It's almost like there's a difference between punching with a fist and cutting with a sword that makes the physical strength of an individual irrelevant to the task.
Doesn't make the physical strength of an individual irrelevant but having a meito definitely is an advantage.
For example, Sandai Kitetsu hasn't actually been chipped or broke against Kaido's Scales or else Zoro would've reacted to it.
Like seriously Sandai Kitetsu, a meito that doesn't even belong to the top 3 types of meito isn't actually breaking against Kaido's scales.
So ye having a meito definitely gives an advantage vs a fist. Not to say blades have more lethality than blunt attacks.