There are numerous various ways to intimidate someone, such as rippling muscles, loud trash-talking, violent body language, and chilling looks. The goal is the same regardless of how it manifests: to create a psychological opening for terror in the opponent.
Sonny Liston is the most feared boxer in boxing history. Sonny Liston was one of the most powerful punching heavyweight boxers in the late 1950s and 1960s, known for his menacing appearance and prison sentences after legal run-ins. His presence in the ring was sometimes enough to kill a man before he was ever struck.
The most feared boxers are the masters of dread, continuously depressing adversaries to the point where they either lose all faith before the beginning bell or avoid confrontation.
Before we dive in, if you want to know who the most famous boxers are, follow the link to see the complete list.
How to become the most feared boxer
To improve as a boxer overall, it is helpful to create goals and focus on various facets of your fitness and tactics while training. How can you become the most feared boxer, though?
Although it is one of the ways, punching hard alone will not make you a “feared” boxer. A balance of speed, precision, skill, conditioning, and attitude is required. Over time, the most feared boxers have shown the ability to modify and vary their fighting technique.
Even the finest boxers have trouble with boxers who can hit their strikes when they want to. It’s nearly hard for an opponent to escape getting struck when you can position your strokes with discretion and accuracy.
Indeed, having a strong punch may significantly increase a boxer’s odds of winning, but if one wants other boxers to fear them, one also needs to be able to use their other abilities. George Foreman and Deontay Wilder are two excellent instances of how far a powerful punch can carry a boxer.
The most feared boxers in history such as Sonny Liston can withstand tremendous blows without losing composure. They can accomplish this because of their conditioning. By ensuring that they are strong enough to withstand the violence inflicted over numerous rounds of boxing, conditioning also helps fighters prevent injuries.
The most feared boxers can easily deflect or evade blows and are less likely to be struck. Maintaining a high level of alertness and being prepared to block any oncoming gunfire is a fantastic way to be safe
Most feared boxers in history
#5. Roberto Duran
Not only was Roberto Durán an excellent boxer, but his career was legendary, and his boxing accomplishments were incredible.
Even the most skilled boxers were shaken by the fighter known as Hands of Stone, as he exuded such an obvious aura of wrath and savagery. He appeared to be a savage monster intent on destruction, sporting a smirk of contempt and fierce, black eyes that seemed capable of drilling holes into people’s heads.
In 119 professional fights, he won 103 (70 through knockout) and only fell short in 16 of them. He competed from the 1960s further through to the 2000s, winning titles in 4 distinct weight divisions. Duran was aged 50 years old when he made his final appearance.
At the age of 14, Durán is said to have defeated a donkey with a single punch! Due to Durán’s powerful punching style and consistently surprising competitiveness, this tale does not seem to be fiction. Few people would have backed the mule in such a race!
#4. Deontay Wilder
Beginning his boxing career in October 2005, Wilder took things slowly but eventually gained momentum, winning the National Golden Gloves and the US Championships in 2007 while weighing 201 pounds (ca. 91 kg) and standing 6 feet 7 inches tall!
The two-time world champion, who has an astounding 84% knockout rate, has been thought to be the boxer with the hardest punches. The current legend Deontay Wilder is at the top of the list of present-day great boxers. The third opponent in his trilogy, Tyson Fury, referred to him as the hardest puncher in boxing history.
Wilder defeated Bermane Stiverne for the WBC Heavyweight title in 2015, but Tyson Fury defeated him for the title again this year. In October 2021, Deontay faced Tyson Fury for the third time in the ring and ultimately fell to him, ending his boxing career. Even though Wilder is regarded as having some of the strongest power in boxing history, any potential opponents for him should not be complacent.
#3. George Foreman
Bad and big, George discovered from Sonny Liston that all it took to gain the psychological edge over your opponent was to maintain eye contact, avoid talking much, and keep your expression constant.
Due to his amazing knockout skills, George Foreman was ranked among the most feared boxers on earth during his prime. As a result of his might and guilt over the harm he caused to those who dared challenge him, he even frightened himself.
In the ring, George Foreman was not known for having particularly strong skills or flashy technique. When he was asked to demonstrate his strength in the ring, Foreman was at his best.
Standing at 6 feet 4 inches tall and weighing more than 100 kg, he was intimidating enough on his own. Add to that the fact that his punch could be felt even when deflected, and you have a monster. Before facing Muhammad Ali, Foreman had 40 victories, of which 37 were knockouts, thanks to his unbridled power and great reach.
#2. Mike Tyson
Regardless of weight class, Mike was one of the most deadly fighters to ever enter a boxing ring. He might bite you out of madness, knock you out, or attempt to fracture your arm.
Iron Mike is known for his ability to frighten his opponents. He had the physique of an assassin from a shady underworld den, complete with a ferocious gaze and ring attire consisting just of black trunks and shoes. In other words, he was immensely intimidating for the majority of his career.
With opponents who would tower over Tyson, who is 5 foot 10 inches tall, frequently, he appeared to be at a disadvantage. Instead of viewing this as a liability, Tyson utilized his height to unleash an unrelenting onslaught of blows with unmatched speed to dismantle his opponents…beginning with their chin.
Twenty-six of Tyson’s first 28 opponents were via KO or TKO.
Tyson, who was only 20 years old when given the opportunity, tore Trevor Berbick apart piece by piece in the fight to win the world heavyweight title. Nothing else could make Tyson’s upcoming opponents dread god if this did not do it.
#1. Sonny Liston
Some called Liston the Mike Tyson of his era. He was an evil, angry, threatening combatant who was willing to do anything to win. Additionally, he was a powerful puncher who had most men beaten before the scheduled fight.
Sonny had intimidation down to a science. He was an ex-con, a rumoured mob legbreaker, and a friend of Blinky Palermo and Frankie Carbo. Along with his reputation and connections to the mafia, he also had a big build, enormous, lethal fists, and possibly the best poker face in the boxing world.
Sonny was not a man one wanted to run into in the ring, especially considering that he was a former criminal with connections to the mob.
He defeated Floyd Patterson twice for the heavyweight title, putting him out within the first round each time. Likewise, he also knocked out Zora Folley in three rounds.
He gave Leotis Martin a detached retina during the battle, even though he ultimately lost. In the tenth round of his final career battle, he defeated tough guy Chuck Wepner.
Final Words
Becoming the most feared boxer is not just a day’s work, it takes a significant amount of time to master the art of boxing and become unbeatable in the ring.
To become the most feared boxer one needs to improve their speed, defense, precision, conditioning, and punching power. The most feared boxer in history is Sonny Liston together with Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Deontay Wilder, and Roberto Duran.
Work on all the listed traits that constitute a great boxer to become the most feared boxer of all time.
If you enjoyed reading this article, you’ll also enjoy reading about the best boxers in history. Knowing who they are will also allow you to see how they trained to reach these honorable positions.