As 2022 comes to a close, so too do the applications for the knockout of the year.
Cruiserweight prospect Tommy Fletcher has managed to make himself a late candidate, as he stopped Jiri Krejcl on the undercard of the Zach Parker vs John Ryder card.
The 20-year-old, who is trained by Mark Tibbs, landed an uppercut to send Krejcl to the canvas, securing a third-round knockout and moving to 3-0 as a professional with a 100% knockout ratio.
That is a 𝙈𝘼𝙎𝙎𝙄𝙑𝙀 shot!@tommyfletcher0 catches Jiri Krejci with knock out blow 💥
3-0 for Tommy Fletcher ✨#Fightnightpic.twitter.com/nRrk679beZ
— Boxing on BT Sport 🥊 (@BTSportBoxing) November 26, 2022
A southpaw at six-foot-seven, just two inches shorter than heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, Fletcher is sure to cause problems in the 205lb division and has now shown he has the one-punch knockout power that could take him far.
Other candidates for the award may include another Brit, in the form of Leigh Wood, who brutally sent Michael Conlan flying into the ropes in the final round of their bout in March. The stoppage marked a dramatic win for Wood in front of his home crowd in Nottingham, and could also be a candidate for fight of the year.
In June, bantamweight phenomenon Naoya Inoue destroyed Nonito Donaire in the second round of their rematch after a relatively close first fight. The stoppage was a real statement to the rest of the division, where Inoue is recognised worldwide as the best by some margin.
Whilst there will be a variety of other candidates for the prestigious Ring Magazine Knockout of the Year award, Fletcher’s recent stoppage could well be in the conversation and is certainly the most eye-catching moment of his career thus far.
If they hadn’t already, fans have marked him as one to watch in the future.