100 Greatest Punchers

I was going through Ring Magazine's 100 Greatest Puncher's List on About.com, thinking it wasn't that bad. Then I started reading some of the responses and was floored. Here's the list:

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
11. Sugar Ray Robinson
12. Ruben Olivares
13. Wilfredo Gomez
14. Rocky Marciano
15. Sonny Liston
16. Mike Tyson
17. Bob Foster
18. Thomas Hearns
19. Khaosai Galaxy
20. Alexis Arguello
21. Carlos Zarate
22. Max Baer
23. Rocky Graziano
24. Matthew Saad Muhammad
25. Julian Jackson
26. Danny Lopez
27. Gerald McClellan
28. Roberto Duran
29. Rodrigo Valdez
30. Felix Trinidad
31. Pipino Cuevas
32. Jim Jefferies
33. Lennox Lewis
34. Bennie Briscoe
35. Marvin Hagler
36. Edwin Rosario
37. Tommy Ryan
38. John Mugabi
39. Joe Frazier
40. Carlos Monzon
41. Tony Zale
42. Michael Spinks
43. Joe Gans
44. Elmer Ray
45. George Godfrey
46. Naseem Hamed
47. Alfonso Zamora
48. David Tua
49. Cleveland Williams
50. Julio Cesar Chavez
51. Tiger Jack Fox
52. Joe Walcott
53. Gerry Cooney
54. Al (Bummy) Davis
55. Max Schmeling
56. Florentino Fernandez
57. Henry Armstrong
58. Bob Satterfield
59. Al Hostak
60. Jesus Pimentel
61. Eugene (Cyclone) Hart
62. Lew Jenkins
63. Harry Wills
64. Tom Sharkey
65. Terry McGovern
66. Jersey Joe Walcott
67. Kostya Tszyu
68. Leotis Martin
69. Buddy Baer
70. Donovan (Razor) Ruddock
71. Jose Luis Ramirez
72. Tommy Gomez
73. Jose Napoles
74. Kid McCoy
75. Antonio Esparragoza
76. Ricardo Moreno
77. Evander Holyfield
78. Ike Williams
79. Luis Firpo
80. Ricardo Lopez
81. Humberto Gonzalez
82. Bobby Chacon
83. Jock McAvoy
84. Eduardo Lausse
85. Eder Jofre
86. Charley Burley
87. Mike McCallum
88. Salvador Sanchez
89. Roy Jones Jr.
90. Rodolfo Gonzalez
91. Nigel Benn
92. (Irish) Bob Murphy
93. Paul Berlenbach
94. Battling Torres
95. Chalky Wright
96. George (K.O.) Chaney
97. Andy Ganigan
98. Fred Fulton
99. Ingemar Johansson
100. Charley White

Source: Ring Magazine (2003)

Here are some of the responses:

ALI, Tyson, Foreman
Ali needs to be in there SOMEWHERE to be a credible list. Tyson nearly took peoples heads off, and Foreman.....better than 9th. I think there needs to be a do over here.
—Guest holzschuh

Stupid list
Tito Trinidad is a bigger puncher than Lennox Lewis? I think you are mentally sick if you really think so ....
—Guest James "Lights Out" Toney

Sandy Saddler over George Foreman and Rocky Marciano? Naseem Hamed over David Tua? Henry Armstrong over Ingemar Johansson? Where is Jack Johnson??? All these from the Bible of Boxing?

This list proves to me that Ring magazine is to boxing as as Rolling Stone is to music. This list combined with the 50 of all time. Tyson is absolutely in the top five and I cannot even find the guy ranked on Ring magazines #2 Greatest Boxers of all time in this list, which is Ali. Who would be in the top ten if not the top 5. Did they have someone pick names out of a hat for this?
—sgdirtbag

Tyson should be in the top 3, if not #1. His combinations were punishing. His speed,power and accuracy is unmatched.
—Guest marty

So what's wrong with these commenters? Hey guys: nobody making the list thought that a featherweight could hit harder than a heavyweight (Saddler over Foreman) only that, within his division, he was a greater puncher.

Regarding Tyson, he was awesome when he came up, but these commenters forget: Tyson wasn't the only one who KOed people. Tyson, in my mind, has trouble breaking into the TOP 10, but I would drop Marciano below Tyson.

I have issues with the list, who doesn't have issues with lists, but over all it wasn't that bad.

Adamek v Arreola, recap

Excellent heavyweight fight.

8-4 (8-3-1) Adamek

Adamek fought a great fight, very disciplined. Excellent
Arreola fought with heart, much better stamina than he looks like. Again, he needs to loose 10 pounds. The question is "did Arreola hurt his hands."

I love Chris "look at me I look like Shrek."

Adamek v Arreola. prediction

I hear people say: "The heavyweight division really needs an exciting slug fest more than any other division."

If it becomes a slugfest I can't see Adamek winning. K hit Arreola with some good shots and he kept on coming. Adamek can easily out point Arreola though if he concentrates on winning rounds versus trying for the KO.

So, what's my prediction? This is tough. OK. I see Adamek doing a Billy Conn on Arreola, gets over-confident, gets into a slugfest and gets KTFO.

On the other hand, he might box the entire night and win 9-3.

Truly, I'm up in the air on this fight. Adamek was a quality light heavy but not a Roy Jones. I'm not so sure he can keep Arrela off of him, or stay away from him for 12 rounds.

Here's the prediction. A victory of Arreola.

Arturo Gatti would have been 38 today.

The video clip says it all. Arturo Gatti fighter of the year in

1996 (should have been)
1997
1998
2002
2003

John Ruiz v David Haye

Haye should win this rather easily. The Ruiz who fought Holyfield 10 years would have been a real test for Haye. And after all, if Haye is to take on the Klitschkos he would have to be a modern day Holyfield. As it stands, the present day version of Ruiz should not be too much competition for Haye.

Bernard Hopkins v Roy Jones Jr.

Bernard is a throwback to the Old Mongoose. It seems as if he is only getting better, but he should retire. Win Lose or Draw I hope this is his last fight.

Roy Jones is way past his prime and should have retired after his loss to Glen Johnson five years ago; and definitely after losing to Tarver for a second time. And what was he doing still fighting Calzaghe 2 years ago; and getting KOed by Danny Green last year.

Roy, one of the reasons I loved you, is that you said that you wanted to leave this game with your money and health in tact. You were great but you can't beat Father Time.

Hopkins is going to win. Jones will give it his all and I think it will go the distance. But I'm not happy about this fight. Both need to retire.

Klitschko v Chambers, Prediction

Is Eddie fast enough to slip Wlad's jabs, can he get inside, and if he does can he hurt Wlad? I don't think so. I think this could be a very entertaining fight though. But I think that Wlad is disciplined enough, that the moment Chambers starts opening up, he'll thread through some rights.

It would be nice if this was a good fight. However it ends up I don't want this to be another jabfest.