How strong was Muhammad Ali's punch?

The Top 200 Greatest Boxers of All Time:boxing_glove:


Answered by

Sorin Bota
 
Deceivingly strong. But I don’t think the raw power of his punches was the problem. He would knock you out by buzzing you with one good shot and then throwing 3 or 4 more for good measure. The thing is … most punches are not received flush. You lean away from some, you deflect some a bit. But after you received one good punch, your defense is not gonna be up to the task anymore. And if your opponent can then hit you with 3–4 powerful and precise punches in just a second … you’re done.



Moreover what Ali had for him above all else was explosion and speed. Not only was he faster than any other boxer in heavyweight history(and speed is a part of the kinetic energy at delivery), but he got from 1 to 60 in a flash. When you’ve boxed regular guys who are somewhat predictable, you will always be up the creek with no paddle against a guy who can hit you with a powerful punch while retreating from your jab … that’s not something you’ve seen often or know how to defend against.

My personal opinion is that Ali had solid power, but was by no stretch of the imagination a power puncher. What he had was explosion, speed and intensity like the world had never seen. And that matters a lot. If someone can produce a fairly powerful punch from an awkward position you wouldn’t expect them to … that can catch you by surprise. And those are the punches that knock you out.
He was definitely no feather-fisted boxer. But raw power was not his schtick.