Sources of their power...

[Russell]

Punching wise. Where do different boxers get there's from?

Tyson's power came from a combination of physical strength/punching power and great handspeed. He really knew how to torque his entire body into it too.

Floyd Patterson's leaping hooks were similar. Of course he wasn't as powerful as Tyson, but that's where his power came from. He didn't wind himself up like Tyson, though.

Foreman and Cuevas both punched with their hands starting down near their hips sometimes. Looping punches. What others did that and how much success did they have?

[Russell]

Top.

[Smokin'Moe420]

joe frazier puts power behind his hooks by anchoring his hips and feet with the punch

[Russell]

How about Rocky Marciano's combination of short arms and tree trunk like thighs?

[Thread Stealer]

I would say Naseem Hamed got it from his legs, along with weird angles which probably made his shots harder to see coming.

[MagnificentMatt]

I would say Naseem Hamed got it from his legs, along with weird angles which probably made his shots harder to see coming.

Hearns, leverage/range.

[Loewe]

Well, Hopkins isn´t really a power puncher but if you watch him carefully you can see that he times his counter-right often so that it hits his opponent when he comes in. That adds a good amount of power to his punch.

[DamonD]

I've often heard that thick muscular legs are the real plus point when it comes to punching power...gives it that extra oomph with the leverage.

[Azania]

I've often heard that thick muscular legs are the real plus point when it comes to punching power...gives it that extra oomph with the leverage.

Not sure about this one...because how does it explain a guy like Tommy Hearns who had long spindly legz and could punch like a mother?

[Hatesrats]

Not sure about this one...because how does it explain a guy like Tommy Hearns who had long spindly legz and could punch like a mother?
Shoulder's, Wing span, Overall upper body strength & speed.

[Ted Spoon]

Commitment; how much one commits to their punch.

[D-MAC]

I've often heard that thick muscular legs are the real plus point when it comes to punching power...gives it that extra oomph with the leverage.

I know that a lot of Eubank's shots originated in the calf muscles.

[SuzieQ49]

sonny liston had 15" fists, that extra size probably creared more surface area allowing him to concuss and club his opponents to the ground. liston needed specially made gloves in order to fit his massive hands.

[Chinxkid]

Commitment; how much one commits to their punch.

Yes, this is the one that's not so easy to pick out. Legs, handspeed, wickedly clean technique, other physical attributes, and then there's what Tyson used to refer to as delivering a punch with, "Bad Intentions," the only kind that can ever do any good.

[Ted Spoon]

If you put all the thoughts of where power comes from it would come from everywhere; hands, legs, arm length - just about everything has been named.

...basically, whatever works for you. There is no set build in order to punch with authority.

You first have to want to punch hard, to punch through your target.

Then there is technique (successfully planting the feet and generating velocity with the body).

Finally there is delivery, the most important, which is a case of hitting the opponent just at the right time; as they pull away (ala Curry/McCallum) or as they come in (ala Tyson/Botha).

If you catch them right a punch does not even have to be that hard, but the ones who do crack and are not particularly heavy will possess many a fast-twitch muscle fiber.

[pugilist_boyd]

some skinny fighters just had strong fast twitch muscle fibers for power others used there strong legs to help launch there bodyweight wile others had specific muscle groups that were huge like tysons uppershoulders andchest and back dempseys monsterous deltoids and tommy morrison had huge shoulders,traps deltoids ect. ect. it just depends on the fighter and there punching style and the angles of the punches

[DINAMITA]

Prince Naseem Hamed was the hardest hitting featherweight I've ever seen, and if you look at any of his fights, it is apparent how much thicker and more muscled his legs are than any of his opponents. The Prince wa short and didn't have great technique, but the anchor of this extra muscle allowed him to fire off knockout shots from a standing position.

[round15]

Not sure about this one...because how does it explain a guy like Tommy Hearns who had long spindly legz and could punch like a mother?

Tommy Hearns was wiry strong with tight muscles as a fighter. Power is often attributed to lower length strength but a lot of it has to do with proper technique IMO.

Want to learn? Watch Alexis Arguello throw right hands in his early career. Hearns and Arguello demonstrate good power because they rotate their hips and transfer the weight properly with the finished right hand punch on the left side.

Quite a few fighters could generate more power if they knew the importance of proper stance, hip rotation and weight transfer. Also balance is key to maximizing power in punches.

[Doppleganger]

Proper technique is HUGE when wanting to punch hard. Consider that Hearns wasn't much of a puncher in the amatuers and suddenly became a killer in the pro ranks.

Why?

Technique.

Of course, he had to have other attributes there too but proper technique is the biggest difference a fighter can make to maximise their power.