Favorite "Arm Punchers"

[Esquire]

We can argue all day about what is and is not an arm puncher. My eyes answer that question. My favorite arm punchers, and coincidentally, three hall of famers, are Salvador Sanchez, Antonio Cervantes and Matthew Saad Muhammed. Sanchez happens to be my favorite fighter of all time if for no other reason that I loved his stamina and chin and that he never stopped moving/punching. I have other fighters right up there with him but I love him the best because he was flawed, very flawed, and yet still won against the men in front of him. Had he not died he would have lost like all great champions lose. But he died and that makes him an immortal. That and the fact that he was on television nearly every other month for eighteen straight months in championship fights in the heyday of weekend network boxing coverage.

They were arm punchers even though they KTFO some stiff competition. Sanchez was a pure arm puncher. Cervantes was a pure arm puncher. Saad was an arm puncher most of the time, especially on the inside, and especially against Marvin Johnson ( I loved Marvin Johnson - what courage).

Who are your favorite "arm punchers" and which ones were the best that you saw, and the best of all time?

Fire away.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I totally disagree about Saad, he put his body into nasty uppercuts.

I can't think of anyone that I ever really loved that threw nothing but arm punches. I'll tell you someone I dislike that does and is very effective. Vitali, he might be the most overrated puncher in history but he is tough out.

[Esquire]

By arm punches I almost have to exclude upper cuts. The punch by its very nature requires the knees, hips and upper body torque to be a knockout blow. Saad did that.

But I always felt that in the heat of battle, and battle he did like almost nobody else, Saad chose to just land anything, arm punches included, just to keep the opponent on the wrong side of the beating.

Saad could starch a guy with a spectacular punch (Mwale, Jerry Martin, etc.) but when the fists were flying his chose to land hook/upper cut shots that were mainly arm punches so that he could keep the leather flying in order to win.

Eddie Mustafa Muhammed was the exact opposite. He threw every shot to kill his opponent. To the body or the head it didn't matter. He was what I would call a "puncher".

Let's be fair. Knocking guys out is knocking guys out. Whether by picture-perfect full body torque shot or by catching a guy just right with an "arm punch" a kayo is a kayo.

Those are my three favorite "arm punchers" as per my definition of the puncher.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

There were times where he would throw some arm punches. Calling Saad Muhammad an arm puncher? I just don't see it and I've never heard it before.

[Esquire]

Not looking for an argument, my friend. Watch his fights against Marvin Johnson and you might see what it see.

You can still be a murderous puncher if you are an "arm puncher" by my definition. It doesn't mean a soft puncher, it means not turning the hips, dipping the knees, and rotating the upper torso.

Saad could kill a guy with what I call "arm punches" He was an arm/shoulder puncher in my eyes. But a great kayo artist nonetheless. Just like Sanchez, just like Cervantes.

No worries, mate. Semantics, really.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I'm not trying to argue with you, just saying that I don't get it. As for watching his fights, my user name should tip you off that I've done quite a bit of that.

[Esquire]

I'm not trying to argue with you, just saying that I don't get it. As for watching his fights, my user name should tip you off that I've done quite a bit of that.

I'm a huge Saad fan and if you've ever heard him declare in an interview all of his regrets ( which you have surely heard) it could bring tears to your eyes.

MSM, a/k/a Matt Franklin is an American Legend. You couldn't make up his personal story if you were Quentin Tarantino.

He is an American Hero with a personal history that defies belief.

You had to see him fight to understand what true courage meant. There weren't ten fighters in my lifetime, and I'm pushing 50 years old, that had the courage and the will to die in the ring more than Saad exhibited.

What a man. What a man. What a man. What a man. You can't say that enough.

[dnahar32]

Well said. More so than Matthew Saad Muhummad, the real heroes are the nuns at the Catholic Social Services that gave him an opportunity to live. You can imagine with their kindness, they probably helped many others that didn't become champion of the world and saved them from being statistics. I hope at some point they do make a movie so Saad Muhummad can get some money and live a better life which he desperately is trying and fighting to do.

I'm not trying to argue with you, just saying that I don't get it. As for watching his fights, my user name should tip you off that I've done quite a bit of that.

I'm a huge Saad fan and if you've ever heard him declare in an interview all of his regrets ( which you have surely heard) it could bring tears to your eyes.

MSM, a/k/a Matt Franklin is an American Legend. You couldn't make up his personal story if you were Quentin Tarantino.

He is an American Hero with a personal history that defies belief.

You had to see him fight to understand what true courage meant. There weren't ten fighters in my lifetime, and I'm pushing 50 years old, that had the courage and the will to die in the ring more than Saad exhibited.

What a man. What a man. What a man. What a man. You can't say that enough.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I had a correspondence with his manager, and then him, when they saw a piece I wrote on him on-line a few years ago.

[loaded_gloves]

Saad Muhammad was no 'arm puncher' - Saad was hitting with full force, all his weight behind it, and breaking some top level chins. I'm astonished anyone would refer to him as anything less than a genuine puncher.

Vitali Klitschko's arm punching, combined with the frailty of his opposition, has many younger fans hailing him as some all-time puncher.

Dokes was an arm puncher, but was so strong he seemed to really hurt people anyway.

[gilgamesh]

I had a correspondence with his manager, and then him, when they saw a piece I wrote on him on-line a few years ago.

You gotta say a little more than that when you got something that good.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

I had a correspondence with his manager, and then him, when they saw a piece I wrote on him on-line a few years ago.

You gotta say a little more than that when you got something that good.

The manager just contacted me and told me how touched they were by my piece. I told him how much I always loved Saad and offered a modest donation because I couldn't attend a benefit they invited me to. Then Saad contacted me to thank me and we went back and forth with a couple emails. Really nothing big, but it meant a lot to me.

[gilgamesh]

I had a correspondence with his manager, and then him, when they saw a piece I wrote on him on-line a few years ago.

You gotta say a little more than that when you got something that good.

The manager just contacted me and told me how touched they were by my piece. I told him how much I always loved Saad and offered a modest donation because I couldn't attend a benefit they invited me to. Then Saad contacted me to thank me and we went back and forth with a couple emails. Really nothing big, but it meant a lot to me.

Do you still have the piece you wrote up somewhere? I'd like to read it.

It would mean a whole lot to me to speak to one of my all time favorite fighters as well, I'm sure that was very special indeed.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

You gotta say a little more than that when you got something that good.

The manager just contacted me and told me how touched they were by my piece. I told him how much I always loved Saad and offered a modest donation because I couldn't attend a benefit they invited me to. Then Saad contacted me to thank me and we went back and forth with a couple emails. Really nothing big, but it meant a lot to me.

Do you still have the piece you wrote up somewhere? I'd like to read it.

It would mean a whole lot to me to speak to one of my all time favorite fighters as well, I'm sure that was very special indeed.

I don't, it was my 40 favorite fighters on my 40th birthday. The Boxing Bulletin merged with BadleftHook and the archives were still there for a good while, but now they're gone. I never save anything I write.

[gilgamesh]

It would mean a whole lot to me to speak to one of my all time favorite fighters as well, I'm sure that was very special indeed.

I don't, it was my 40 favorite fighters on my 40th birthday. The Boxing Bulletin merged with BadleftHook and the archives were still there for a good while, but now they're gone. I never save anything I write.

That sucks, I'm sure it was a good piece they always are from you that I've read.

[SaadOffTheDeck]

It would mean a whole lot to me to speak to one of my all time favorite fighters as well, I'm sure that was very special indeed.

I don't, it was my 40 favorite fighters on my 40th birthday. The Boxing Bulletin merged with BadleftHook and the archives were still there for a good while, but now they're gone. I never save anything I write.

That sucks, I'm sure it was a good piece they always are from you that I've read.

Thanks, the last few on that list, Duran, Morales, Saad & hearns were pretty bad ass. Especially the one on Tommy. That was the only thing I ever kept the link. I had a slew of emails from grown men telling me that made them cry.

[Counter-puncher]

i have a really hard time thinking of the punches that nearly separated Little Red's head from his shoulder as arm punches. you talk of rotation through the upper torso, Sanchez was getting through 90 degrees pretty much (and bending at the knees too), time and again he was twisting from the hips and rotating his entire torso through that sneaky lead or counter right hand.

[HomicideHenry]

When I think arm puncher, I think of a man who doesnt put weight behind his punches. And I think Randall Tex Cobb.

[gilgamesh]

When I think arm puncher, I think of a man who doesnt put weight behind his punches. And I think Randall Tex Cobb.

When I think Arm puncher I think...Muhammad Ali, Tim Bradley, Paulie Malignaggi...guys like that.

There are definitely others, and out of the three I mentioned Ali definitely could sit down on his shots and hurt guys when he wanted to, but he did throw arm punches the majority of the time. Shane Mosley throws arm punches these days, and really other than a shot or two from time to time, has for the last several years. Bradley and Malignaggi rarely put real force on any shot they ever throw.

[The End]

I'd have to say Foreman simply because he could knock you out with an arm punch.

[Esquire]

i have a really hard time thinking of the punches that nearly separated Little Red's head from his shoulder as arm punches. you talk of rotation through the upper torso, Sanchez was getting through 90 degrees pretty much (and bending at the knees too), time and again he was twisting from the hips and rotating his entire torso through that sneaky lead or counter right hand.

Let me explain what I mean. Think of the classic "one-two". The left jab followed by the straight right cross. Modern examples of fighters that threw this combo with perfect force and effect were Thomas Hearns, Roger Mayweather, and Alexis Arguello. Perfect, full leverage, full body force into the punch. Opponents didn't get up from those shots. Think Hearns vs. Duran or Shuler, Mayweather Vs. Serrano and Arguello vs. anyone, but Kevin Rooney for example.

Watch Sanchez throw a "one-two" he threw an arm jab and an arm slapping right hand. Can't even call it a right cross. He threw it with a chopping, bent elbow type of movement. He was an arm puncher. His right elbow was lower than his fist as opposed to higher than his fist in the case of an "overhand" right. So that was his version of a straight right cross.

Arm punchers could still punch with power, but not with the power that perfect form delivers. They also could have high knockout percentages. But they are obvious to the naked eye and can be recognized as such at first glance.

[Counter-puncher]

true he threw some arm punches, mostly in flurries. but not always. the right hands that nearly knocked Lopez's head off absolutely were fully-torqued. he was bending off to the right away from Lopez's jab, and coming back with all his bodyweigh through the right hand. when he went to the body, he mostly got his body into the punch too. the left hooks that knocked Nelson down and rocked him 3 or 4 times weren't arm punches, either.

[Syntax Error]

I'm not trying to argue with you, just saying that I don't get it. As for watching his fights, my user name should tip you off that I've done quite a bit of that.

I'm a huge Saad fan and if you've ever heard him declare in an interview all of his regrets ( which you have surely heard) it could bring tears to your eyes.

MSM, a/k/a Matt Franklin is an American Legend. You couldn't make up his personal story if you were Quentin Tarantino.

He is an American Hero with a personal history that defies belief.

You had to see him fight to understand what true courage meant. There weren't ten fighters in my lifetime, and I'm pushing 50 years old, that had the courage and the will to die in the ring more than Saad exhibited.

What a man. What a man. What a man. What a man. You can't say that enough.

Great post.

This is the reason why Saad is my favourite fighter.

I'm staggered there hasn't been a film about him; he certainly deserves one.

I'd pick Jamie Foxx to play him!!!

PS: As for arm punchers, I'm nominating Joe Calzaghe. He started his career as a fairly useful puncher, but he developed into an arm punching slap handed fighter due to his myriad of hand problems. It was certainly effective for him, due to his amazing stamina & work-rate.

[Syntax Error]

When I think arm puncher, I think of a man who doesnt put weight behind his punches. And I think Randall Tex Cobb.

Colin McMillan is another one too.

[Esquire]

I'm not trying to argue with you, just saying that I don't get it. As for watching his fights, my user name should tip you off that I've done quite a bit of that.

I'm a huge Saad fan and if you've ever heard him declare in an interview all of his regrets ( which you have surely heard) it could bring tears to your eyes.

MSM, a/k/a Matt Franklin is an American Legend. You couldn't make up his personal story if you were Quentin Tarantino.

He is an American Hero with a personal history that defies belief.

You had to see him fight to understand what true courage meant. There weren't ten fighters in my lifetime, and I'm pushing 50 years old, that had the courage and the will to die in the ring more than Saad exhibited.

What a man. What a man. What a man. What a man. You can't say that enough.

Great post.

This is the reason why Saad is my favourite fighter.

I'm staggered there hasn't been a film about him; he certainly deserves one.

I'd pick Jamie Foxx to play him!!!

PS: As for arm punchers, I'm nominating Joe Calzaghe. He started his career as a fairly useful puncher, but he developed into an arm punching slap handed fighter due to his myriad of hand problems. It was certainly effective for him, due to his amazing stamina & work-rate.

Bingo! Spot on with Calzaghe. Another arm puncher that stopped alot of guys and could drop a guy with one shot if he caught them right. He was more of an arm puncher than the guys I originally mentioned. He was one of the ultimate arm punchers of all time. But a great fighter. His body movement and stamina were incredible. I just hope history remembers him for how great he was. I'm saying this as a hard core cynical American boxing fan. I tend to discount European fighters but there was no denying Calzaghe's greatness. He would have been a problem for anyone in history.