Fighters With the Most Knockouts in the History of Boxing
By Michael Luciano
The knockout is the crescendo of a boxer physcially, mentally, and emotionally dominating his opponent in the ring, and the spectacle of seeing one of the toughest guys in the world dropped to the mat with one punch never gets old. These boxers, who come from a variety of time periods and weight classes, epitomize the brutality of the knockout and still stand as some of the most dominant forces ever to step in a ring.
Who Has the Most Knockouts in Boxing History?
1. Billy Bird: 138
2. Archie Moore: 132
3. Young Stribling: 129
4. Sam Langford: 128
5. Buck Smith: 120
Most fighters nowadays would be lucky to even get in the ring half as many times as these guys have knockouts. The first half of the 20th century, when the top four fighters spent most or all of their careers, was a strange time for boxing. That just means special congratulations are in order for Buck Smith, who fought from 1987 to 2009.
Who Has the Most Knockouts in Heavyweight Boxing History?
1. Primo Carnera: 69
2. George Foreman: 68
3. Ezzard Charles: 58
4. Max Baer: 52
(Tie) 5. Wladimir Klitschko, Jack Dempsey, Joe Louis: 49
Among those who just missed the cut include Greg Page (48), Tommy Tucker (47) Mike Tyson (44), and Larry Holmes (44).
Who Has the Highest Knockout Percentage in Boxing History?
Two boxers have a knockout percentage of 100 percent with a sufficient number of fights: Edwin Valero was a perfect 27-0 with 27 KOs at lightweight, but his legacy was tarnished following his suicide after being named as a suspect in the murder of his wife. Active Russian light heavyweight Artur Beterbiev is 15-0 with 15 knockouts to date.
Right behind both of them? Deontay Wilder, the one and only Bronze Bomber, with 42 wins, one draw, and 41 knockouts, good for a 95.3% knockout rate in 43 total career professional fights.
? Wilder - Breazeale ?
— Sky Sports Boxing (@SkySportsBoxing) December 28, 2019
As the year draws to a close we take a look at some of the best knockouts that we've seen on Sky Sports in 2019.
Is this Deontay Wilder knockout your favourite? ?? pic.twitter.com/vhnNDO7OL7
Wilder is one of the few modern boxers on a select list of the most proficient knockout artists in boxing history, and his tale is still being written. A generation from now, the all-time list coud look a lot different.