When it comes to heavyweight boxing, few debates spark as much fire as the question: who packs the most devastating punch? Tyson Fury, never one to duck a big topic or a big opponent, recently weighed in with his trademark candor. After sharing the ring with both Deontay Wilder and Francis Ngannou, two men famed for their knockout power, Fury didn't hesitate to set the record straight.
Tyson Fury has never been shy about sharing his thoughts, and this time, he's weighing in on a debate that's rumbled ever since he stepped in the ring with two of the heavyweight division's most fearsome punchers: Deontay Wilder and Francis Ngannou.
Asked who hit harder, Fury didn't mince words. Speaking in an interview with The Stomping Ground, he explained:
"Deontay, by far. Francis Ngannou is a big puncher, but I didn't really, I wasn't really troubled by any of his punches. It wasn't like, 'Oh, he was dynamite.' Every time he hit me, I was wobbled or anything. No, just one shot up the back of the head and that was it. So, Wilder is still the biggest puncher I've ever been in the ring with, by a mile."
For those just tuning in, Tyson Fury is Britain's heavyweight boxing kingpin, known as much for his ring skills as his knack for grabbing headlines. He's a two-time heavyweight world champion and, as of 2025, still sits near the top of the division.
Deontay Wilder, hailing from Alabama, USA built his reputation on one thing: knockout power. He held the WBC heavyweight title from 2015 to 2020 and became a household name thanks to his trilogy with Tyson Fury. Those three fights, which ran from 2018 to 2021, were packed with drama and knockdowns, but it was Fury who had the last word, stopping Wilder in their third bout.
Francis Ngannou, meanwhile, made his name in the UFC as a heavyweight champion with a punch that could rattle the rafters. After leaving mixed martial arts, he tried his hand at boxing and faced Tyson Fury in a much-hyped crossover bout in 2023. Ngannou showed he could hang with a world-class boxer, but Fury's experience won out in a unanimous decision.
Today, Wilder is still in the mix, looking to rebuild and chase another shot at the heavyweight crown. Ngannou, now fully focused on boxing, is training for what's next, his eyes set on making waves outside the UFC with the PFL. And Fury? After consecutive losses to Oleksandr Usyk, Tyson Fury has announced retirement, but is in talks to face British boxing star Anthony Joshua.
The final word from the Gypsy King himself? Despite Francis Ngannou's thunderous reputation, it's Deontay Wilder's fists that Fury remembers most. Whether it's in the boxing ring or the world of MMA crossovers, the debate over the hardest hitter is sure to keep fans talking. But for now, in Tyson Fury's eyes, Wilder's punch is still the one to beat.