Junior Fa has traded blows with Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua, but he admits the freakish Deontay Wilder punches harder than both. The New Zealand-born brawler turned pro in 2016 and won 19 consecutive fights to start his career. His first loss came against former WBO champion Joseph Parker in 2021, and he hung up his gloves in 2024.
Amateur and Sparring Experience
Before entering the pro ranks, Fa brawled with then-amateur Usyk in a 2013 World Series of Boxing tournament, losing over five rounds by unanimous decision. He also sparred with Joshua for the British Lionhearts. However, when it comes to raw power, Fa says neither of these world champion fighters can lace Wilder's gloves.
Working with Wilder
The 36-year-old worked with Wilder across three separate training camps, including before two of his fights with Tyson Fury. Asked who the most powerful puncher he's traded blows with is, Fa exclusively told Mirror Sport: 'Definitely Deontay Wilder. There's a reason why he's called the Bronze Bomber.'
'He's scored so many knockouts. I remember he jabbed me one time and I was like, 'What the?' I kept thinking he had something in his glove. I was like, 'Dude, what the?' He's a very, very hard puncher.'
Usyk's Power and Greatness
Usyk, who is in action this weekend against kickboxing legend Rico Verhoeven, doesn't rank near the top of the hardest punchers Fa has faced. But that doesn't mean he isn't the greatest fighter. 'Not very high at all to be completely honest,' said Fa when asked where Usyk's power ranks among his past opponents. 'It's just his ability to break you down and land a clean shot.'
'To basically score a knockout, you don't have to force it. The punch that knocks you out is the one that you don't see. That's what he kind of gets. Sometimes when he gets his knockouts in fights, it's usually in the later rounds when the guy is turning fatigued and he just completely didn't see it coming, just the way he knocked out Daniel Dubois.'
'When he stepped over to the left, Dubois committed to the right and then just as he turned around, boom, he got whacked. It's more of his precision and just his ability and focus throughout the whole fight that really makes him dangerous. But in terms of just power alone he's not really the biggest puncher in the heavyweight division or in cruiserweight. But I think that kind of speaks more to his greatness, right?'
'This guy is the best person I've ever been in the ring with. I've never boxed, fought, or sparred anyone like Usyk. He's not a knockout artist, but he's still whooping everyone's butt.'
