Ray Mercer Reveals Surprising Truth About Heavyweight Punching Power: "You Wouldn't Believe It"

Ray Mercer, a former WBO heavyweight champion, has shared his thoughts on the punching power of some of boxing's biggest names. Mercer's unique perspective comes from his experience facing Lennox Lewis, Wladimir Klitschko, and Evander Holyfield in the ring.

Mercer was a top heavyweight in the 1990s, known for his durable chin and knockout power. He won the WBO title in 1991 but vacated it to fight Larry Holmes. His career included losses to Evander Holyfield in 1995 and Lennox Lewis in 1996. In 2002, Mercer suffered his first stoppage loss to Wladimir Klitschko.

When asked about the hardest hitter among these legendary boxers, Mercer's answer might surprise some fans. In an interview with Ring Magazine, he said:

"He was a bigger and stronger guy. I really didn't know him so when he hit me I was like, 'Damn, where did he come from?' I was in shape and he was just a powerful dude, his jab and everything, very heavy-handed, more than Lewis."

Mercer was talking about Wladimir Klitschko, not Lewis or Holyfield. Klitschko, a two-time heavyweight champion, dominated the heavyweight scene from 2004 to 2015 alongside his brother Vitali. His career record speaks for itself: 64 wins from 69 fights, with 53 of those victories coming by knockout.

Lewis, on the other hand, was the last undisputed heavyweight champion for over two decades until May 2023. Holyfield made history as the first man to be undisputed at both cruiserweight and heavyweight, later losing the undisputed heavyweight title to Lewis in 1999.

Mercer's assessment adds an interesting perspective to the ongoing debates about the greatest heavyweights of all time. It's worth noting that punching power is just one aspect of a boxer's skill set, and all three fighters mentioned had successful careers with their unique strengths.

After retiring from boxing in 2008, Mercer had a brief but successful stint in MMA. His transition to MMA showed his versatility as a fighter, adding another interesting chapter to his combat sports career.

The heavyweight division has seen a recent shake-up with Oleksandr Usyk becoming the undisputed champion in May 2023 after beating Tyson Fury. Usyk's achievement marks the first time since Lewis that the division has had an undisputed champion, bringing the heavyweight era of Mercer, Lewis, Klitschko, and Holyfield full circle.