20 yr old kid gonna run over a prime, talented big strong group of era champs as if they were frogs crossing the road?

[Goodnight, Irene]

Tyson. He roughyl matches Lewis (perhaps surpasses him) for raw power, but his delivery is more precise, more dangerous.

[hhaehre]

I like Tyson, even for pure power. As a combination power puncher it's not really close, Tyson arguably the best heavy weight puncher of all time.

[Controversial]

On a single shot basis I reckon Lewis hit harder with his right, but Tyson had the edge because he was so quick and hit hard with both hands in combinations and mixed the punches to head and body well

What is interesting is several fighters who have fought Tyson or Lewis have named other fighters as hitting them harder -

Holyfield who fought both said Bowe hit him the hardest.
Oliver McCall who fought/sparred with both said Bert Cooper was the hardest puncher he fought
Pinklon Thomas said Mike Weaver hit him the hardest and Tommy Morrison hit harder than Tyson
Larry Holmes said Earnie Shavers
Phil Jackson said Klitscko
Jose Ribalta said Bonecrusher Smith hit harder than Tyson

[ERIC GUY]

I once took Lennox on the pads, and he hit hard!!

[Ezzard]

Accuracy counts for a hell of a lot in effectiveness.

[Goodnight, Irene]

I'm guessing in the case of Holmes, if it had been Tyson he stopped, & Shavers who stopped him, he'd be saying the reverse.

Always a motive, with that man.