The most powerful punches in boxing history

Ever since school, everyone has known the iron rule: never mess with a guy who boxes. Today, we remember five fighters who are still feared today, not only for their titles and legendary fights, but also for the most deadly punches in boxing history.

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Mike Tyson's right cross

Mike Tyson is an explosive mixture of animal fury, jet-like speed and extraordinary power, one of the greatest punchers in boxing history. At the beginning of his career, he turned the ring into a slaughterhouse: his opponents often fell dead in the first two rounds. It is no wonder that renowned ESPN journalist Graham Houston named Tyson the No. 1 knockout artist of all time. The numbers confirm this: of his 50 victories, 44 were by knockout.

His main weapon of destruction was his right cross (sometimes called a right hook). The perfect combination of lightning-fast start, body rotation and explosive power allowed Mike to turn out the lights with a single touch. There is still no consensus on exactly how many pounds per square inch this punch delivered: estimates range from 700 to 1800 psi, depending on technique and aggression on a given night. In any case, a clean hit guaranteed either a knockout or an urgent visit to the neurologist and a couple of new fillings.

Ernie Shavers' right cross

Many experts and boxers still consider Ernie Shavers' right straight (or right cross) to be the most powerful punch ever seen in the heavyweight division. According to The Ring magazine, Shavers ranks 10th among the 100 greatest punchers of all time, and his nickname, "The Black Destroyer," speaks for itself.

The numbers are frightening: 68 knockouts in his career, 59 of them in the first three rounds. Muhammad Ali himself said after his fight with Ernie in 1977: "No one has ever hit me so hard."

For all his extraordinary power, Shavers remained a fairly predictable fighter: slow, with poor stamina and weak defence. After the fourth or fifth round, he would noticeably "slow down," and if his opponent survived the initial storm, he could then calmly outbox Ernie. This is precisely why Shavers never became a world champion in the major versions. The only title in his collection is the Nevada State Heavyweight Champion.

The most famous "out-of-ring" incident occurred during the filming of Rocky III. Stallone, preparing for the role, asked Shavers to be his sparring partner and "not to hold back, to hit him with full force." Ernie shrugged and threw a single right jab. Stallone later said that it turned him inside out, made him nauseous for several days, and left a lump in his chest — as if his heart had stopped and started again. Since then, Sly has joked that it was Shavers who gave him the most realistic emotions for the knockout scene in the film.

George Foreman's right uppercut

Another serious contender for the title of "the most lethal puncher in history" is George Foreman, who remains the oldest heavyweight world champion to date. The World Boxing Council (WBC) officially recognises him as the most devastating heavyweight of all time.

During his professional career, Foreman fought 81 fights, 68 of which ended in knockout. He broke his opponents' jaws and ribs with such regularity that fans joked that Big George's uppercut could knock out not only teeth, but also chronic bad breath forever.

His destructive power was most evident in his fight against another legendary champion, Joe Frazier. In 1973, Foreman literally wiped "Smoky Joe" out of the ring in just two rounds, sending him to the canvas six times.

Foreman's style was extremely simple and terrifying at the same time: he advanced like a tank, hardly thinking about defence, and unleashed a continuous barrage of heavy blows on his opponent — a veritable carpet bombing with his fists. As long as this tactic worked, Foreman seemed absolutely invincible.

After retiring from the ring, Foreman became a preacher — apparently deciding that it would be better to channel all his remaining destructive energy into fighting the devil.