BoxRec

This thread goes for any weight class, but my mind is on the heavyweights.

People, usually, say it was Muhammad Ali. After all he fought Frazier (3x's), Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, Quarry, Foster (Mac), Ken Norton etc. but I'm trying to compare others to this list--- not so much in terms of quality, but in quantity. Who fought the most deadly punchers in their career?

If one looks at the career of Jack Dempsey, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Carl Morris, Arthur Pelkey, Gunboat Smith, Fred Fulton, Luis Firpo, Jess Willard, etc.

If one looks at the career of Joe Louis, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Max Baer, Buddy Baer (2x's), Tony Galento, Rocky Marciano, Joe Walcott (2x's), etc.

If one looks at the career of Larry Holmes, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Earnie Shavers (2x's), Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, Bernardo Mercado, Mike Tyson, etc.

If one looks at the career of Evander Holyfield, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Dwight Mohammad Qawi (2x's), Riddick Bowe (3x's), Lennox Lewis (2x's), Mike Tyson (2x's), etc.

I mean, who really has fought the most brawlers/punchers/bruisers/maulers in their career?

HomicideHenry wrote:This thread goes for any weight class, but my mind is on the heavyweights.

People, usually, say it was Muhammad Ali. After all he fought Frazier (3x's), Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, Quarry, Foster (Mac), Ken Norton etc. but I'm trying to compare others to this list--- not so much in terms of quality, but in quantity. Who fought the most deadly punchers in their career?

If one looks at the career of Jack Dempsey, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Carl Morris, Arthur Pelkey, Gunboat Smith, Fred Fulton, Luis Firpo, Jess Willard, etc.

If one looks at the career of Joe Louis, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Max Baer, Buddy Baer (2x's), Tony Galento, Rocky Marciano, Joe Walcott (2x's), etc.

If one looks at the career of Larry Holmes, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Earnie Shavers (2x's), Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, Bernardo Mercado, Mike Tyson, etc.

If one looks at the career of Evander Holyfield, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Dwight Mohammad Qawi (2x's), Riddick Bowe (3x's), Lennox Lewis (2x's), Mike Tyson (2x's), etc.

I mean, who really has fought the most brawlers/punchers/bruisers/maulers in their career?

I reckon Hagler has to be in there....the guy was an animal and faced all comers : -

John Mugabi , Thomas Hearns, Hamsho twice, roldan, Duran, Sibson, Wilford Scypion, Antuofermo twice, Fully Obel twice, Marcos Geraldo, Monroe three times, Bennie Briscoe, Eugene Hart, Seales, Kevin Finnegan twice...probably missed some

HomicideHenry wrote:This thread goes for any weight class, but my mind is on the heavyweights.

People, usually, say it was Muhammad Ali. After all he fought Frazier (3x's), Foreman, Shavers, Lyle, Quarry, Foster (Mac), Ken Norton etc. but I'm trying to compare others to this list--- not so much in terms of quality, but in quantity. Who fought the most deadly punchers in their career?

If one looks at the career of Jack Dempsey, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Carl Morris, Arthur Pelkey, Gunboat Smith, Fred Fulton, Luis Firpo, Jess Willard, etc.

If one looks at the career of Joe Louis, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Max Baer, Buddy Baer (2x's), Tony Galento, Rocky Marciano, Joe Walcott (2x's), etc.

If one looks at the career of Larry Holmes, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Earnie Shavers (2x's), Ken Norton, Gerry Cooney, Bernardo Mercado, Mike Tyson, etc.

If one looks at the career of Evander Holyfield, one sees that he faced such brutal punchers as Dwight Mohammad Qawi (2x's), Riddick Bowe (3x's), Lennox Lewis (2x's), Mike Tyson (2x's), etc.

I mean, who really has fought the most brawlers/punchers/bruisers/maulers in their career?

I would think the answer would be Ali.

btw, I wouldn't consider Norton to be a big-time puncher. OTOH, if you're going to include "bruisers and maulers" on your list, then Ali gets additional credit because I would think Chuvalo could be considered to at least meet the minimum definition of a "bruiser and/or mauler".

Monroe was slick as I recall, not a big puncher...Cyclone Hart was a big puncher right?

Oscar De La Hoya has got a few hard punchers on his slate

JCC Snr
Shane Mosley
Fernando Vargas
Ricardo Mayorga
Tito Trinidad
Ike Quartley

BoxBuzz wrote:Monroe was slick as I recall, not a big puncher...Cyclone Hart was a big puncher right?

Correct.

IRLangmaid25 wrote:Oscar De La Hoya has got a few hard punchers on his slate

JCC Snr
Shane Mosley
Fernando Vargas
Ricardo Mayorga
Tito Trinidad
Ike Quartley

I wouldn't consider that version of JCC a murderous puncher.

Honestly Ali will be pretty hard to beat in terms of quality. If you just put Foreman, Shavers and Liston(2x) (3 of the biggest punchers in HW history.) it is already a very formidable list. But then you throw in Moore, Williams, Frazier(3x), Lyle, Norton(3x), Mac Foster all very good punchers for me it becomes a extremely hard list to beat

p4p1 wrote:Honestly Ali will be pretty hard to beat in terms of quality. If you just put Foreman, Shavers and Liston(2x) (3 of the biggest punchers in HW history.) it is already a very formidable list. But then you throw in Moore, Williams, Frazier(3x), Lyle, Norton(3x), Mac Foster all very good punchers for me it becomes a extremely hard list to beat

x2

Rover wrote:

p4p1 wrote:Honestly Ali will be pretty hard to beat in terms of quality. If you just put Foreman, Shavers and Liston(2x) (3 of the biggest punchers in HW history.) it is already a very formidable list. But then you throw in Moore, Williams, Frazier(3x), Lyle, Norton(3x), Mac Foster all very good punchers for me it becomes a extremely hard list to beat

x2

The thread is about quantity though. Who fought the most bangers.

HomicideHenry wrote:

Rover wrote:

p4p1 wrote:Honestly Ali will be pretty hard to beat in terms of quality. If you just put Foreman, Shavers and Liston(2x) (3 of the biggest punchers in HW history.) it is already a very formidable list. But then you throw in Moore, Williams, Frazier(3x), Lyle, Norton(3x), Mac Foster all very good punchers for me it becomes a extremely hard list to beat

x2

The thread is about quantity though. Who fought the most bangers.

That's still 9 pretty big punchers gonna be hard to beat and there is probably a couple more guys you could arguably throw in there for Ali.

Il Duce wrote:I always liked Jimmy Young's list of opponents

* Roy 'Tiger' Williams
* Jose Luis Garcia
* Earnie Shavers.......'twice'
* Ron Lyle................'twice'
* George Foreman
* Muhammad Ali
* Kenny Norton
* Gerry Cooney
* Michael Dokes
* Greg Page
* Jeff Sims
* John Lewis Gardner
* Phillip Brown
* Gordie Racette
* Tony Tubbs
* Tony Tucker
* Tony Fulilangi

Nice list, though I never think of Tubbs as a big puncher.
Fulilangi never proved that at the upper echelon either IMO.

I would have to pick Ali. Guy faced em all

Off the top of my head I would say Joe Grim fought the most hard-punchers! He didn't win much, but he constantly fought bigger fighters who hit a lot harder than he did! Joe Gans is another!

Il Duce wrote:I know it doesn't get a lot of play.

But Jimmy Young said the hardest single punch he ever took was a 'right-hand' by British-Columbia Heavyweight
Gordon 'Gordie' Racette.

At the time {April 10, 1981} 'Gordie' was 25-0-0 {18 KO's} and had '13' 1st-Round Knockouts.

A 29 year-old - 6' 2" 215 lb. 'Muscular Bomber' who was a former 'Kick-Boxer'

Maybe he felt it more because he was past prime.

Il Duce wrote:Gordon 'Gordy' Racette,

Was much like South African - Johnny DuPlooy, but faster and more muscular.

What happened to him?

Il Duce wrote:

Rover wrote:

Il Duce wrote:Gordon 'Gordy' Racette,

Was much like South African - Johnny DuPlooy, but faster and more muscular.

What happened to him?

Got ranked as the #10 WBC Heavyweight in early-1981.

Fought Trevor Berbick in March 1982, right after Trevor defeated Muhammad Ali in December 1981
and just before Trevor beat Greg Page in June 1982.

Good entertaining fighter, with a lot of speed-and-power early. Dangerous puncher.

Was backed by Sylvester Stallone for a short period.

Why didn't he go further?

Laporte deserves a mention here:
Sanchez, Pedroza, Lockridge, Gomez, McGuigan, Chavez, Nelson, Molina, Tszyu.
Not dropped until late in his career v. Padilla, either.

Ramirez deserves a shout:
Olivares, Arguello, Mancini, Rosario (twice), Chavez
And Chavez also deserves a mention:
Mayweather (twice), Lockridge, Laporte, Rosario, Ramirez, Fuentes, Randall (twice--forgetting #3 when Surgeon was shot), DLH (twice), Tszyu

HomicideHenry, Larry Holmes never fought Bernardo Mercado in his pro career and look at his record if you don't believe me. Holmes fought "Terrible" Tim Witherspoon a murderous puncher.

scorpio83 wrote:HomicideHenry, Larry Holmes never fought Bernardo Mercado in his pro career and look at his record if you don't believe me. Holmes fought "Terrible" Tim Witherspoon a murderous puncher.

Good catch; I didn't even notice that reading through it.

Lennox Lewis would be ahead of Ali, for sure.

Rover wrote:

IRLangmaid25 wrote:Oscar De La Hoya has got a few hard punchers on his slate

JCC Snr
Shane Mosley
Fernando Vargas
Ricardo Mayorga
Tito Trinidad
Ike Quartley

I wouldn't consider that version of JCC a murderous puncher.

On reputation he was, but it was a very old and shopworn JCC that was staring across the ring from Oscar De La Hoya I do agree.

barry wrote:Off the top of my head I would say Joe Grim fought the most hard-punchers! He didn't win much, but he constantly fought bigger fighters who hit a lot harder than he did! Joe Gans is another!

That is right. I forgot about 'The Indian Rubber Ball', no more than 157 pounds the man was a freak of nature in his ability to take a punch. He put out a $10,000 challenge to ANYONE being able to knock him out. He fought Jack Johnson, Bob Fitzsimmons, Sam McVey, Joe Jeanette, Sam Langford, Kid Norfolk, Joe Blackburn, Tommy Burns, etc. and I think only one ever managed to do it.