Not Joshua, Fury or Dubois – this is who has the | Boxing News

Heavyweight boxer Kevin Johnson examined himself against some of boxing’s most recognisable names during his prolonged profession. The American, now 46, beforehand fought Anthony Joshua for the WBC worldwide heavyweight title and also misplaced out to Tyson Fury and Daniel Dubois on UK soil, but ignored all three when it got here to deciding who he believes has the hardest punch.

The honour doesn’t even go to Vitali Klitschko, who handed Johnson a first profession defeat in a 2009 title bout. Instead it’s the Australian fighter Alex Leapai who will get the nod over all those family names. “Alex Leapai is the bodily strongest boxer I’ve 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 is harmful, but if you’ll be able to’t beat that man then you do not actually deserve to be in a ring with Tyson Fury. I believe with AJ that is a truthful evaluation and he understands that as effectively.”