Most Competitive Punchcounts

1. Lennox Lewis vs. Ray Mercer (1996) - In this action-packed battle of heavyweight contenders, I counted 99 landed punches for each fighter. It's one of only two ties in all the fights I've counted punches for. Lewis emerged victorious after 10 rounds with a majority decision, but Mercer certainly made a good case for himself as the winner in what was perhaps the most impressive performance of his career. Lewis: 99 Mercer: 99

2. Floyd Patterson vs. Ingemar Johansson (1961) - This third and final battle between Patterson and Johansson gave both men the opportunity to showcase their skills. Johansson used a strong jab and a powerful right to keep himself in the fight, while Patterson used superior speed and powerful hooks to wear Johansson down. After 5 rounds of back-and-forth action, Patterson closed the show in the 6th, retaining his title and ending Johansson's tenure as an elite heavyweight. Patterson: 61 Johansson: 61

3. George Foreman vs. Alex Stewart (1992) - This unexpected classic resulted from Foreman's relative lack of respect for an underrated Alex Stewart. After flooring Stewart twice in the 2nd round, Foreman appeared to be cruising to a victory. However, Stewart regained his balance, and his confidence, and proceeded to pepper George with jabs and rights. Foreman's jab remained consistent, landing 101 times over 10 rounds. But Stewart landed 78 jabs of his own, combined with 38 rights (to Foreman's 12). After 10 rounds, with both fighter's bleeding profusely and Foreman's face reduced to a swollen mask, Foreman was awarded a majority decision. Stewart: 131 Foreman: 127

4. Ken Norton vs. Larry Holmes (1978) - What a great, great fight this is. What makes it especially interesting is the fact that the fight goes from a relatively tactical battle in the first several rounds to a toe-to-toe slugfest down the stretch. Rounds 13-15 are simply unbelievable, but the relative caution in the early going keeps their total number of landed punches from competing with history's greatest. After 15 rounds, I counted: Norton: 198 Holmes: 191. However, it was Holmes who got the nod by split decision, capturing the WBC Title.

5. Rocky Marciano vs. Jersey Joe Walcott (1952) - This black-and-white classic is an intensely competitive battle between two skilled heavyweights. Walcott turns in perhaps the last great performance of his impressive career, holding off the brave challenge of Marciano (and perhaps heading for a victory on the scorecards) before getting nailed with a right hand in the 13th round. In watching this fight for the first time only months ago, I was surprised that Marciano wasn't further behind on the punchcount, as he is often referred to as being "behind on points." At the fight's conclusion in the 13th round, I counted: Marciano: 94 Walcott: 91

6. Larry Holmes vs. Tim Witherspoon (1983) - Holmes' title defense against Witherspoon pits two of the most skilled boxers of the 1980s against each other. What a shame there was no rematch. The two fighters boxed as near mirror images of each other at times, with Holmes landing slightly more jabs (40 to 31) and rights (41 to 27). However, Witherspoon's advantages with hooks (19 to 6) and body shots (25 to 11) kept him in the fight to the finish. After 12 rounds, Holmes was awarded a split decision. I counted: Witherspoon: 102 Holmes: 98