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Bigger muscles don't mean more power. I think that the true hitters of the past hit every bit as hard and not more and I think it's because of how they trained. I think that that power comes from a variety of planes and I think the old training methods were more conducive to a wider range of motion.
Power comes from strength, of course, but I believe that strength comes in third, behind speed and crispness of punching. All the strength in the world means little if you can't land the punch. I doubt if anyone on this board hasn't heard that the punch that kills you is the one you can SEE coming.
I'm sure the Klitschko's are physically stronger than Joe Louis or Jack Dempsey, if it would come to who can put up more weight; but neither of them can hit as hard (in boxing terms) as Louis or Dempsey because neither of those giants have the snap and the speed behind their punches.
Tyson was so devastating, not just because he was physically strong but because he hit so quickly and in combinations.
Are there exceptions? Sure, George Foreman comes to mind. However, in general, I'm not ready to sell out the old timers just because they weren't cut in all the right places.
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