Manny Pacquiao and Boxing's 20 Hardest Hitters

I've got a confession people. I possess a sick addiction to witnessing people getting knocked out. It's true; to see someone lose consciousness briefly and fall to the blood-splattered canvas is, somehow, artistic.

At least I think so.

But before you call the Rozzers (that's a British colloquialism for Police by the way) to send me to some kind of asylum, please take a look at my comprehensive list of the greatest hitters in boxing history.

I mean it—this list has forgotten nobody. If you are like me and thrive off witnessing heart-stopping knockouts, these boxers will not let you down.

Let's get down to business and kick things off at number 20...

20. Manny Pacquiao

Total fights	58
Wins	53
Wins by KO	38
Losses	3
Draws	2

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 65.5%

Manny Pacquiao. A modern day Duran...in fact, what a fight that would be! Pac-man is capable of disposing of people with one punch. So he makes number 20.

Brutality: 78%

Relentlessness: 86%

Power Rating: 79%

19. Bob Foster

Total fights	65
Wins	56
Wins by KO	46
Losses	8
Draws	1
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight Ratio: 70.8%

Bob Foster is regarded as one of the greatest light-heavyweight boxers in the history of the sport. His impressive knockout percentage shows that he packed one of the heaviest punches too.

Brutality: 85%

Relentlessness: 87%

Power rating: 89%

18. Sugar Ray Robinson

Total fights	200
Wins	173
Wins by KO	108
Losses	19
Draws	6
No contests	2

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 54%

The percentage doesn't sound very impressive, but the sheer amount of fights Sugar Ray took part in was phenomenal. He is without any doubt the greatest boxer to have ever lived—even Muhammad Ali himself agrees with that. His devastating power brought over half of his opponents to a brutal end.

Brutality: 86%

Relentlessness: 89%

Power Rating: 89%

17. Roberto Duran

Total fights	120
Wins	104
Wins by KO	69
Losses	16
Draws	0
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 57.5%

Another fighter with a not too flattering knockout ratio. But a boxer who possesses 69 knockouts and has the nickname "Hands of Stone," simply has to be on this list.

Brutality: 93%

Relentlessness: 91%

Power rating:86%

16. Joe Frazier

Total fights	37
Wins	32
Wins by KO	27
Losses	4
Draws	1
No contests	0

Knockout to fight ratio: 73%

"Smokin" Joe had a left hook capable of putting Muhammad Ali to the canvas—something not many fighters managed. He had devastating power and heart that would keep him going forward. The Thrilla in Manila—remember that? Enough said.

Brutality: 90%

Relentlessness: 96%

Power Rating: 91%

15. Jack Dempsey

Total	83
Wins	66
By knockout	51
Losses	6
By knockout	1
Draws	11

Knockout to fight ratio: 61.5%

Jack is the good old boxer we all love—the type of fighter who could handle a good old fashioned bar brawl. I’m thinking something along the lines of Road House, Patrick Swayze as Dalton—about to kick everyone out of the bar when...oops...Jack Dempsey is in there...

Brutality: 97%

Relentlessness: 88%

Power Rating: 88%

14. Thomas Hearns

Total fights	67
Wins	61
Wins by KO	48
Losses	5
Draws	1
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 71.6%

"The Hitman" had some amazing fights with Hagler and Sugar Ray Leonard. His power wasn't quite as dominating as Hagler's, nor were his speed and agility quite as good as Leonard, but he made up for what he lacked with sheer heart and passion.

Brutality: 86%

Relentlessness: 85%

Power Rating: 85%

13. Naseem Hamed

Total fights	38
Wins	36
Wins by KO	31
Losses	1
Draws	0
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 81.6%

Personally I am not a fan of the "Prince." His arrogance and cocky persona did nothing to endear him to many people. But, respect where respect is due, he had one hell of a punch.

Brutality: 87%

Relentlessness: 90%

Power Rating: 91%

12. Julian Jackson

Total fights	61
Wins	55
Wins by KO	49
Losses	6
Draws	0
No contests	2

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 80.3%

Largely overlooked and forgotten, Mr. Jackson possessed a lethal punch which dispatched of 49 of his 61 opponents—a great ratio.

Brutality: 83%

Relentlessness: 84%

Power Rating: 89%

11. Wilfredo Gomez

Total fights	48
Wins	44
Wins by KO	42
Losses	3
Draws	1

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 87.5%

Gomez is without doubt on of the most devastating punchers, pound for pound, of all-time. His knockout percentage of 87.5 is up there with the best.  For that reason, he deserves this recognition.

Brutality: 87%

Relentlessness: 90%

Power Rating: 93%

10. Sonny Liston

Total fights	54
Wins	50
Wins by KO	39
Losses	4
Draws	0
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight Ratio: 72.2%

It is quite unfair that Liston is mostly seen and remembered for "that" picture, laying on the canvas beneath Ali. In fact, Liston possessed a great record—only losing four times, twice to Muhammad Ali, in his 54-fight career.

Brutality: 90%

Relentlessness: 84%

Power Rating: 91%

9. Marvin Hagler

Total fights	67
Wins	62
Wins by KO	52
Losses	3
Draws	2
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 78%

"Marvelous" Marvin holds the highest knockout percentage of all middleweight champions in history. If he wasn't on the list, its credibility would suffer severely.

Brutality: 88%

Relentlessness: 90%

Power Rating: 92%

8. Aaron Pryor

 

Total fights	40
Wins	39
Wins by KO	35
Losses	1
Draws	0
No contests	0

Knockout to fight ratio: 87.5%

Pryor has one of the most impressive KO ratios in this list. He is mostly remembered for his brutal clashes with Arguello—someone who he savagely beat. Fantastic KO artist.

Brutality: 89%

Relentlessness: 91%

Power Rating: 94%

7. Joe Louis

Total fights	72
Wins	69
Wins by KO	55
Losses	3
Draws	0
No contests	1

 

Knockout to fight Ratio: 76.3%

A boxer with a nickname like the "Brown Bomber" has to have some power in his hands to back it up. Joe Louis is regarded as one of the greatest heavyweights—and indeed boxers—of all-time. With only three losses out of his 72 fights, Louis managed to win 55 of them by KO.

Brutality: 87%

Relentlessness: 86%

Power Rating: 89%

6. Archie Moore

Total fights	219
Wins	185
Wins by KO	131
Losses	23
Draws	10
No contests	1

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 59.8%

Contrary to what his poor knockout to fight ratio may suggest, Archie Moore still holds the record for the highest number of knockouts. His career spanned everyone from Rocky Marciano to Muhammad Ali; one of the longest careers in the history of boxing.

Brutality: 86%

Relentlessness: 85%

Power Rating: 94%

5. Julio César Chávez

Total fights	115
Wins	107
Wins by KO	89
Losses	6
Draws	2
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 77.3%

What more can be said: 89 knockouts. Leaving Chávez out of this list would be like leaving the bacon out of a BLT sandwich. Unthinkable.

Brutality: 84%

Relentlessness: 83%

Power Rating: 90%

4. Mike Tyson

Total fights	58
Wins	50
Wins by KO	44
Losses	6
Draws	0
No contests	2

 

Knockout to fight Ratio: 75.9%

"Iron" Mike Tyson. In terms of potential, Tyson had it all. He had the abilities and talent that could have made him the greatest boxer in history. He had the speed of Muhammad Ali and the power of George Foreman all rolled into one. For this reason, he has to make the list.

Brutality: 97%

Relentlessness: 90%

Power Rating: 98%

3. George Foreman

Total fights	81
Wins	76
Wins by KO	68
Losses	5
Draws	0
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 84%

George Foreman's power is no better displayed than when he physically bounced Joe Frazier around the ring back in 1973. To the man who lacks boxing knowledge, Foreman is "that guy" who invented the "Lean Mean Fat-Reducing Grilling Machine." To the boxing fanatic, George is the ruthless, heavy hitter who disposed of 68 of his opponents by KO.

Brutality: 92%

Relentlessness: 90%

Power rating: 97%

2. Earnie Shavers

Total fights	89
Wins	74
Wins by KO	68
Losses	14
Draws	1
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight ratio: 76.4%

Earnie Shavers had one of the most ferocious right uppercuts you have ever seen. He could lift the world for a few seconds with that punch...I mean it. Muhammad Ali and Larry Holmes have both quoted that Shavers punches harder than Foreman and Tyson respectively—this has to make him number two on this list.

Which just leaves number one...

Brutality: 88%

Relentlessness: 84%

Power rating: 90%

1. Rocky Marciano

Total fights	49
Wins	49
Wins by KO	43
Losses	0
Draws	0
No contests	0

 

Knockout to fight Ratio: 87.6%

Here it is—the moment you have all been waiting for. It would be extremely difficult to argue against Rocky Marciano as the hardest hitter, pound for pound, in history. His knockout-to-fight ratio is the highest, he retired undefeated and even his trademark looping right hand had a nickname, the "Suzie Q."

If you are still unaware of the sheer explosiveness of Marciano's knockout punch, check out 1963's Boxing Illustrated: "Marciano's straight right was tested and his knockout blow packs more explosive energy than an armour-piercing bullet and represents as much energy as would be required to spot lift 1000 pounds one foot off the ground."

Wow. Marciano was a true fan favourite and is an era-defining figure in American Boxing legend. He is my number 1.

Brutality: 95%

Relentlessness: 100%

Power Rating: 99%

 

I hope you enjoyed the list, thank you for reading!

Forgotten anyone? Leave a comment below!