The Fastest Heavyweight Champ Ever?

dempseyfire
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 5534
Joined: 29 Oct 2003, 22:56

Post by dempseyfire »

I'd say the fastest are Jack Johnson, Patterson, Louis, and Ali. No use to really argue who was faster-they were all pretty damn fast, although Louis and Johnson threw the quickest combinations I've ever seen on film (and I now about the sped-up film of the Johnson fights, but regardless, those 6-7punch combos he threw on WIlliard were FAST)
Nile4000
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 7098
Joined: 17 Sep 2005, 15:21

Post by Nile4000 »

Ali
The Great John L
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 4351
Joined: 26 Jul 2005, 19:37

Post by The Great John L »

dempseyfire wrote:...those 6-7punch combos he threw on WIlliard were FAST)
Yeah, and he was about 65 years old in that fight.
jyuza
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 51
Joined: 12 Aug 2005, 12:04

Post by jyuza »

Ali was the fastest.
Barrabas
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 17
Joined: 23 Sep 2005, 10:34

Post by Barrabas »

Tyson KTFO 3 Times wrote:
terap wrote:Floyd Patterson had amazingly fast hands when he was at his best (Moore, 2nd Hurricane Jackson fightt), especially as a big middleweight and lightheavyweight.

And his punches had a KICK in them--as fast as they were.
Agreed.

Patterson gets my vote.

Unbelievably fast.
AGRRED!! :TU:
BoxBuzz
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 29847
Joined: 07 Jun 2005, 16:37

Post by BoxBuzz »

To the point of this thread I still say Ali but Patterson seems to be the more definitive answer. According to some work Tantum has done.
Rory McCloskey
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 1042
Joined: 29 Jun 2005, 13:11

Post by Rory McCloskey »

The Great John L wrote:
dempseyfire wrote:...those 6-7punch combos he threw on WIlliard were FAST)
Yeah, and he was about 65 years old in that fight.
i thought he was 51?
Syntax Error
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 9004
Joined: 22 Apr 2005, 08:00

Post by Syntax Error »

Floyd Patterson.
Ambling Alp
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 3627
Joined: 15 Jul 2005, 22:31

Post by Ambling Alp »

Watching the 1965 Ali-Patterson fight , (which was recently shown again on ESPN Classic) it was pretty obvious that Ali's hand speed was faster.
Ambling Alp
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 3627
Joined: 15 Jul 2005, 22:31

Post by Ambling Alp »

Watching the 1965 Ali-Patterson fight , (which was recently shown again on ESPN Classic) it was pretty obvious that Ali's hand speed was faster.
BrocktonBlockbuster49
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 4900
Joined: 29 May 2005, 00:32

Post by BrocktonBlockbuster49 »

ambling ap, patterson had a bad back, and couldnt do much but survive entering the fight. he couldnt throw punches as well, nor get in his peek a boo stance.

watch patterson in his earlydays, amazing hand speed vs archie moore, tommy hurricane jackson etc
Ambling Alp
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 3627
Joined: 15 Jul 2005, 22:31

Post by Ambling Alp »

I had always heard that Patterson hurt his back sometime in the middle of the fight. He seemed to look ok in the first few rounds. Even if you give him the benefit of the doubt regarding his back injury, I just can't see how people think he was faster than Ali. I haven't seen the Jackson fights (except for highlights)but I have seem Patterson against Moore, as well as against Maxim, Johannson, Liston, Chuvalo and other fights.

Chuvalo might be a good example because it seems clear that he had more trouble with Ali's handspeed than he did with Patterson's.

He did have good hand speed, but it's not as fast as Ali. I think you can argue who was the hardest puncher, had the best ability to take a punch, best defensive fighter etc. However, it just seems obvious by watching the films (before the layoff) that Ali had the fastest handspeed (as well as footspeed) of any heavyweight ever.

I'm not trying to knock Patterson, who some people underrate. He was one of the top 20-25 heavyweights ever. Either he or Tyson probably had the 2nd fastest handspeed.
rodders
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 10
Joined: 25 Sep 2005, 04:39

Post by rodders »

i think the fastest heavyweight has to be mike tyson and i honestly think that had he not lost the plot at such a young age he could of become the best heavyweight of all times. the guy was awsome and the most aggresive dangerous fighter that ever put on a pair of gloves.
Syntax Error
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 9004
Joined: 22 Apr 2005, 08:00

Post by Syntax Error »

Ambling Alp wrote:Watching the 1965 Ali-Patterson fight , (which was recently shown again on ESPN Classic) it was pretty obvious that Ali's hand speed was faster.
Patterson was injured for that fight.

Look at other Patterson fights.

He was blindingly fast.

He was at least as quick as Ali if not quicker (if that is possible).
BoxBuzz
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 29847
Joined: 07 Jun 2005, 16:37

Post by BoxBuzz »

Was Ali asking him...."Whats your excuse tonight Floyd?"
Nile4000
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 7098
Joined: 17 Sep 2005, 15:21

Post by Nile4000 »

Are there any videos of Ali and Patterson where the average fan can compare there speed?
sharkeysboy
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 107
Joined: 23 Aug 2005, 16:52

Post by sharkeysboy »

Ranking the fastest 1-3

1. Ali
2. Ali
3. Ali

You guys are real bored if your wasting time debating who was faster than Ali.
damien590
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 52
Joined: 23 Jul 2004, 01:38

Post by damien590 »

tyson hand the fastest hand speed believe it or not......
TheOneIsHere2008
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 1181
Joined: 01 Jul 2008, 12:09

Re: The Fastest Heavyweight Champ Ever?

Post by TheOneIsHere2008 »

This discussion is surreal, ergo:


The Muhammad Ali of 60’s was the fastest heavyweight ever. In the May 5, 1969 Sports Illustrated, Ali’s jab was measured with an omegascope. Ali’s jab, it was found, could smash a balsa board 16.5 inches away in 19/100 of a second. It actually covered the distance in 4/100 of a second, which is the blink of an eye. Jimmy Jacobs, who owned the world’s largest collection of fight films, said that on film tests with a synchronizer Ali’s jab was faster than that of Sugar Ray Robinson. Jacobs contended that Ali was not only the fastest heavyweight, but also the fastest fighter he ever saw on film.

http://coxscorner.tripod.com/ali.html
I Feel Fine
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 2097
Joined: 10 Apr 2007, 16:48

Re: The Fastest Heavyweight Champ Ever?

Post by I Feel Fine »

Sometimes stating the obvious is just too difficult for some individuals. As "theoneishere" just said, Ali on film was measured as being faster than Robinson. Whether or not that is a legitimate way to measure it, which I don't see why it wouldn't be, it says something about Ali. And, no, Ali's hands were faster than Patterson's, and since this is a thread about "fastest" in general, and not about "fast hands" in particular, it would also apply to leg speed and fast reflexes; where Ali is clearly the best.

It's quite unfortunate when a person lets their biases get in the way of stating obvious facts. And I'm not even going to bother trying to analyze all the bullshit from "terap" on page 1.
TheOneIsHere2008
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 1181
Joined: 01 Jul 2008, 12:09

Re:

Post by TheOneIsHere2008 »

Mr Pickalini wrote:Mike Tyson also had fast hands when he was young. I've seen video of Mike throwing combos on a heavy bag (when Cus D'mato was still slive), it took him about two seconds to land a six punch combo. Hard to believe anyone had faster hands than him.
Ali threw eleven punches in three seconds against another boxer, not a punching bag:


http://www.listal.com/video/117445
BoxBuzz
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 29847
Joined: 07 Jun 2005, 16:37

Re: The Fastest Heavyweight Champ Ever?

Post by BoxBuzz »

He was one baaaaad man.
Robinson
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 4415
Joined: 24 Apr 2007, 22:34

Re: The Fastest Heavyweight Champ Ever?

Post by Robinson »

Floyd Patterson I think had faster hands and combinations, especially
early on in his career. Though as he aged he was still suprisingly fast.

I think Ali had great reflexes and his speed was different to Patterson's.
He did have great speed in his combinations and his right hand especially
early on in his career.

I think Holmes had great speed at times, sometimes however he loaded up
to much.

Tyson has superb speed and power in his shots, while not as fast as Patterson
he did however throw combinations that were IMPACTFUL and hard to read
and counter..

I think the Patterson-ALi fight of 1965 is just a sad fight for Patterson,
he is clearly injured before the fight starts, watch there second fight
in 1972. Patterson though its his last fight still has good speed and combinations
sure Ali was not at his best, he in 1972 was still damned near it...

I have watched most of Patterson and Ali's fights and there is no debating
that either man lacks speed, but in my opinion Patterson is faster...
Ali is fleet footed and can throw fast hands but Patterson was that bit
faster...
Ezzard
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 11172
Joined: 12 May 2005, 09:20

Re: The Fastest Heavyweight Champ Ever?

Post by Ezzard »

I don't think you can compare using a machine in that way. It proves nothing.

Ali quite possibly had the fastest hands but there is nothing scientific about this experiment. Patterson and Tyson should be mentioned too though you have to accept that modern day speed is something different to that of the past.
bollox
Heavyweight
Heavyweight
Posts: 2168
Joined: 12 Jan 2003, 07:41

Re: The Fastest Heavyweight Champ Ever?

Post by bollox »

Ah yes, Terap :D
Post Reply