10. Keith Thurman
The undefeated Floridian banger who admits that he hates going the distance may have been extended in recent outings vs top tier opposition but ‘One Time’ still makes this cut.
Keith’s reputation and cherished identity as a puncher somewhat detracts from his considerable boxing ability and flair but there is no denying that he can hit with either hand.
If Thurman’s shots look rather wide and slashing on occasion it should be noted that the incomparable Sugar Ray Robinson used similar offensive techniques to separate an adversary from his senses.
While there is no comparison beyond a glimpsing one in this instance, Thurman remains a threat to any welter or light middleweight on the planet who makes a mistake and is duly made to pay.
9. Mikey Garcia
An emergent crossover star of the lighter divisions, the undefeated Mexican warrior is much more than a mere puncher.
An intelligent pressure fighter and accomplished ring technician, Garcia has vanquished 30 opponents before the final bell in 37 straight victories to date.
Like any leading Latin exponent of the sweet science, this three weight world champion can throw a mean left hook but the straight right appears to be his most devastating tool.
Take a look at the text book 1-2that dispatched Rafael Guzman back in 2011 by way of reference. A follow up left hook was on the way but rendered entirely superfluous by a combination of impact and gravity.
8. Artur Beterbiev
Perhaps not the most educated puncher in this line-up, nonetheless, this much vaunted Quebec based Russian light heavy looks to possess crushing power in either hand.
Only fighters will truly relate but in the hurt business, there are different grades and shades of hitting power. Beterbiev is best described as a clubbing puncher as opposed to a devastatingly accurate marksman in the manner of the legendary Joe Louis.
It’s early days but Artur has yet to go beyond the 7th round in 11 pro starts and is another example of the growing Eastern European eminence in boxing in the 21st century:
Regardless of how his fistic fortunes pan out, he can certainly whack.
7. Naoya Inoue
In accordance with the curse of boxing’s ‘micro divisions’, if Naoya Inoue happened to hail from the USA or Europe and weighed in excess of 130 pounds then he would likely be a superstar.
A two weight world champion, despite the brevity of an 11 fight pro resume, Inoue is a sublime boxer, consummate technician and a dynamite puncher with dazzling combinations.
If you have yet to see this mini ring marvel from the Far East then you can catch him defending his WBO sure flyweight title against Antonio Nieves in Carson, California on September 9.
If you like high-octane bangers with intensity then you are unlikely to regret it.
https://youtu.be/rtQECbXdduA?t=12m25s
6. David Lemieux
Initially billed as Canada’s millennial answer to a young Mike Tyson, Lemieux looked nothing short of awesome during his rise toward world middleweight contention.
While he has arguably since found his level as another top drawer banger whose skills and temperament don’t quite match the clout, David remains one of the hardest punchers in the hardest game.
A wrecking ball combination puncher with a vicious body attack and a left hook that could stop a bus, he can still ruin a few plans at 160,outside the uppermost echelons.
https://youtu.be/wKxEkZToX08?t=8s
5. Gennady Golovkin
The man known as ‘Triple G’ is not a one-shot knockout puncher in the mould of Julian Jackson or John Mugabi but is probably best described as ‘bone breaking.’
Golovkin would seem to be one of those fighters who hurts whoever and whatever he hits with every single shot that connects.
Bigger fighters of no less distinction than Sergey Kovalev have testified that the World Middleweight Champion is a freakishly hurtful punchereven with the relative niceties of 16 oz gloves and a head guard.
If Gennady can send Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez for an early shower when the pair collide in Las Vegas on September 16 it will constitute a major statement in this context but 16 stoppages in 17 defences of his global supremacy at 160 are not the work of a modest puncher.
4. Anthony Joshua
Unlike some KO artists who amass a lengthy streak of early wins within a certain realm of competition, the ludicrously marketable ‘AJ’ clearly possesses the equaliser at elite level.
Joshua’s explosive power got him out of jail dramatically in that heroic thriller vs the recently retired Wladimir Klitschko and perhaps it was the resonance of those 11th Round bombs, most notably a right uppercut which threatened to decapitate the former Ukrainian champ, that ultimately convinced him to head for the pasture.
As well as being a bona fide puncher, Anthony is a ruthless finisher with a destructive variety.He is the most legitimate Heavyweight Champion of the World until further notice.
https://youtu.be/IPAEjrjwWdQ?t=17s
3. Adonis Stevenson
With a pseudonym like ‘Superman’, you had better not be an average puncher and the WBC light heavyweight champion is faithful to this logic.
A stone cold banger who can take a man out at any time in a fight,Adonis tends to do most of the damage with a southpaw left cross or uppercut but is also perfectly capable of concussive impact with the lead right hook, even when it appears to have ‘nothing on it’, to use a regular boxing expression.
Stevenson’s possible reluctance to leave his Montreal comfort zone and take on the big guns may place him somewhere behind Andre Ward and Sergey Kovalev in the current pecking order of 175 pounders but not in terms of pure power.
2. Deontay Wilder
Dismissed by many hard bitten observers as too wild and technically bereft to be regarded as a truly elite fighter, nonetheless, one could never accuse the ‘Bronze Bomber’of not having a ‘dig’.
Statistics can be misleading when it comes to ultimate power but a 97 percent KO percentage doesn’t entirely lie in the case of the WBC heavyweight king and only Bernaine Stiverne has seen the final bell amongst Wilder’s 38 professional victims.
Another two handed puncher in this ensemble, it remains to be seen if Tuscaloosa’s finest has the chin to match his firepower but it will be fun finding out.
1. Dmitry Kudryashov
The appositely named ‘Russian Hammer’has 21 KOs from as many wins and is a classic two handed puncher who can take an opponent out with a straight right or a left hook.
His lone reversal, to US based Nigerian, Olanrewaju Durodola in 2015 was duly avenged last time out via 5th round stoppage and Kudryashov’s progress is unlikely to be dull, from here on in.
Knockout artists who are ambidextrous in context are relatively rare in boxing.
How many times did you see Tommy Hearns take a guy out with a left hook?
https://youtu.be/dQ3awmOdTHA?t=1m15s
READ MORE:
Top 10 First Round Knockouts In Boxing History