By Matt Bozeat
50) MICHAEL BENTT v TOMMY MORRISON
October 29, 1993
Morrison determined beating up Michael Bentt can be a great way to sharpen his instruments earlier than preventing Lennox Lewis for his heavyweight belts. The opening minute went as deliberate with Bentt being dazed and pushed to the ropes. The second Morrison stopped punching, nonetheless, Bentt hit him again with a proper to the chin and the struggle modified. Morrison was surprised and Bentt went on to drop him thrice and cease him in 93 seconds.
49) MIKE TYSON v REGGIE GROSS
June 13, 1986
Gross threw the kitchen sink at Tyson in the opening spherical. He landed a punch after which opened up, aiming 20 punches at Tyson, touchdown a pair, however lacking most as Tyson twisted his higher physique a technique then the opposite. Gross paused for a break up second earlier than throwing his subsequent one and Tyson pounced. He wanted just one punch, a left hook. Gross landed on his again, obtained up and was dropped once more earlier than it was waved off.
48) CHARLEY MITCHELL v JOHN L SULLIVAN
May 14, 1883
As Sullivan remembered in his autobiography, Mitchell was despatched from England – Birmingham to be precise – “to knock out the Boston giant.”
Mitchell did the unthinkable in the primary and put Sullivan on the canvas with what was described as “a short right hand to the face.” Sullivan would all the time insist he had been caught off steadiness and stated he “got up immediately and went at him like a bull at a red rag.” Officials jumped into the ring to drag Sullivan off Mitchell in the third.
47) TYSON FURY v DILLIAN WHYTE
April 23, 2022
There have been 94,000 followers at Wembley Stadium and Fury gave them the exclamation mark end they wished by detonating a proper uppercut on Whyte’s chin in the sixth.
Whyte obtained up on very shaky legs and referee Mark Lyson agreed with Fury that the struggle needed to be stopped.
46) SUGAR RAY LEONARD v MARVIN HAGLER
April 6, 1987
Seven years earlier, Leonard had wound up a bolo punch towards Roberto Duran in their rematch and never thrown it.
Against Hagler, he let it go in the fourth spherical. The proper uppercut appeared to land a shade low, however there have been no complaints from Hagler. He was extra vocal on the finish, after two of the judges scored for Leonard.
45) ROBERTO DURAN v KEN BUCHANAN
June 26, 1972
The document books ought to actually state that Buchanan saved his WBA light-weight championship at Madison Square. Duran actually ought to have been disqualified for driving a proper into the Scot’s groin after the bell to finish the thirteenth spherical. Such was his ache, Buchanan needed to be half carried again to his nook, however Duran went unpunished by referee Johnny LoBianco and Buchanan misplaced his world title as a result of he was unable to proceed. “Every time I think of Duran,” Buchanan stated later, “my balls hurt.”
44) FLOYD MAYWEATHER v JUAN MANUEL MARQUEZ
(*50*) 19, 2009
Out of the ring for 21 months, Mayweather quickly obtained his boxing mind working once more. Marquez determined the easiest way to take care of the laborious stabs Mayweather aimed toward his physique was to deflect them together with his proper arm. Mayweather seen and, in the second, he formed to jab on the Mexican’s physique after which turned his punch right into a left hook at his jaw. The punch linked, sending Marquez to the canvas for a brief depend. Mayweather went on to win on factors.
43) NAOYA INOUE v NONITO DONAIRE
November 7, 2019
Only Donaire is aware of how he obtained up after Inoue ripped a left hook into his liver in the 11th spherical of 2019’s greatest struggle. Donaire took a few steps again hoping the ache would ease – and it didn’t. He went down for 9 and ¾ and went on to lose on factors.
42) DEONTAY WILDER v TYSON FURY
December 1, 2018
Wilder spent all night time looking for Fury’s chin together with his proper hand. When he linked in the 12th spherical, Fury landed flat on his again, taking a left hook on his solution to the canvas. The struggle wasn’t over. Rather, one of many nice rounds in heavyweight history was about to ignite. Fury received the remainder of the spherical and was then denied victory on the scorecards, Wilder holding his belt with a draw.
41) SUGAR RAY LEONARD v ROBERTO DURAN
November 25, 1980
Five months after brawling with Duran and shedding on factors, Leonard took a special method to the rematch.
This time, he would field Duran and he discovered it suited him higher.
Leonard began to toy with ‘Hands of Stone’ in the seventh. He wound his proper arm spherical and spherical like a windmill, however relatively than land the bolo punch as instructed, Leonard caught a quick left jab in Duran’s face.
Duran was humiliated and the next spherical, he turned away and refused to hold on preventing.
40) RICKY HATTON v KOSTYA TSZYU
June 4, 2005
Hatton had been placed on his knees in the seventh by a low blow and was given time to get well from one other in the ninth. Referee Dave Parris waved them collectively and Hatton fired a left hand to the champion’s groin, leaving him on the ground in agony. “It was very important,” recalled Hatton. “I didn’t want to show any weakness.” He battered Tszyu all through the tenth and 11th and he didn’t come out for the final.
39) MICKY WARD v ARTURO GATTI
May 18, 2002
Say ‘Round Nine’ to any boxing fan and they’ll know the topic is the primary Ward-Gatti struggle.
After ending the eighth beneath hearth, Gatti was dropped early in the subsequent by a left hook to the liver, Ward’s trademark punch. It was the catalyst for one of many best rounds in history. Gatti obtained up, survived the following onslaught earlier than mounting his personal. The ultimate twist in an unforgettable three minutes got here when Ward landed a proper hand to Gatti’s jaw.
38) BERNARD HOPKINS v OSCAR DE LA HOYA
(*50*) 18, 2004
“He caught me right on the button,” was how de la Hoya described the quick left hook to the physique that left him writhing in agony on the canvas in the ninth spherical in Las Vegas. “Believe me, I tried getting up, but I couldn’t.” Some nonetheless don’t consider him to this present day.
37) LENNOX LEWIS v MIKE TYSON
June 8, 2002
Lewis waited years to get his palms on Tyson and once they lastly met, he outboxed him, beat him up after which laid him out with a sweeping proper hand in the eighth spherical.
36) DONALD CURRY v MILTON McCRORY
December 6, 1985
The argument over who was the world’s greatest welterweight was successfully ended when Curry landed an excellent left hook on McCrory’s chin halfway by means of the second spherical, sweeping him off his toes and taking his senses. McCrory obtained up however Curry wanted just one extra punch, a proper hand to the jaw.
35) FRANK BRUNO v MIKE TYSON
February 25, 1989
The punch that obtained a nation out of their seats. On the 25th anniversary of Cassius Clay gorgeous Sonny Liston, Bruno confronted comparable odds in Las Vegas. There was some huge cash wager on Bruno not lasting a spherical and it appeared an honest funding after Tyson dropped him in the opening seconds. Bruno obtained up, held on so desperately he was docked a degree after which punched with Tyson, touchdown a left hook that buzzed the champion. “He’s hurt Tyson!” screamed BBC commentator Harry Carpenter. “Get in there Frank!”
34) JOE CALZAGHE v CHRIS EUBANK
October 11, 1997
Eubank was having his 22nd world-title struggle, Calzaghe his 23rd professional struggle.
Was the Welshman prepared? He took all of 20 seconds to reply. Calzaghe banged the Brighton eccentric with a southpaw left, sending him to the canvas for less than the fifth time in his 49-fight profession. Eubank shortly scrambled to his toes, appeared over at Calzaghe and nodded in appreciation. “I remember thinking: ‘It looks like a long night,’” stated Joe, who went on to win on factors.
33) RICKY HATTON v JOSE LUIS CASTILLO
June 23, 2007
“I moved him into position and got all my weight behind it,” remembered Hatton of his fourth-round, physique shot KO. “If he’d have got up, I’d have jumped out!”
32) BARRY McGUIGAN v EUSEBIO PEDROZA
June 8, 1985
Pedroza was making his 20th defence of his WBA featherweight title and McGuigan tore into him. In the seventh, McGuigan discovered the Panamanian’s jaw with a sweeping proper and dropped him. “That was the moment when I knew the fight was mine,” stated McGuigan. “That only doing something absolutely stupid would stop me from winning the title.”
McGuigan saved himself collectively and received on factors over 15 rounds.
31) TEOFILO STEVENSON v DUANE BOBICK
(*50*) 5, 1972
THE sight of American hope Bobick hugging the canvas after 20-year-old Cuban Stevenson dropped him with a protracted proper signalled the beginning of a brand new period in beginner boxing. Bobick had received his earlier 60 bouts – together with a victory over Stevenson on the earlier yr’s Panamerican Games – however the Cuban flattened him in Munich on his solution to the primary of three Olympic golds.
30) OLIVER MCCALL v LENNOX LEWIS
(*50*) 24, 1994
The bookmakers had McCall at a protracted 5/1 and Lewis obtained careless, wandering into the trail of a right-hand haymaker that replays confirmed McCall slung together with his eyes closed. The consequence was stunning. Lewis went down and although he struggled to his toes, he was shaky and the referee waved the struggle off. It taught Lewis, who joined Emanuel Steward afterwards, a invaluable lesson.
29) SERGIO MARTINEZ v PAUL WILLIAMS II
November 20, 2011
Martinez and Williams each put every little thing into their very own southpaw left palms. Only Martinez’s hit the goal. Williams was overheard saying to paramedics minutes after he had been peeled off the canvas: “I got hit by a punch?”
28) THOMAS HEARNS v ROBERTO DURAN
June 15, 1984
In 82 earlier fights, Duran had solely been dropped as soon as, by Esteban De Jesus greater than a decade earlier than he went toe to toe with ‘The Hitman.’ Hearns had him down twice in the primary and completed ‘Hands of Stone’ with a proper to the jaw in the second that left him flat on his face.
27) JULIAN JACKSON v HEROL GRAHAM
November 24, 1990
Graham’s identify will perpetually function in lists of greatest British fighters to by no means win a world title.
Blame Julian Jackson’s proper hand for that. Graham was properly on the best way to beating the Virgin Islander for the vacant WBC middleweight title earlier than having his lights turned out in one of many most well-known finishes of all time.
26) ANDY RUIZ v ANTHONY JOSHUA
June 1, 2019
There are those that say that, greater than 4 years on, Joshua nonetheless hasn’t recovered from the punch Ruiz landed in the third spherical.
AJ dropped him for ‘six’ and when he went for the end, Ruiz punched with him. Ruiz discovered his temple with a left hook that modified the struggle and surprised all inside Madison Square Garden. Joshua misplaced management of his legs and by no means recovered. Ruiz dropped him three extra occasions earlier than the seventh-round end.
25) TONY GALENTO v JOE LOUIS
June 28, 1939
Short, fats and balding ‘Two Ton Tony’ – given his nickname in recognition of his day job as an iceman – put all his weight right into a third-round left hook and it linked with a shocking shot that awoke the champion – however not earlier than flooring him.
Legend has it, ringsiders claimed Louis’ toes left the ground earlier than he landed. He was up shortly – earlier than the referee had even began to depend – and went on to punish Galento and cease him in the subsequent.
24) ANTHONY JOSHUA v WLADIMIR KLITSCHKO
April 29, 2017
After flooring Klitschko in the fifth after which discovering himself on the deck himself in the sixth, Joshua wanted one thing particular to regain management after shedding his manner in rounds seven and eight.
In the 11th, Joshua missed with a proper after which a left hook in the eleventh.
The solely punch he may throw subsequent was a proper uppercut – and it landed, cinematically and with great power, knocking him dizzy. It was the shot that each one however ended the struggle.
23) JOE LOUIS v BILLY CONN
June 18, 1941
The directions to Louis from his nook earlier than the 13th spherical have been simple sufficient. He needed to knock out Conn to maintain his world heavyweight championship. He discovered the punch he was in search of after two minutes of the spherical, a proper uppercut staggering Conn. This time, Conn couldn’t discover a response and Louis saved punching to drop him for the total depend.
22) JAMES TONEY v MICHAEL NUNN
May 10, 1991
Nunn was 36-0 and heading for a superfight with Sugar Ray Leonard after they exchanged phrases in a nightclub. After 10 rounds, Nunn was properly on the best way to beating Toney, main by eight, six and 4 rounds on the judges’ scorecards. In the 11th, Toney crashed a left hook off Nunn’s jaw, dropping him closely. Nunn one way or the other dragged himself up however was quickly dropped once more and stopped.
21) JOE LOUIS v MAX SCHMELING
June 22, 1938
The deciding punch in their first struggle two years earlier had been Schmeling’s proper hand. He dropped Louis in the fourth with it and went on to cease him in the 12th. They met once more with Louis the champion and the world on the point of War. Louis edged Schmeling again to the ropes and smashed a proper off his jaw that had the German reaching for the highest rope to remain on his toes. Schmeling held on to the rope together with his again turned to Louis – and the champion saved punching. In the top, one of many most anticipated fights of all of them lasted simply 124 seconds.
20) GEORGE GROVES v CARL FROCH
November 23, 2013
Groves spent the weeks earlier than the struggle teasing the proud champion and even warning Froch he can be on the improper finish of a proper hand in the opening spherical.
That’s precisely what occurred – and to the bewilderment of ringsiders, the rock-chinned Froch went down closely. That one shot was largely accountable for one among British boxing history’s most fierce rivalries.
19) MUHAMMAD ALI v SONNY LISTON
May 25, 1965
ARGUABLY the most well-known punch of all time was referred to as by referee Jersey Joe Walcott as “one of the most devastating punches I’ve ever seen.” Yet it is going to perpetually be referred to as the ‘phantom punch’ as a result of few in the sector noticed it land. Even replays immediately don’t again up Walcott’s view. No matter, regardless of the reality, the shot that Ali landed on Liston was adopted by the most iconic picture in history, because the champion screamed for the fallen former king to rise up.
18) JULIO CESAR CHAVEZ v MELDRICK TAYLOR
March 17, 1990
After 68 wins, the Mexican legend discovered himself seconds away from defeat. Going into the final, Taylor led by 5 and 7 level leads on two of the judges’ scorecards. His nostril and mouth have been bloodied and there was harm round each eyes, but when stayed on his toes for 3 minutes, Taylor would win. With 17 seconds to go, Chavez smashed him to the canvas with a proper to the jaw. With two seconds to go, the struggle was over.
17) MARVIN HAGLER v THOMAS HEARNS
April 15, 1985
After the most well-known opening spherical of all of them, Hagler was left with a lower on his brow that was widened in the third by Hearns’ jab. Referee Richard Steele stopped the struggle and requested the physician to take a look at the harm. Upon resumption, Hagler smashed a savage proper off his rival’s cheek that left Hearns defenceless. Two blows later, it was throughout.
16) BOB FITZSIMMONS v JAMES J CORBETT
March 17, 1897
Fitzsimmons survived a sixth-round knockdown and began to get on prime. In the 13th spherical, Fitzsimmons landed a proper hand to Corbett’s jaw after which formed to throw one other. Corbett introduced his palms up, leaving his physique uncovered and Fitzsimmons drove a brief left into the hole. “How do you like the view from there, you son-of-a-bitch?” Bob reportedly snorted at Corbett as he scrambled for air.
15) LENNOX LEWIS V DONOVAN ‘RAZOR’ RUDDOCK
October 31, 1992
“Every time Ruddock threw a jab to the body, he would leave his head exposed, just for a split second, to a right hand,” recalled Lewis of his pre-fight homework. In the primary spherical, Lewis took intention on the uncovered head of Ruddock and dropped him closely. The Briton went on to change into the main heavyweight of the last decade.
14) DANNY WILLIAMS v MARK POTTER
October 21, 2000
With his proper arm all however ineffective and hanging by his aspect as a result of a shoulder harm, Williams – behind on factors – wanted a miracle towards Potter. It got here in the sixth when a left uppercut despatched Potter crashing. The shot dramatically modified the course of the competition that noticed Williams declare the British heavyweight title.
13) IRAN BARKLEY v THOMAS HEARNS
June 6, 1988
FOR six minutes, Hearns punished enormous underdog Barkley, leaving him lower beneath his left eyebrow and his mouth dripping blood. In the third, Barkley lashed out desperately with a proper hand. Hearns, pondering he was on the point of victory himself, moved into the trail of the punch, heightening the impact. The struggle was nearly as good as over.
12) JORGE CASTRO v JOHN DAVID JACKSON
December 12, 1994
Referee Stanley Christodoulou was on the point of rescuing Castro after he’d taken a pounding for eight rounds and two minutes that left him bloodied and swollen. Then what Castro referred to as ‘The Hand of God’ got here to his rescue. Castro swung a proper that missed by inches, got here again with a left – and Jackson hit the canvas. Castro dropped him twice extra and it was over.
11) EARNIE SHAVERS v LARRY HOLMES
(*50*) 28, 1979
One of the defining moments in Holmes’ profession got here after Shavers smashed him on the jaw with a proper hand piledriver in the seventh. The champion, who had outpointed Shavers 18 months earlier, dropped closely. He one way or the other obtained up and went on to win in the 11th. It stays one of many most gorgeous recoveries of all of them.
10) SUGAR RAY ROBINSON v GENE FULLMER II
May 1, 1957
Outhustled over 15 rounds once they met 4 months earlier, Robinson had spent weeks practising tips on how to arrange the ‘perfect punch’. That left hook, that took Fullmer out in spherical 5, stays a factor of magnificence virtually 70 years later.
9) FLOYD MAYWEATHER v RICKY HATTON
December 8, 2007
The punch that broke 1000’s of Briton’s hearts got here in spherical 10 of Hatton’s problem to the sensible Mayweather in Las Vegas. Behind on factors and operating out of time, Hatton noticed Mayweather close to a nook and jumped in. Mayweather noticed it coming, swerved out of its path and clipped Hatton’s jaw with a test left hook, sending him hurtling head-first into the nook publish.
8) STANLEY KETCHEL v JACK JOHNSON
October 16, 2009
The story goes that Johnson and Ketchel – world champions at heavyweight and middleweight respectively – agreed between themselves that their struggle would final the total 20 rounds.
Suddenly, in the 12th, the spectators have been on their toes as a result of Johnson wasn’t after Ketchel swung a stunning proper that crashed onto the enormous’s jaw. Johnson obtained up and ended the struggle with a proper of his personal.
Ketchel can be forgiven and invited to assist Johnson put together for his struggle with James J Jeffries the next yr.
7) LUIS FIRPO v JACK DEMPSEY
(*50*) 14, 1923
The Ring Magazine referred to as it “the most famous moment in sports.” It was the second Dempsey – after exchanging 9 knockdowns with Firpo – was smashed out of the ring in entrance of 83,000 followers at New York’s Polo Grounds. Dempsey was helped again into the ring by reporters and was on his toes and able to keep it up preventing on the depend of ‘nine.’
Dempsey went on to knock out Firpo in the second.
6) GEORGE FOREMAN v JOE FRAZIER
January 22, 1973
The sixth – and ultimate – knockdown is one among boxing’s most well-known as a result of it briefly despatched Frazier, deemed near invincible solely 10 minutes earlier than, into orbit. Foreman had the groggy Frazier on the ropes and smashed him with a pair of left hooks that lined him up for a scything proper hook-cum-uppercut. Frazier skipped away and each his toes briefly left the canvas earlier than he landed on one knee.
5) ROCKY MARCIANO v JERSEY JOE WALCOTT
(*50*) 23, 1952
‘The Suzie Q’ is a dance and it was additionally the nickname given to Marciano’s right-hand punch. The identify was the concept of his coach Charley Goodman, a former professional bantamweight who claimed to have had greater than 400 fights. In spherical 13 and forward on factors, Walcott loaded up on a proper hand of his personal – however Marciano’s obtained there first.
4) GEORGE FOREMAN v MICHAEL MOORER
November 5, 1994
At the age of 45 and having misplaced most of the earlier 9 rounds, it appeared just like the profession of Foreman had – at most – solely three extra rounds to run as he answered the bell for the tenth towards Moorer. Yet George had been plotting one thing spectacular and so it proved as he positioned the a lot youthful heavyweight champion into place and knocked him chilly with one swing of his famed proper hand.
3) JOE FRAZIER v MUHAMMAD ALI
March 8, 1971
Frazier remembered of the left hook that confirmed his victory in The Fight of the Century: “As he stepped toward me, I dipped down and let fly another left, leaving my feet to throw a looping shot that landed against the right side of his face and sent Clay [Ali] onto the seat of his trunks. It was not a killer shot, but it landed right on the button, on a very worn-out man.”
2) DIEGO CORRALES v JOSE LUIS CASTILLO
May 7, 2005
This ferocious two-way battle swung this fashion and that for the primary 9 rounds till, in the tenth, Castillo twice dropped the exhausted Corrales in the tenth. What adopted remains to be scarcely plausible and the punch that triggered arguably the best comeback of all of them – a blazing left hook from Corrales – one of many most dramatic and surprising in fight sports activities history.
1) HENRY COOPER v CASSIUS CLAY
June 18, 1963
“From the moment the match was made we fancied our chances of landing the left hook,” revealed Cooper years after the struggle. “He had a hands-down style that left his chin unguarded and throughout training we practised feinting with our right and then whipping over the left hook.”
Bleeding profusely and seemingly about to be stopped, Cooper landed that left hook on the finish of the fourth spherical.
The relaxation is history. Clay beat the depend and went on to change into the most influential – and arguably best – boxer of all of them.
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