BoxRec

prime tyson for me.

Probably Tyson

Floyd Patterson and Joe Louis are the other obvious names.

There were probably some non-champs with very fast hands too, but I can't think of any right now.

That Ali fella was pretty quick too.

Im going Patterson. Henry Cooper fought him and a young Ali and said Floyd's hands were faster.

Patterson I always felt had the faster hands.

I've read alot of accounts on Gentleman Jim Corbett and old-timers who were old enough to see Ali before their deaths said that Corbett was faster than he was---- and I can believe it to an extent, because of two things: He was just slightly bigger than a LHW by today standards, and because of the sparring video of him and Tunney. Though Corbett was 59 years old, he was remarkably fast for his age. He looked, even then, to be as fast as a middleweight. So can imagine at his best he was almost impossible to reach.

The great Muhammad Ali had the fastest hands. No doubt in my mind. The great Mike Tyson had the most vicious fast hands ever seen in a heavyweight.

Jimmy Ellis had pretty fast hands, but Ali and Patterson were faster.

HomicideHenry wrote:Patterson I always felt had the faster hands.

I've read alot of accounts on Gentleman Jim Corbett and old-timers who were old enough to see Ali before their deaths said that Corbett was faster than he was---- and I can believe it to an extent, because of two things: He was just slightly bigger than a LHW by today standards, and because of the sparring video of him and Tunney. Though Corbett was 59 years old, he was remarkably fast for his age. He looked, even then, to be as fast as a middleweight. So can imagine at his best he was almost impossible to reach.

thnx for the hint. didn't have him on my list.

Prime Ali was maybe the quickest, Tyson had speed plus power, Tony Tubbs had very quick hands.

Roy Jones Jr?

Matthew Ellis

WBO Heavyweight Champion Corrie Sanders for sure.

cocka09 wrote:Roy Jones Jr?

that was funny indeed.

A few that haven't been mentioned:

Buster Mathis

Michael Dokes

Tony Tubbs

Eddie Machen

Joe Bugner

Corrie Sanders had very quick hands for a heavyweight.

Edit: I see he's been mentioned above.

cfang wrote:Im going Patterson. Henry Cooper fought him and a young Ali and said Floyd's hands were faster.

I think you are correct.

That right that Floyd laid out Henry with was freaking blinding. My favorite Patterson fight.

didn't someone take an old 8mm film and counted out that it took less frames for Patterson to throw a punch that it took for Ali?

I swear I read that somewhere.

Patterson was the fastest but he was a big super middleweight really.

Bruce Seldon was fast as was Tony Tubbs.

Michael Dokes was very fast.

Floyd Patterson for me, although, as others have said, he wouldn't be a heavyweight today.

It's a tough question to ask as there would have been fighters from way back who'd be worthy of a mention, but the fight films aren't at the correct speed.

For example, how fast were Jack Johnson, or Jack Dempsey really?

Only people who are old enough to have watched them can answer than, & there's none of those people left.

.....joe louis.....short, fast and dynamite power. threw in combinations so fast he could still hit his guy when the guy was on the way down.
even past his primes he had the speed in both hands. look at his kayo of walcott in their second fight.

HomicideHenry wrote:Patterson I always felt had the faster hands.

I've read alot of accounts on Gentleman Jim Corbett and old-timers who were old enough to see Ali before their deaths said that Corbett was faster than he was---- and I can believe it to an extent, because of two things: He was just slightly bigger than a LHW by today standards, and because of the sparring video of him and Tunney. Though Corbett was 59 years old, he was remarkably fast for his age. He looked, even then, to be as fast as a middleweight. So can imagine at his best he was almost impossible to reach.

there is a clip on youtube, but that is in
slow mo whenever one could judge corbett's
speed.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMdot7QW9Mo
maybe you have a better source …

regarding what old timers and what they
said about ali and corbett, i'd be careful.
people of age get sentimental.

A young Tyson for me ,the clips of him shadowboxing with Cus looking on are frightining ,like a bantamweight

handsofstone wrote:A young Tyson for me ,the clips of him shadowboxing with Cus looking on are frightining ,like a bantamweight

absolutely. whenever i see that clip i can
hardly believe his speed, both in hands
and body. just amazing. prime tyson was
so much more than a big puncher ... losing
speed due to his lifestyle was the real reason
for the downfall boxing wise. though he always
managed to stay "in shape". at least it looked
like he was ...

man wrote:

handsofstone wrote:A young Tyson for me ,the clips of him shadowboxing with Cus looking on are frightining ,like a bantamweight

absolutely. whenever i see that clip i can
hardly believe his speed, both in hands
and body. just amazing. prime tyson was
so much more than a big puncher ... losing
speed due to his lifestyle was the real reason
for the downfall boxing wise. though he always
managed to stay "in shape". at least it looked
like he was ...

Also, his car accident when he was knocked out cold running into a tree.

Scypion wrote:

man wrote:

handsofstone wrote:A young Tyson for me ,the clips of him shadowboxing with Cus looking on are frightining ,like a bantamweight

absolutely. whenever i see that clip i can
hardly believe his speed, both in hands
and body. just amazing. prime tyson was
so much more than a big puncher ... losing
speed due to his lifestyle was the real reason
for the downfall boxing wise. though he always
managed to stay "in shape". at least it looked
like he was ...

Also, his car accident when he was knocked out cold running into a tree.

Didn't he give the car a way to the cops that came along?