Fight fans have long adored the concussive, one-punch pugilist, one who is able to end a fight in the blink of an eye.
Throughout the ages boxing has been littered with such formidable characters from the lowest weight classes all the way up to the heaviest. Names such as Ernie Shavers, Mike Tyson, Julian Jackson, George Foreman, Bob Foster, Tommy Hearns, Sandy Saddler, Archie Moore, Rocky Marciano and many more have acquired enviable reputations as some of the sport’s most feared hitters.
Here, find the top10 hardest punchers in boxing according to BoxNation.
(You can compare it to our previous popular round-up of the top 10 hardest hitters in the sport).
1. Adonis Stevenson (23-1, 20 KOs)
No better place to start than the man who fights this Saturday night. His reputation as boxing’s biggest puncher has risen considerably after enjoying a memorable 2013, which saw him blast his way past Chad Dawson in the first round to capture the WBC light-heavyweight crown.
The brutal stoppage of Dawson was followed by wins against Tavoris Cloud and Tony Bellew, which has seen the southpaw stop his last 10 opponents, whilst amassing a record of 20 knockouts in his 23 wins.
He recently declared himself ‘the Mike Tyson of the light-heavyweights’, with the punching power he possesses you’ll find few who will argue.
2. Deontay Wilder (31-0, 31 KOs)
Known as ‘The Bronze Bomber’, his record of having knocked out all who stand before him speaks for itself. Heavyweight Wilder is making huge impressions on a division that is hoping to restore itself as boxing’s glamour weight class.
Some critics have questioned the level of competition that the 6ft 7inch Alabama bruiser has been in with, but you can only face what is put in front of you, and next up for the heavyweight ace is likely to be a stab at Bermane Stiverne’s WBC heavyweight title.
Wilder’s only made it as far as the fourth round on one occasion and will be hoping he can prove he’s the real deal by putting the heavyweight division’s very best to sleep.
3. Gennady Golovkin (29-0, 26 KOs)
The Kazakhstani kingpin is earning a reputation as boxing’s most feared combatant. Having captured the WBA middleweight title in 2010 against Nilson Julio Tapia by third round knockout, ‘Triple G (GGG)’ has seen his stock rise considerably to the point where it’s getting hard to find him any worthy opponents.
This in a division which boasts other notable names such as Sergio Martinez, Peter Quillin, Felix Sturm and Britain’s Martin Murray.
With nearly a 90% knockout record it’s clear to see why Golovkin would be last on anyone’s list as a potential foe.
4. Sergey Kovalev (24-0-1, 22 KOs)
The current WBO light-heavyweight champion currently ranks alongside Adonis Stevenson and the veteran Bernard Hopkins as the top dogs at 175 pounds.
The 6ft chiselled Russian rarely breaks into a smile, instead preferring to break jaws with an incredible 22 knockouts in his 24 victories.
A potential matchup between the two KO kings, Kovalev and Stevenson, has yet to materialise but his impressive victory over Nathan Cleverly to claim his first world title away from home shows nothing fazes this steely Russian assassin.
5. Keith Thurman (23-0, 21 KOs)
Keith ‘One Time’ Thurman earned his moniker due to his one-punch knockout power. The Floridian is quickly emerging as a real star of a stacked welterweight division which contains boxing’s biggest names including Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao.
His recent outing’s have seen him hammer his way past respected names like Jesus Soto Karass and Julio Diaz, to take his record to 23 wins with 21 knockouts.
He stands on the verge of a shot at the world title at some point this year, with some predicting, with his slick boxing skills and devastating power, he will be the man to go on to take away Mayweather’s famous ‘O’.
6. Lucas Matthysse (35-3, 31 KOs)
Up until his recent closely fought battle with unified light-welterweight world champion Danny Garcia, ‘The Machine’ was regarded as the man on the threshold of reigning supreme over the 140 pound division.
His incredible run of victories prior to the Garcia fight had seen him run through a host of top names including Lamont Peterson, Mike Dallas Jr and Olusegun Ajose.
A rematch may be on the cards with Garcia if the champion decides to stay at light-welterweight, but nevertheless, with 33 knockouts in his 35 wins there will be a few restless nights for anyone going in against the ferocious Argentine.
7. Randall Bailey (44-8, 37 KOs)
As a three-time world champion in two weight divisions, his nickname ‘The Knockout King’ says it all. His most recent world title victory came against the respected welterweight champion Mike Jones in June 2012.
Behind on all three judges’ scorecards the American hitter needed a knockout to win. He duly obliged with a straight right down the middle in the tenth round which floored Jones, before ending the fight with a vicious uppercut at the close of round 11 that left the champion all over the place and unable to recover.
Tellingly, Jones hasn’t fought since the loss, and they say a fighter’s last thing to go is his power and at 39 Bailey will give anyone a run for their money.
8. Marcos Maidana (35-4, 31 KOs)
Hot off a valiant display against Floyd Mayweather, the Argentine Maidana showed that he was able to make up for his lack of technical skills by out hustling and using his power to trouble the pound-for-pound king.
Mayweather was well aware of ‘El Chino’s’ 31 knockouts in his 35 wins but after once being described by former champion Kevin Kelly as having hit ‘like a building fell on top of me’, his punching power alone has probably earned the undying respect of boxing’s number one star.
9. Jhonny Gonzalez (55-8, 47 KOs)
No matter the circumstances, if you can punch you always have a chance. Unfancied against one of boxing’s upcoming stars in Abner Mares, the Mexican featherweight never read the script when he decked the WBC champion twice in the first round.
With 46 knockouts in 54 victories before they met, Mares knew he was going in with a live wire but was unable to deal with Gonzalez’s fists of fury. A rematch was scheduled before Mares pulled out due to a rib injury, leaving Gonzalez set to face Clive Atwell next.
10. Wladimir Klitschko (62-3, 52 KOs)
With his sibling Vitali hanging up the gloves, and pursuing a career in politics, the younger Klitschko brother will be the one to fly the flag and continue the Klitschko domination of the heavyweight division.
At times the brothers have not got their due respect, but as the WBA, IBF, WBO and Ring Magazine heavyweight world champion and with a record of 52 knockouts in his 62 wins, Wladimir is undoubtedly one of the heaviest hitters around.
A fight with the unbeaten Kubrat Pulev is set to be next up for him, before a potential unification clash with WBC champion Bermane Stiverne.
