The best punch trackers on the market
17th June 2021
By: Max Taylor
Today marks 42 years since Danny Lopez successfully defended his WBC featherweight title in what The Ring named Fight of The Year against Mike Ayala. ‘Little Red’ won with a knockout in the 15th round and to mark this historic date, here is our list of the top 5 featherweight knockout artists of all time, a list in which Lopez is ranked highly in.
Knockouts are the undisputed entertainment factor of boxing. They play a massive part in why fans flock to the sport as nobody, for so long, has been putting on gloves and technically, yet instinctively hammering away at each other over-scheduled three-minute rounds like boxers have been. There are many who have stepped inside the squared circle and consequently dropped some jaws by hitting others. Only a few have done this fight in fight out though and accumulated a plethora of stunning knockouts that fans have grown to enjoy after being hardwired over the years to find beauty in the viciousness of a knockout. In the fifth and final installment of this BoxingGuru series that will range from the big to small hitters, we rank the boxers who possess the greatest knockout reels to date and next up is the featherweight division!
CHECK OUT THE BEST PUNCH TRACKERS ON THE MARKET
5) Azumah Nelson
Perhaps the best African boxer of all time, Nelson rise to the top was as impactful as his straight right hand. Representing Ghana, ‘The Professor’ began studding stars on his resume when he fought and almost beat Salvador Sanchez for the world featherweight title in 1982.
Learning from his first but close loss, Nelson became a certified knockout artist the second time a world-title opportunity beckoned. He knocked the consciousness out of Wilfredo Gomez and the title out his hands in 1984 to become the 6th ever African to win a world title.
Struggling to squeeze such power into 126lbs, The Ghanaian moved up to super featherweight after his featherweight title reign. He became a two-weight world champion instantly winning the WBC strap, one that he defended for over six years.
Though the next stint was much shorter, Nelson won his beloved WBC belt back against Gabriel Ruelas. It was the second time winning a super-featherweight title and the second time beating Ruelas in his career though roles were reversed from their first encounter and Nelson was the challenger.
‘The Professor’ was an expert at throwing his weight around and it is with that technique that he landed his most devastating and iconic blows. After knocking out the featherweight masses and standing toe-to-toe with legends like Pernell Whitaker, Sanchez and Gomez, Nelson was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2004.
CHECK OUT THE GREATEST HEAVYWEIGHT KNOCKOUT ARTISTS EVER!
4) Naseem Hamed
Another adored figure in his home nation, Prince Naseem Hamed is regarded as one if not the best British boxer in the sport’s history and became one through his audaciously powerful hands.
I have never watched a boxer encapsulate the word ‘unorthodox’ more than this slick and tricky Southpaw did. He would momentarily enter the matrix when avoiding punches and then would return to reality with vicious bombs from all angles in a counterattack.
Prince Naseem had confidence in his ability, quick feet and a quick tongue built him up to be a PPV star but fans also tuned in with the expectation that the night would finish with his opponent on the canvas as his 83% KO percentage would suggest.
The Sheffield-born boxer nicknamed himself Prince but reigned as a King in his division for almost five years and cemented himself as the 7th longest reigning featherweight champion of all time. He might have had to take a page out of our fifth entry’s book of fighting anywhere, anytime as Hamed’s legacy is overshadowed by the questionable resume and the biggest name on there marked as his only loss.
Although this is the case, he showed out every time for the fans dazzling our eyes with his leopard-print shorts and knockout power.
CHECK OUT THE GREATEST LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT KO ARTISTS EVER!
3) Danny Lopez
Most entries on these lists throughout the series have been popular, fan favourites idolised for their entertaining style and outrageous punching power. Danny Lopez was no different.
What does separate him from the other knockout artists on this list though is he was a one-time featherweight champion at that weight only, a fighter loyal to his division. I suggested Prince Naseem took a page out of Azumah Nelson’s book earlier, well it was the Ghanaian who followed in Lopez’s footsteps as both men were laid to waste by Salvador Sanchez.
This loss ended what was over a three-year reign where he devastated all eight challengers inside the distance. To add even more perspective to ‘Little Red’s killer instinct, only three of the 42 opponents he beat managed to hear the final bell. This incredible fact stemmed from one of the longest knockout streaks in boxing history as he tore through 21 opponents before winning his first fight on points.
Lopez was gifted with not only raw power but a long reach too which he proved is a deadly duo. It seems his build would have suited the Kronk gym as his exceedingly long range was one of his best tools. It meant the Southern Californian could find a home for looping shots over the top of an opponent’s guard when the distance was measured.
The Californian is of Ute Indian, Mexican and Irish descent. His heritage is similar to the fans that love him as they are all across the globe.
CHECK OUT THE GREATEST MIDDLEWEIGHT KNOCKOUT ARTISTS EVER!
2) Alexis Arguello
If this special Nicaraguan didn’t exist than Danny Lopez would be sitting comfortably at second right now, but this monster puncher bullied his opponents over four decades to sit behind the number one spot on this list.
Arguello over the years became a three-weight world champion but exercised his brute strength mainly at 126 or 130lbs- the featherweight divisions. He reigned as champion in each of these weight classes for at least two years. Like fifth listed Nelson, Arguello blew his first chance at world honours against Ernesto Marcel but later that year got the shot he wouldn’t squander, knocking out Ruben Olivares.
His next title fight as a challenger was for the 130lb strap held by Alfredo Escalera which was successfully won in the first time of asking. ‘El Flaco Explosivo’ never lost these titles to a challenger either and instead vacated them as he ventured into the heavier divisions.
His domination in the ’70s has him widely regarded as one of the best super featherweights of all time. The Central American coupled his two bombs with a great ring IQ. Slipping, parrying and feinting jabs to set up his debilitating 1,2. Arguello was also a great combination puncher who pieced his opponents up with power shots from the body to the head. His work downstairs throughout fights has him renowned as one of the sport’s best body punchers.
An overachiever who exercised jaw breaking power for 27 years, if it wasn’t for a smaller boxer from Boston who debuted a few decades before he did, Arguello would find himself at the top of the heap of these boxers like he did 40 years ago.
CHECK OUT THE GREATEST WELTERWEIGHT KNOCKOUT ARTISTS EVER!
*Honourable Mention* – George Chaney
How could we leave someone out of the list whose nickname is literally the one quality we look for? George ‘KO’ Chaney compiled 101 wins and 78 knockouts over a 15-year career celebrated by boxing historians and fans who pass down his legacy.
The self-proclaimed ‘knockout King of Fistiana’ resided in Baltimore and dedicated his favourite finishing punch to his homeland, naming it the ‘Highland Earthquake’. You would have thought with a signature punch he has named himself, that Chaney would have made it far as a professional wrestler. But his career belonged in the ring where his knockout power was very real and predatorial demeanour was no gimmick.
Despite standing at a mere 5’1, the Southpaw’s terrific punching ability would have tested the chin of any featherweight or even lightweight of his era. It was not enough to win him a world title, unfortunately, but Chaney’s regular and impressive performances in the ring have been acknowledged by the media.
Bleacher Report ranked him as the 14th best Southpaw of all time and The International Boxing Hall of Fame showed their recognition in 2014 as well with their induction of the late, great featherweight.
CHECK OUT THE GREATEST LIGHTWEIGHT KNOCKOUT ARTISTS EVER!
*Honourable mention*- Terry McGovern
Defined by his punching power, McGovern hit so hard that he left marks on the history books and boxing forums that discuss the most powerful featherweights in the weight divisions’ history.
The son of Irish parents tasted success early on in his boxing career as his knockout ability became apparent in his first few fights. This led him to become a world bantamweight titleholder in the opening two years to his professional career.
McGovern’s weight mirrored the success he reaped as it kept going up from there. The next year, in 1900 at 20 years old, he successfully challenged George Dixon for the featherweight crown and solidified himself as a deserved mention on our list. McGovern mixed up vicious body and head combinations in the eighth round to the point that Dixon’s corner was forced to throw in their sponge- the alternative to the modern-day towel- to stop the fight.
Over the year, the three-weight world champion made several convincing defences of this belt. Knocking out challengers as they crumbled under the pressure that he applied to them from the starting bell. McGovern finally met his match though, Young Corbett who refused to be intimidated by the tough Pennsylvanian and took his title with a knockout win in the rematch to prove who was the rightful champ.
Resembling something of the mental unpiecing of our lightweight honourable mention Lew Jenkins, McGovern began spending money in the final stages of his career and started the decline to his health. He died too early in his late 30’s of Pneumonia and Bright’s disease but his brighter days are still fondly spoken of.
‘Terrible Terry’ might have made the ranked list with his fellow honourable mention ‘KO’ Chaney but the era they fought in meant there is barely any footage of them throwing bombs to justify a top 5 spot.
THE BOXING GAME YOU HAVE ALL BEEN WAITING FOR!
1) Sandy Saddler
The two-time champion is our top featherweight knockout artist of all time, like our honourable mentions, Saddler fought in the 20th century where it is difficult to piece together a crystal-clear knockout reel. But there is enough footage around the web to give us an insight to the power that amassed over 100 KO’s in the short span of 11 years.
His career was defined by the turbulent rivalry he had with boxing royalty Willie Pep. They pinballed the title back and forth over the years, but it was the Bostonian who came out on top beating Pep three times gaining, regaining, and defending the featherweight title. If you question how heated the rivalry was, look no further than Saddler’s defence in 1951 which The Ring labelled the 6th dirtiest fight of all time, an unruly battle that saw boxing authorities’ sanction both competitors.
The Ring’s third greatest featherweight of all time had power like no other and enough IQ to exert it on the outside and in. Even though he usually boasted a superior range, the Hall-of-Famer enjoyed banging from the inside and bullying his adversaries in close quarters. He used a guard that pushed a high defensive line, focussed on neutralising the opponent’s hands and stopping shots from being thrown instead of guarding the chin in anticipation of getting hit.
His hands being extended also meant that Saddler could close the distance and let his crippling shots go. One of his best weapons was the leaping left hook, used to cut off the ring and disguised with a feint it would catch the challengers off guard and check their chin.
The Ring acknowledged him as the fifth hardest puncher of all time, being given the honour when watching the power on display as he would walk his shots through opponents and put them out for the count.
In a league of his own when it comes to knockout artists at 126/130lbs Sandy Saddler had what it takes to become number 1 on this list in abundance.
