Thread: ESPN 20 Greatest KO's

Brian Kenny and Bert Sugar hosted “Who’s Number One” last night and the topic was the 20 Greatest KO’s in history. The list was Bert Sugar’s and his criteria was essentially fourfold:

The importance of the fight (which basically means championship fights), the drama (or ebb and flow), suddenness and there being video so they could show it. Here’s his list.

20) Floyd Patterson KO3 Ingemar Johansen-One left hook and Ingo’s foot is quivering.

19) Ray Mercer KO4 Tommy Morrison-Eight punches while the Duke is helpless

1 Bob Foster KO4 Dick Tiger-One swooping left hook and the Sheriff is champ.

17) Muhammad Ali TKO3 Cleveland Williams-The Ali peak

16) Jersey Joe Walcott K07 Ezzard Charles-Craft by subtraction

15) George Foreman TKO2 Joe Frazier-Down goes Frazier!

14) Joe Louis KO13 Billy Conn-Conn is champ…for twelve rounds.

13) Diego Corrales TKO10 Jose Luis Castillo-You’d better effin’ get inside!

12) Muhammad Ali KO8 George Foreman-Ali Bomaye!

11) Thomas Hearns KO2 Pipino Cuevas-A shotgun outdone by a howitzer.

10) Jack Johnson KO12 Stanley Ketchel-Give Stan his teeth back Jack.

9) George Foreman KO10 Michael Moorer-It happened!

Tony Zale KO3 Rocky Graziano-Right to the body, left to the jaw!

7) Buster Douglas KO10 Mike Tyson-42 to 1?

6) Carmen Basilio TKO12 Tony DeMarco-Sheer Brutality

5) Marvin Hagler KO3 Thomas Hearns-Destruct and Destroy

4) Sugar Ray Robinson KO5 Gene Fullmer-One punching Fulmer? Going backwards? At 35?

2) Joe Louis KO1 Max Schmeling-Good Lord.

1) Jack Demspey-Luis Firpo-Dempsey goes through the ropes

Now I think this is a pretty good list. But what’s the point of a post if one doesn’t disagree? I think one thing Sugar gets wrong is the quality of the guy getting KO’d. I don’t care how brutal it is, drilling Tommy Morrison, Cleveland Williams or even Pipino Cuevas is not that big a deal when one only has twenty slots! Using Bert’s criteria here is my list.

Here is my alternative list.

20) Jersey Joe Walcott KO7 Ezzard Charles-Joe had been feinting before the left hook all night. This time he just throws it!

19) Floyd Patterson KO3 Ingemar Johansen-The foot is still quivering

1 Michael Carbajal TKO7 Humberto Gonzales-The great fight of the little men. Carbajal gets off the floor twice.

17) Archie Moore KO11 Yvonne Durelle-The Mongoose gets off the floor four times, twice when he shouldn’t have to stop the Canadian.

16) Bob Foster KO4 Dick Tiger-Tiger hadn’t been stopped in 15 years and Foster almost killed him.

15) Julio Cesar Chavez TKO12 Meldrick Taylor-Taylor is two seconds from winning but his body is gone.

14) George Foreman KO2 Joe Frazier-Give Joe credit, he kept getting up.

13) Diego Corrales KO10 Jose Louis Castillo-Another comeback for the ages

12) Tommy Hearns KO2 Roberto Duran-How is it possible for Duran to be overmatched? Hearns descended like an avenging angel.

11) Marcel Cerdan TKO11 Tony Zale-One of the finest combinations in history finishes the Man of Steel.

10) Jack Johnson KO12 Stanley Ketchell-Hello? Teeth?

9) Joe Louis KO13 Billy Conn-I guess he couldn't hide, could he?

Aaron Pryor TKO14 Alexis Arguello-What time is it?

7) Sugar Ray Leonard TKO 13 Tommy Hearns-You’re blowing it son!

7) Ray Robinson KO5 Gene Fulmer-Yeah it is THAT good!

6) Buster Douglas KO10 Mike Tyson-Five great punches to finish it.

5) Muhammad Ali KO8 George Foreman-Ali cements his place in the pantheon

4) Sandy Saddler KO4 Willie Pep-NOBODY KO’s Willie Pep!

3) Rocky Marciano KO13 Jersey Joe Walcott-Is he dead?

2) Marvin Hagler KO3 Tommy Hearns-Man oh man.

1) Joe Louis KO1 Max Schmeling-probably the most important night in boxing history.

I'm a little puzzled. Seventy plus views and no comments?

Not even a Bert Sugar sucks!

Heck, I'll settle for a Marbleheadmaui sucks!

Originally Posted by marbleheadmaui

I'm a little puzzled. Seventy plus views and no comments?

Not even a Bert Sugar sucks!

Heck, I'll settle for a Marbleheadmaui sucks!

Both lists pretty much contain all the ones that need to be there. Not trying to list the same fights again. But I will give you a couple that should be included

Hasim Rahman KO 5 Lennox Lewis- So Ocean 11 huh, Lewis?
Mike Tyson KO 1 Michael Spinks- No wonder Spinks was stalling
Donald Curry KO 2 Milton McCrory- I have yet to see a better left hook
Sonny Liston KO 1 Floyd Patterson- Patterson wasn't scared. He was fucking terrified
Max Schmeling TKO 12 Joe Louis- Right hands all damn night

marble don't let the "no responses" discourage you...
It happens often with threads that make people think and or have to read a lot.

Go and create a thread with any of these titles and watch the magic work:
Naz vs. ______ <----- Insert any of these name's JMM, Morales, Pacquiao
Tyson vs. ______ <----- Insert any of these name's Ali, Wladdy, Vitaly
RJJ vs. _______ <----- Insert any ATG name from Middle to LHW.

these threads have been done to death but people tend to respond to them....
The way I see it when I create threads is a view is as good as comment.
Hey! at least people are taking the time to view and read your post.

As for the list... I'm gonna throw some out that I think are often overlooked.
I also think that bodyshots are vastly underrated. KO'ing someone while hitting them in the face good. KO'ing them with a shot to the body even better.

Gavilan vs. Cartier
Ruddock vs. Dokes
Toney vs. Williams
Ike vs. Jack 1
RJJ vs. Hill
MAB vs. Fana
Nunn vs. Sumbu
McCallum vs. Curry
Lewis vs. Rahman 2
Zapata vs. Nakajima
Benitez vs. Hope

Originally Posted by CutMeMick

marble don't let the "no responses" discourage you...
It happens often with threads that make people think and or have to read a lot.

Go and create a thread with any of these titles and watch the magic work:
Naz vs. ______ <----- Insert any of these name's JMM, Morales, Pacquiao
Tyson vs. ______ <----- Insert any of these name's Ali, Wladdy, Vitaly
RJJ vs. _______ <----- Insert any ATG name from Middle to LHW.

these threads have been done to death but people tend to respond to them....
The way I see it when I create threads is a view is as good as comment.
Hey! at least people are taking the time to view and read your post.

As for the list... I'm gonna throw some out that I think are often overlooked.
I also think that bodyshots are vastly underrated. KO'ing someone while hitting them in the face good. KO'ing them with a shot to the body even better.

Gavilan vs. Cartier
Ruddock vs. Dokes
Toney vs. Williams
Ike vs. Jack 1
RJJ vs. Hill
MAB vs. Fana
Nunn vs. Sumbu
McCallum vs. Curry
Lewis vs. Rahman 2
Zapata vs. Nakajima
Benitez vs. Hope

It's actually a good thing some fools don't post a list. All you see is 20 Manny Pacquiao fights listed

I'd have Tyson vs Spinks on there.

Originally Posted by Violent Demise

Originally Posted by CutMeMick

marble don't let the "no responses" discourage you...
It happens often with threads that make people think and or have to read a lot.

Go and create a thread with any of these titles and watch the magic work:





Naz vs. ______ <----- Insert any of these name's JMM, Morales, Pacquiao
Tyson vs. ______ <----- Insert any of these name's Ali, Wladdy, Vitaly
RJJ vs. _______ <----- Insert any ATG name from Middle to LHW.

these threads have been done to death but people tend to respond to them....
The way I see it when I create threads is a view is as good as comment.
Hey! at least people are taking the time to view and read your post.

As for the list... I'm gonna throw some out that I think are often overlooked.








also think that bodyshots are vastly underrated. KO'ing someone while hitting them in the face good. KO'ing them with a shot to the body even better.
Gavilan vs. Cartier
Ruddock vs. Dokes
Toney vs. Williams
Ike vs. Jack 1
RJJ vs. Hill
MAB vs. Fana
Nunn vs. Sumbu
McCallum vs. Curry
Lewis vs. Rahman 2
Zapata vs. Nakajima
Benitez vs. Hope

It's actually a good thing some fools don't post a list. All you see is 20 Manny Pacquiao fights listed

Ahh how true.... And the body shot KO really tends to show the true pain a fighter feels. I must admit my statistical knowledge isn't massively broad but love learning more where i can and this post about body shots
did get me tapping away on my keyboard.... Although plagurised this is a list from back in 2007 by ESPN journo of the top 10 bodyshot KOs:

10) Jorge Barrios v Janos Nagy
9) Glenn McCory v Jeff Lampkin
Diobelys Hurtado v Randall Bailey
7) Roy Jones Jr v Virgill Hill
6) Ricky Hatton v Jose Luis Castillo
5) Arturo Gatti v Leo Dorin
4) Gerry Penalosa v Jhonny Gonzalez
3) Jorge Arce v Tomas Rojas
2) Mickey Ward v Alfonso Sanchez
1) Oscar De La Hoya v Bernard Hopkins

Again, not my list but an interesting read. I wouldn't claim to it either but a good thread that got my attention.

The MAB v Fana one was hilarious. The look his face when the 1st punch landed.

These may not quite cut it but........
Roy Jones vs Antonio Tarver 2- The legend of invincibility dies hard.
Bernard Hopkins vs Trinidad- Hello world, my name is Bernard Hopkins and I'm pretty good at this fighting thing.
Naseem Hamed vs Kevin Kelley- one of the most polarizing figures in boxing becomes an international star.
Manny Pacquiao vs Erik Morales 2- Manny sends a message for any doubters still out there.........ummmmm yeah, I am the real deal.
Barrera vs McKinney- Is Barrera for real? Kennedy McKinney would tell you YES! Classic battle
RJJ vs Griffin 2- We talk tonight Larry.....Pensacola talks tonight! Griffin shouldn't have pissed Roy off...nuff said.
David Haye vs Audley Harrison- 2 legendary......naaaaaah, I'm just playing! Hahahaha

Julian Jackson, on the verge of defeat, one-punching Herol Graham unconcious, leaving him with loose teeth in his gumshield deserves to make any list.

Curry v McCrory was a perfect left hook ,
how about Mike McCallum v Don Curry for a left hook.

Hearns V Duran.

Barkley v Hearns was a big ko.

Originally Posted by Fenster

Julian Jackson, on the verge of defeat, one-punching Herol Graham unconcious, leaving him with loose teeth in his gumshield deserves to make any list.

I am ashamed of myself for forgetting this one. This is one of my favorite KO's ever, good call. Talk about suddeness

Originally Posted by chinchekked

Originally Posted by Fenster

Julian Jackson, on the verge of defeat, one-punching Herol Graham unconcious, leaving him with loose teeth in his gumshield deserves to make any list.

I am ashamed of myself for forgetting this one. This is one of my favorite KO's ever, good call. Talk about suddeness

I think the British commentary added to it's greatness

My favourites are...

Ruddock vs Dokes
Tiger vs Foster
Marciano vs Walcott

Originally Posted by Violent Demise

Originally Posted by marbleheadmaui

I'm a little puzzled. Seventy plus views and no comments?

Not even a Bert Sugar sucks!

Heck, I'll settle for a Marbleheadmaui sucks!

Both lists pretty much contain all the ones that need to be there. Not trying to list the same fights again. But I will give you a couple that should be included

Hasim Rahman KO 5 Lennox Lewis- So Ocean 11 huh, Lewis?
Mike Tyson KO 1 Michael Spinks- No wonder Spinks was stalling
Donald Curry KO 2 Milton McCrory- I have yet to see a better left hook
Sonny Liston KO 1 Floyd Patterson- Patterson wasn't scared. He was fucking terrified
Max Schmeling TKO 12 Joe Louis- Right hands all damn night

Yep - a fantastic shot. A couple of years later he was on the end of one himself, courtesy of Mike McCallum!