UFC Fans Give Verdict on Mike Tyson, Francis Ngannou, and Others as ‘Hardest Hitter’ Debate Gets Finally Settled
Ever since boxing and the UFC began to share the spotlight, one debate has refused to die—who hits harder: boxers or UFC fighters? Now, that age-old argument seems to be nearing its conclusion, as fans deliver what feels like a final verdict. With heavy hitters like Mike Tyson, Francis Ngannou, and others at the center of the discussion, the lines between the two sports have never been more sharply drawn.
This renewed spark in the debate began with a post by r/boxingcirclejerk on Reddit, where a curated list of knockout artists from both sports was shared, asking fans to weigh in. As opinions poured in, one side of the argument began to gain significant traction, possibly signaling the end of one of combat sports’ longest-running debates.
Boxing vs. UFC
r/boxingcirclejerk wrote, “Who hits harder, the average boxer or the average UFC fighter? George Foreman or Belal Muhammad, Earnie Shavers or Ben Askren, Wladimir Klitschko or Merab Dvalishvili, Joe Frazier or CM Punk, Mike Tyson or Sean Strickland, Marvin Hagler or Henry Cejudo.”
There’s no denying that every time a UFC fighter steps into a boxing ring, things usually don’t end well for them. Whether it’s Francis Ngannou taking on Anthony Joshua or Conor McGregor facing Floyd Mayweather, the result is often the same—the UFC star walks away with a loss and a face full of bruises.
On the flip side, boxers rarely dare to cross into the Octagon, with only a handful like Claressa Shields even attempting the transition. So when it comes to predicting who truly hits harder—a boxer or a UFC fighter—it ultimately falls to the fans to settle the score. And with both camps boasting devastating knockout artists, the debate is more heated than ever.
UFC fighters take the win—but do they?
Hours after the Reddit post, hundreds of users had shared their thoughts on the matter. One user took shots at the UFC fighters. The user wrote, “UFC fighters are built like they have iron deficiencies.” However, not all boxers are fit either. Take Tyson Fury as an example. Despite that, he is one of the greatest boxers of his era.
The next user boasted about Chael Sonnen’s superiority over boxers. “We all know Chael Sonnen would smoke any of those boxers. The living GOAT,” the user commented. Yet, Sonnen has never won a title in the UFC or Bellator.
Another user seemingly said something too outrageous to be taken seriously. “Ben Askren would KO Floyd Patterson with 1 hand tied behind his back,” the user wrote. Not only was Askren knocked out by Jake Paul, but he is also best known for his grappling skills, not knockout power.
Someone else echoed the same sentiment. “Oh, for sure, the average UFC fighter hands down, no question. Any one of those fighters listed would sleep any of those boxers, no doubt,” the user commented. If that’s the case, a fight between George Foreman and Belal Muhammad would have been a sight to behold.
Meanwhile, this user seemed to be a big fan of Francis Ngannou. “Bro you don’t get it, Ngannou could f**k up any hw ‘champion’ 😤,” the user wrote. However, as one response to this comment explained, Anthony Joshua knocked out Ngannou in one of the more brutal knockouts last year.
That said, it appears most of the supporters of UFC fighters made sarcastic comments rather than present an actual opinion. Despite that, sarcasm or not, UFC fighters seem to have won the debate. But do you agree with it?
Claressa Shields honors Marcella Adams as a warrior
In 2016, Claressa Shields returned to the Olympics for a second time and, just like before, brought home the gold, making history as the first American boxer, male or female, to win back-to-back Olympic gold medals. The relationship with her mother also seems to have improved by this time, as she provided significant financial support, including buying her mother a house and two cars, and helping with bills.
Shields even celebrated her mother’s birthday in 2021, writing, “Happy bday to my mama! … So grateful that God loves me enough to bless me with 26 years with my mother & going.” Despite their improving relationship, Shields’ rising fame and success have caused their relationship to remain complex, even though Claressa Shields herself has never explicitly pointed it out. Regardless, on the occasion of Mother’s Day recently, Shields expressed her feelings about her mother.
“I didn’t have a perfect mother but I had the mother that I needed 🥹! She is a true soldier,” Shields wrote while sharing a couple of pictures.
That said, Claressa Shields’ relationship with her mother has seen its ups and downs, but today, they have reconciled their bond to celebrate a day every mother looks forward to. What do you think about Shields and her mother’s journey?