Teddy Atlas named the likes of Mike Tyson, George Foreman and Sugar Ray Robinson in his top 10 list of pound-for-pound punchers, but only one man’s fists were potent enough to claim the number-one spot.
In a sport where punching power plays a key role, not least in the heavyweight division, it is perhaps unsurprising that this list compiles several all-time greats.
Heavyweight legend Joe Louis, for instance, features at number eight, with Atlas crediting the ‘Brown Bomber’ for his tremendous balance and positioning.
It could be said that a more unexpected entry, meanwhile, is ‘Iron Mike’ at number seven, as Tyson’s ruthless surge throughout the 1980s would likely inspire many others to place him further up the list.
But Atlas, of course, has history with Tyson, and even when removing any bias from the equation, the former trainer’s top five remains an almost impossible category to penetrate.
Coming in at number five, then, is ‘Big George’ Foreman, whose stoppage victories over the likes of Joe Frazier and Ken Norton during the 1970s makes him an obvious pick.
Fans should have few qualms, too, with Atlas’ selection of Earnie Shavers – perhaps the hardest-hitting heavyweight of all time – at number four.
There should equally be few complaints with Robinson, arguably the greatest fighter of all time, and former world featherweight champion Sandy Saddler being positioned at number three and number two, respectively.
As for his view on the hardest puncher of all time, Atlas, while speaking on his YouTube channel, THE FIGHT with Teddy Atlas, afforded himself no other option but to select light-heavyweight great Archie Moore.
“At number one, can’t argue the math, can’t argue the myth, can’t argue the man… How long he was around, how special he was.
“He didn’t get treated fairly – they didn’t give him a world title shot until he was in his late, middle 30s. But, once he got [the world light-heavyweight title], he held onto it.
“You gotta be special when they call you the ‘Old Mongoose’ – smart, but he was also deadly.
“Archie Moore: [219 professional fights, with 132 knockouts]. Yes, that is the record, that is the most knockouts of any fighter in the history of this marvellous sport.”
