Whitaker didn't have natural power, but he could have KO'd a few more guys if he had fought completely flat footed. Part of the reason for his lack of KO's was because he always focused on defense first, so when he threw a punch, he was already thinking on moving out of the way to slip the counter.

When he was losing late in the fight to Hurtado, he went flat-footed and KO'd him on one big straight left hand.