THE ULTIMATE: Puncher
Thursday, October 29, 2009 - John Greene
In 2003, Ring Magazine listed a group of who they considered to be the all-time 100 greatest punchers in Boxing. They picked fighters across eras and classes, creating a comparison that combined the usual pound-per-pound equations with fighting ability and how frequently they delivered a punch. Here’s the top ten:
1. Joe Louis
2. Sam Langford
3. Jimmy Wilde
4. Archie Moore
5. Sandy Saddler
6. Stanley Ketchell
7. Jack Dempsey
8. Bob Fitzsimmons
9. George Foreman
10. Earnie Shavers
There’s a lot of room for debate here, but for me, the ranking of Earnie Shavers is a crime. Shavers is a man who was known as “Black Destroyer,” and compiled most amazing records in boxing history. At one point he won almost 30 fights in a row by knockout. He scored over 20 victories in the first round alone. Both Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes have stated that he was the hardest puncher they’ve ever fought, and his ability to dismantle opponents who were previously thought unassailable was second to none.
It was his hard punches and fast moves that wore the boxer down – if a match went past round 7, he was likely going to lose. His career was derailed by a retinal problem, but he still was in demand, boxing with Sly Stallone in the leadup to Rocky III and making public appearances. He may not be the best-known, or most respected fighter, but in my eyes, he’s the ultimate puncher, a man that even The Champ respected and still spends time with.
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