‘Not Joshua, Fury or Dubois – this is who has the hardest punch’ | Boxing | Sport

Heavyweight boxer Kevin Johnson tested himself against some of boxing’s most recognisable names during his lengthy career. The American, now 46, previously fought Anthony Joshua for the WBC international heavyweight title and also lost out to Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois on UK soil, but overlooked all three when it came to deciding who he believes has the hardest punch.

The honour doesn’t even go to Vitali Klitschko, who handed Johnson a first career defeat in a 2009 title bout. Instead it’s the Australian fighter Alex Leapai who gets the nod over all those household names. “Alex Leapai is the physically strongest boxer I have ever met in my life,” Johnson told Russian newspaper Sport Express. “Not only in a fight – I went back to Australia later, lived there for a while, and we sparred together every day. He is powerful.” The assessment is consistent with what Johnson previously told iFL TV. “The worst punch I ever felt was Alex Leapai. And I s**t you not it was harder than Vitali’s,” he said.

Johnson and Leapai met in the ring in Brisbane in 2012, with the former winning by TKO. At the time, Johnson had not been stopped by an opponent in nearly 30 bouts – a record which would stand until his TKO defeat to Joshua in 2015.

Leapai won 32 of his 44 career bouts, 26 of those by knockout. He came up short in a world title bout against Wladimir Kiltschko in 2014 and his final fight ended in defeat against Joseph Parker in 2019.

Johnson retired from boxing after losing to Joshua but returned to the ring in 2017. The American had already lost to Fury by unanimous decision in 2012 and his defeat to Dubois would come after his comeback.

Dubois, who faces Fabio Wardley this weekend, was just 21 at the time of the bout in Leicester but won on points to hand Johnson what was at the time a third defeat on the spin. The Greenwich-born fighter currently holds a 22-3 career record with 21 of his victories – including against Joshua in 2024 – coming via knockout.

Some doubts have been raised, though, with promoter Eddie Hearn hinting that defeat for Joshua against Kristian Prenga could prompt a change of plans. “There’s no doubt, and that’s the risk that we take,” he said.

“We know it’s dangerous, but if you can’t beat that guy then you don’t really deserve to be in a ring with Tyson Fury. I think with AJ that is a fair assessment and he understands that as well.”