Former professional sparring partner talks about which Heavyweights hit hardest

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Riddick's power wasnt memorable to me. It probably got better as he got older, cause he never even remotely buzzed me in either of our contests.

Lennox hit like a fu*king tank. He cowed me; I won the first round, and he literally broke my spirit and took my soul with a right uppercut and straight right hand in the 2nd. I tried to stay away, and forgot to punch. He never got me quite as good again, but I will never forget those two punches. When we sparred years later, he hit very hard. Distinctly unpleasant to be hit by the man.

David Tua was unpleasant. I can't see myself getting stopped by him early, as he never really staggers me, but every shot hurt, and he'd bang. Every other guy I ever sparred would box when I got aggressive, but David would stand his ground and give. I'd get these horrible headaches after sparring with him, and Dave told me once that whenever he knew I was on the dance card, he'd drink extra water for his brain. Nice guy. Hit like a wrecking ball. David Tua hit hard enough to knock my headgear clean around my face. Dude had a pretty limited style, but that left was quick as a cobra when he was sharp, and boy did it have bite. Having sparred them both, Wladimir would school Tua and probably turn out his lights. He just lacks almost any sort of refinement to his violence. Granted, I don't really either unless I'm really, really on that day, but the best heavyweights I've sparred handled me a lot easier than David did.

Feels kinda bad critiquing the dude, though. He's a fun guy, super hospitable and friendly, hit like a truck and put me through plenty of painful paces. I only hope our careers and lives don't end up with me required to face him with 12's and no mask. I can't afford the surgery.

Evander Holyfield was a machine gun. He put me on my butt first round we ever sparred with a 7 or 8 punch volley. He just punched well; He'd move around and when he let them go, they hit, hard and fast and in large numbers. He was the weakest of the group since Bowe, but probably the most dangerous. He never found me difficult to find, and turned me into a bobble head more than once.

George Foreman was tricky. His jab was absolutely numbing-Ive never felt a jab like that, where your whole face would feel like it got novacained after he hit you with it. He'd also throw light punches primarily, almost pitty pat, till he had the opening, and then he'd wallop you. His punches had the most force; They didn't hurt any worse than Tua or Lewis, but I remember how badly they'd screw with my balance. His shots moved me. He also broke my nose with a straight right.

Wladimir Klitschko hit me by far the hardest, though. I couldn't get past the jab, and his right hands hit like thunder. They reminded me of Lewis', but they were quicker and sharper. Wladimir staggered me regularly in sparring. There are literally whole rounds I don't remember. He also knocked me out with a left hook. Not down, out. Only time in my life I've seen canvas and not been able to stand up by 10 seconds

Out of all the men you sparred with, who was the toughest? Who would you say was the best? And who, in your opinion, is the greatest of all time?

These are some great questions.

The toughest: Either Wladimir or Evander Holyfield. Wlad hurt me with every punch and I could never get anything going. He's the only man to knock me out. I'll never forget that left hook. Lennox had a great left hook too but chose to throw it in combinations. Wlad would crack you with it without warning.

Evander Holyfield is tough enough to beat anyone. He counters every mistake you make and always hits you off balance or with a string of effective shots at once. He recovers really quickly too. Evander was tough and full of surprises. He's one of the best fighters of all time and I felt that just from sparring with him.

The Best?: That is hard to say. I will say that Lennox Lewis deserves his praise as one of the greatest of all time. He could crack you with either hand and break your confidence. He had such long reach that we spent entire rounds where I couldn't get near enough to land a finger on him but he was comfortably plugging me with his jab from what felt like across the ring. I could rarely get close enough to land anything on Lennox and when I did he would crack me with that uppercut. He was dangerous to fight and could do it all. Brawl, slug, box, counter, everything. Lennox, Wlad and Holyfield are the best I fought but old George Foreman was a terror, too. So was Bert Cooper when he kept his head on straight.

Greatest of All time?: Muhammad Ali from the things I've heard and seen. Joe Frazier and Joe Louis were terrific fighters as well. I'd have to throw Lennox and Evander into my top ten as well. Wlad is good but I think other heavyweights would toy with him.

Prime Tyson and Prime Holyfield? I think Evander had Mike Tyson's number. I never sparred with Mike, and I might be a bit biased because he was an as*hole to me but Evander knew how to deal with Mike's style. Evander used to regularly spar with men like David Tua and Gary Bell, both men who were clones of Mike Tyson. Evander also conquered Ray Mercer, another Tyson-esque heavyweight. There isn't a style around that Evander Holyfield couldn't adapt to and beat.

Wow. I would have never have thought that Wladimir Klitschko hit harder than David Tua and George Foreman.

Yes, Wlad could crack. Hard. With men like George Foreman and David Tua it was more of the force of the punch than the punch itself. Their punches have a similar feel. To be fair I regularly sparred with the old versions of both but old George was tons better than old Tua: George had better ring generalship, a powerful jab and set you up with combinations or for a big knockout shot. David Tua was predictable and easy to figure out but can knock out anyone. I feel bad for critiquing David because he's such a nice man. A real teddy bear.

Between Wladimir, Lennox and George who was the toughest to spar with?

Good question. I must say that Lennox Lewis is an absolute killer. He's good, he's long, he's strong, he hits hard, and he'll get in your sh*t and dig through to daylight. Poised, athletic, and confident. He punched in combination, worked off an effective jab, and he was so sneaky with his uppercuts. It was just hard to keep him off you, or off balance. I'd have to say Lennox was the best. He took me places nobody else ever has, and he's the puzzle I could never solve all that well. He could be countered...And my left hook was always effective for that. But the more I looked for it, the more rights over the top came back. Hell.

George was slow. He was strong as a mule, he hit hard, amazing jab, but he had one gear. Damn near impossible to back up, but he'd follow you. That was the ticket to beating him; Get off target, move, and box.

Wlad hits so hard. Amazing jab. Great boxer. But he doesn't work on the inside, he holds, and he rarely hammers the body. More infuriating to fight then flat out difficult, and I think that is sorta the trap he springs; He could knock out anything human with that right hand, and the left hook isn't fun either. He also hangs on the back of your head with his left hand when you get low...He can straight up throw you with one hand. Maddening.

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