Boxing's 50 Greatest Knockout Artists Of All Time (With Video)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 49

We start off with a lesser known heavyweight in Williams but he could punch. He never won the world heavyweight title but faced the top men of his era.

He fought and beat Ernie Terrell (TKO 7) and lost to such greats as Sonny Liston (2x), Muhammad Ali, and Terrell in a rematch.

Although he usually fell short his power couldn't be denied and he deserves a spot on this list.

#49: Bob Satterfield (50-25-4 35 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 58

We stick with little known heavyweights at 49 with Satterfield. He actually met and knocked out #50 fighter Cleveland Williams in 1954.

Satterfield was another fighter that fought the best of his era but usually came out on the losing end. He fought and defeated Nino Valdes, Harold Johnson (1 out of 3), and the aforementioned Williams.

He lost to such all-time greats Jake LaMotta, Ezzard Charles, and Archie Moore. The major motion picture Resurrecting The Champ is about Satterfield.

If you haven't seen it I would recommend picking it up and giving it a watch.

#48: Lucian Bute (27-0 22 KO)

Division Super Middleweight

Ring ranking: N/A

The first active fighter to make the list may surprise some but he is one of the best body punchers in the game and packs dynamite in both hands.

He has held the IBF super middleweight title since 2007 and has knocked out all but one challenger to his title.

He has yet to beat the truly elite but he can knock almost anyone out and at this rate he is going to have a lot of knock outs when he calls it a day.

Boxing's 50 Greatest Knockout Artists Of All Time (With Video)

As with most lists and rankings I compile I had one big question on my mind. What makes a knockout artist?

Is it a guy that punches hard or is it a guy that punches hard with speed and has beautiful knockout after beautiful knockout?

My highly unscientific answer is both. A guy that is an all-time hard puncher deserves to be on this list but a guy that does it with style should be on here as well.

This will lead to some debate because Fighter A didn't punch as hard as Fighter B but is higher. I will clear that up now.

A fighter that does it with flair and style is always going to land higher because I feel that is what makes him an "artist".

So lets get to the 50 best knockout artists of all-time.

#47: Kermit Cintron (32-3-1 28 KO)

Division: Welterweight, Light Middleweight

Ring Ranking: N/A

If you don't think he should be on here watch the above clip. Cintron usually loses to the best but he has bricks for fists and I wouldn't take to many fighters against his power.

He is a former IBF welterweight champion. He held the title for two years before losing to Antonio Margarito for the second time.

He has scored some nice knockouts and hopefully we will continue to see him on television doing his thing.

#46: Daniel Ponce De Leon (41-2 34 KO)

Division: Super Bantamweight, Featherweight

Ring Ranking: N/A

Ponce De Leon was once the best knockout puncher out there then he met Juan Manuel Lopez and he pulled in the reigns a little.

In his last fight he looked like his old self in totally destroying Antonio Escalante in three rounds. He is the former WBO super bantamweight champion.

He held that title for three years before losing it. I also recommend you look up his KO-1 of Rey Bautista.

#45: Michael Spinks (31-1 21 KO)

Division: Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 42

Spinks was coming off a 1976 Gold Medal in the Olympic Games and had a reported amateur record of 100-0 with 95 wins by big knockout.

He turned pro in 1977 and was calling himself champion by 1981. He defeated the great Eddie Mustafa Muhammad and defended it for the next four years.

In that span he beat Dwight Muhammad Qwai and knocked out 80% of his opponents. He moved up to heavyweight and scored two wins over the great Larry Holmes to win the heavyweight title.

He would then become better known to falling to Mike Tyson in 1:31. He would retired after his only career loss.

Spinks is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

#44: Tony Zale (67-18-2 45 KO)

Division: Middleweight

Ring ranking: 41

Zale is not only one of the greatest punchers ever but he is one of the greatest fighters ever. He was a two-time-middleweight champion of the world and held the title for seven years in his first run.

His three fight series, in which he went 2-1, with Rocky Graziano is legendary. Zale was a great body puncher and wore his opponents down before landing the decisive knockout blow.

He is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

#43: Henry Armstrong (149-21-10 101 KO)

Division: Featherweight, Welterweight, Lightweight

Ring Ranking: 57

Armstrong was called "The Human Windmill" because he never stopped punching in the ring. He is the only fighter to hold titles in three different weight classes at the same time.

This was done when there were only eight weight classes. Armstrong fought the best of his era and usually came out on the winning side.

He beat greats Barney Ross, Lou Ambers, Ceferino Garcia, Fritzie Zivic, Lew Jenkins, Sammy Angott, and Al "Bummy" Davis among others.

Armstrong defended the welterweight title more than anyone in history and was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

#42: Alfonso Zamora (33-5 32 KO)

Division: Bantamweight

Ring Ranking: 47

Zamora won the Silver Medal at the 1972 Olympic Games and was destined to become the next Mexican superstar.

He won his first 29 fights all by knockout and had captured the WBA bantamweight title. In his 30th fight he faced fellow Mexican legend Carlos Zarate in a non-title match.

Zarate was 45-0 with 44 knockouts coming in. The men had a combined record of 74-0 with 73 wins by knockout.

Zarate scored a TKO in the fourth round and Zamora never recovered from the loss. In his next fight he lost his title and went 4-3 in his final seven fights.

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in 2005.

#41: Kostya Tszyu (31-2-0-1 25 KO)

Division: Light Welterweight

Ring Ranking: 67

Tszyu could make this list on the strength of the Judah knockout and nothing else. That is one of the most devastating knockouts you will ever see.

Tszyu is the greatest light welterweight bar none. He held the IBF (2X), WBC, and WBA world titles. He was the first man in 30 years to unify the division.

He was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

#40: Joe Frazier (32-4-1 27 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 39

Frazier is one of the greatest heavyweight fighters ever and the first man to beat Muhammad Ali. He won the 1964 Gold Medal at the Tokyo Olympic games and had the same luck as a pro.

He won his first 29 fights, held a version of the title for four years, and beat some very good fighters. He had wins over Buster Mathis, Oscar Bonavena, Jerry Quarry, Jimmy Ellis, Bob Foster and Ali.

He only lost to Ali and the human wrecking machine George Foreman. He is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

#39: Julio Cesar Chavez (107-6-2 86 KO)

Divisions: Super Featherweight, Lightweight, Super Lightweight

Ring ranking: 50

We stick with Mexican fighters as we turn to an all-time great in Chavez. J.C.C. may be the best Mexican fighter and he had a punch to stop anyone.

He beat such fighters as Jose Luis Ramírez, Rafael Limón, Rocky Lockridge, Meldrick Taylor, Roger Mayweather, Lonnie Smith, Sammy Fuentes, Héctor "Macho" Camacho, Juan Laporte, Edwin Rosario, Greg Haugen, Tony López, Giovanni Parisi, Joey Gamache, and Frankie Randall.

His only losses were to Frankie Randall, Oscar De La Hoya (2x), Willy Wise, Kostya Tszyu, and Grover Wiley.

He started his career 89-0-1 and had a 87 fight win streak until the draw with Pernell Whitaker.

#38: Carlos Monzon (87-3-9 59 KO)

Division: Middleweight

Ring ranking: 40

Monzon is one of the greatest middleweights of all time as he held the title for seven years and defended it 14 times.

He turned back all challengers when he had the title and usually did so in devastating fashion.

He knocked out Nino Benvenuti (2x), Emile Griffith, and Jose Napoles.

#37: Marcos Maidana (29-2 27 KO)

Division: Light welterweight

Ring Ranking: N/A

If The Ring redid its hardest punchers list today Maidana would fall very high on it. He might be the hardest puncher in the game today and he is the meanest.

He has limited boxing skills so his goal is to go in the ring and take your head off. As his record indicates more times than not he finds his mark.

His only losses are to slick boxers Andriy Kotelnik and Amir Khan. As most know he had Khan reeling late in the fight and almost pulled it out.

His knockout win over Victor Ortiz is one of the better fights of the past five years or so.

#36: John Mugabi (42-7-1 39 KO)

Division: Middlweight

Ring Ranking: 38

Mugabi won the Silver Medal at the 1980 Moscow Olympic games and kept on churning the paid ranks. He was 25-0 with all 25 wins coming via knockout when he met Marvin Hagler.

Mugabi would lose the fight via TKO-11 and would lose his next fight via TKO-3. He finally won a world title in 1989 with a knockout in the first over Rene Jacquot.

He lost the title in his first defense and never tasted the title again. With a nickname like "The Beast" you better be a big time puncher.

#35: Edwin Rosario (47-6 41 KO)

Division: Lightweight, Light Welterweight

Ring Ranking: 36

Rosario was a three-time lightweight title holder and held a title in the light welterweight division as well. He is also the man that changed the style of Hector Camacho.

He buzzed Camacho badly and Camacho never fought the same way and became a safety first fighter. Rosario beat Jose Luis Ramirez, Howard Davis J., Frankie Randall (2x), and Livingstone Bramble.

He is in the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

#34: Marvelous Marvin Hagler (62-3-2 52 KO)

Division: Middleweight

Ring Ranking: 35

Hagler started out 25-0-1 then lost two of his next three and didn't lose again until the final fight of his career.

Hagler held the middleweight title for seven years and defended it 12 times in that span. He had the greatest war ever in that span as well when he beat Tommy Hearns via TKO-3.

If you think Hagler doesn't belong on this list that fight alone will prove you wrong. Hagler was underrated during his fighting days but you cant deny that the man can punch.

#33: Prince Naseem Hamed (36-1 31 KO)

Division: Bantamweight, Featherweight

Ring Ranking: 46

The first fighter that I can say moved WAY up because of his style. The guy had some nice knockouts but he always did it with such style and grace.

He may be the biggest hitter ever at the little weights and beat the best of his era. His wins over Kevin Kelley, Wlifredo Vazquez, Wayne McCullough, Paul Ingle, and Augie Sanchez prove it.

Love him or hate him the man delivered knockouts and did so with style.

#32: "Bad" Bennie Briscoe (66-24-5 53 KO)

Division: Middleweight

Ring Ranking: 34

Briscoe may be the best fighter to never win a title. He is the definition of a Philly fighter. He fought the best all the time and although he didn't always win he put on a good show.

Briscoe fought middleweight champions Marvin Hagler, Vito Antuofermo, Rodrigo Valdez, Emile Griffith and Carlos Monzón.

He fought and beat future light-heavyweight champion Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Tom Bethea, Carlos Marks, Rafael Gutierrez, Charley Scott, Billy "Dynamite" Douglas, George Benton, Vicente Rondon, Jose Gonzales (twice), Art Hernandez, Tony Mundine, Stanley "Kitten" Hayward, Juarez DeLima, Eugene "Cyclone" Hart and Tony Chiaverini.

He just recently passed away in December of 2010.

#31: Lennox Lewis (41-2-1 32 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 33

I am a huge Lewis fan but for whatever reason a lot of people don't like him. He was the best heavyweight of his era and he had a huge punch to put people out.

He beat every man he ever fought and scored wins over Razor Ruddock, Tony Tucker, Frank Bruno, Tommy Morrison, Ray Mercer, Oliver McCall, Henry Akinwande, Andrew Golota, Shannon Briggs, Evander Holyfield, Michael Grant, David Tua, Hasim Rahman, Mike Tyson, and Vitali Klitschko.

If you think he doesn't belong here take a look at the video and then get back to me. His knockout of Rahman is one of the best in heavyweight history.

#30: Manny Pacquiao (52-3-2 38 KO)

Division: All

Ring ranking: N/A

This is the only time that Pacquiao will hurt his standing by fighting bigger men. I had a hard time figuring where to place him.

I figured he would land much higher but since he started fighting bigger men his knockout ratio has gone down and even when he does get them (outside of Hatton) they aren't very pretty.

He sits at 30 and I think that is a good spot for him right now. With a few more big knockouts he could easily move up.

#29: David Tua (51-3-2 43 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 48

He may be this high because I really like him or because he crushed John Ruiz is less than a round. Either way this is where he is and where he will stay.

Tua has won 29 of his fights without going to the fourth round; two of his fights lasted less than 30 seconds

The intimidating Samoan has never won a world title but he has always been close and was always knocking people out.

He has beat four former world title holders.

#28: Tommy Morrison (48-3-1 43 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: N/A

If Morrison didn't contract HIV he may be in the top 10. He had one of the best left hooks that you will ever see and used it to defeat some of the best heavyweights of his era.

He won the WBO heavyweight title and defended it one time before losing it. He beat James Tillis, Joe Hipp, Carl Williams, George Foreman, and Razor Ruddock.

He was a hugely talented fighter that faced some troubles and didn't get to reach his full potential.

#27: Roy Jones Jr. (54-7 40 KO)

Division: Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light Heavyweight, Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 89

Jones Jr. is another fighter that sits this high because he did it with such style you can't ignore it. He wasn't the hardest puncher but he could hit with precision and speed like no one else.

He is one of the greatest fighters ever and won titles from middleweight all the way to heavyweight. He may not have always fought the best but he beat some very good fighters.

#26: Pipino Cuevas (35-15 31 KO)

Division: Welterweight

Ring Ranking: 31

We now get back to fighters that just hit really hard. Cuevas was a massive puncher in the welterweight division and held the WBA title for four years.

He is often overlooked but is one of the great Mexican fighters and if you haven't seen much of him look him up on youtube and thank me later.

#25: Felix Trinidad (42-3 35 KO)

Division: Welterweight

Ring Ranking: 30

Trinidad is one of the great fighters in Puerto Rican history and is the youngest man to ever win a world title at welterweight.

He is also second all time (being Henry Armstrong) with 15 defenses of his title. He beat Hector Camacho, Luis Campos, Oba Carr, Pernell Whitaker, Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas, and William Joppy.

#24: Roberto Duran (103-16 70 KO)

Division: Lightweight, Welterweight, Light Middleweight, Middleweight

Ring ranking: 28

Duran is the greatest lightweight ever and one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in history. He fought for 33 years and was always fighting the best no matter what.

His two fight series with Sugar Ray Leonard is legendary. At lightweight he knocked out almost everyone that he fought.

#23: Gerald McClellan (31-3 29 KO)

Division: Middleweight

Ring Ranking: 27

Before his tragic injury cut his career way short McClellan was one of the baddest guys out there. He was a two time middleweight champion and was knocking everyone out.

He beat Julian Jackson twice by knockout.

#22: Danny Lopez (42-6 39 KO)

Division: Featherweight

Ring Ranking: 26

"Little Red" Lopez was one of the bigger punchers to come out of the smaller weights. All but one of his title matches ended with a knockout.

He was the winner in those fights eight times (7 KO) and the loser two times (2 KO). He put the little men on the map and he is one of the reasons they got attention today.

#21: Matthew Saad Muhammad (39-16-3 29 KO)

Division: Light Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 24

Muhammad was another tough fighter out of Philly who always put on a show win or lose. He won the light heavyweight title in 1979 and held it until 1981.

He defended it eight times and turned back all but one challenger by knockout.

#20: Rocky Graziano (67-10-6 52 KO)

Division: Middleweight

Ring Ranking: 23

Graziano fought the aforementioned Zale three times in all our wars. He went 1-2 in those three fights but won the middleweight crown in his only win.

He also beat top contenders of his era such as Al "Bummy" Davis.

#19: Max Baer (73-13 53 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 22

Baer is best known for his loss to longshot James J. Braddock in their heavyweight title fight. He was a huge puncher that killed a man in the ring and rendered many more unconscious.

He won the heavyweight title with a beatdown of Primo Carnera and lost it to Braddock in his first defense. Although a bull in the ring he was a fun loving guy who was always up for a joke outside of it.

#18: Bob Foster (56-8-1 46 KO)

Division: Light Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 17

Foster won the light heavyweight title in 1968 and didn't give it up until 1974 when he moved up in weight. He knocked out Dick Tiger in four to win the title and then defended it 14 times.

He knocked out 10 of those challengers and drew with one of them.

#17: Alexis Arguello (82-8 65 KO)

Division: Featherweight, Super Featherweight, Lightweight,

Ring ranking: 20

"The Explosive Thin Man" was his nickname and he lived up to it and then some. He was a three-time world champion and beat some of the best fighters of his time.

He has wins over Ruben Olivares, Rafael Limon, Bobby Chacon, Boza Edwards, Jose Luis Ramirez, Jim Watt, and Ray Mancini.

His two fights with the legendary Aaron Pryor are two of the best fights in boxing history. He went 0-2 but gave a good account of himself both times.

#16: Earnie Shavers (74-14-1 68 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 10

A lot of people are very high on Shavers and I am sure he hit hard but he never knocked out an elite heavyweight in or near their prime so he falls on my list.

He was a good heavyweight that was always knocking on the door but could never win the title. He squared off with some all-time-great heavyweights though.

#15: Wilfredo Gomez (44-3-1 42 KO)

Division: Super Bantamweight, Featherweight

Ring Ranking: 13

When they call you Bazooka you know they punch hard. He was a three-time champion in two different weight classes.

Every title fight he was in except one ended with a knock out. He was 22-3 in those fights and lost all three by knockout.

His only losses were to Salvador Sanchez and Azumah Nelson, and Alfredo Layne.

#14: Rubén Olivares (88-13-3 77 KO)

Division: Bantamweight

Ring Ranking: 12

Olivares won world titles multiple times and is considered by many as the best bantamweight ever. He beat numerous legends and always fought the best.

#12: Khaosai Galaxy (49-1 43 KO)

Division: Super Flyweight

Ring ranking: 19

Galaxy defended his WBA world title 19 times in seven years he won 16 of his title fights by knockouts.

Just a bit of trivia for everyone out there. In 1988, his twin brother, fighting under the name Kaokor Galaxy, captured the WBA bantamweight title, making the Saenkham brothers the only twins to ever be world boxing champions.

#13: Carlos Zárate Serna (66-4 63 KO)

Division:Super Featherweight, Featherweight, Super Bantamweight, Bantamweight

Ring Ranking: 21

Zarate was a great fighter but this is the only thing you need to know about him as far as this list goes.

He has the distinction of being the only boxer in history to put together two streaks of 20 or more knockout wins in a row.

If you don't think he belongs know. Stop reading.

#9: Rocky Marciano (49-0 43 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 14

Marciano as we know is the only heavyweight champion to retire undefeated. He didn't have a lot in the way of skills but he made up for it with strength and will.

He knocked all out but six of his opponents and may have landed the greatest punch in history when he knocked out Jersey Joe Walcott in the 13th round.

#10: Sandy Saddler (144-16-2 103 KO)

#8: Sam Langford (200-47-46 130 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 2

I told myself I wasn't going to put any really old time fighters with little video on this list but Langford has to be here.

He is the second hardest puncher according to The Ring so he impressed someone at some point. He never held the world title but that isn't his fault.

He was a really good black fighter and that was held against him.

#7: Sugar Ray Robinson (173-19-6-2 108 KO)

Division: Lightweight, Welterweight, Middleweight, Light Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 11

The guy could do it all box, punch, and knock you out. His 108 knockouts puts him in the elite class of fighters with 100 or more knockouts.

He is the greatest fighter ever and it is going to be hard to take that away from him

He beat such Hall of Fame fighters such as Jake LaMotta, Carmen Basilio, Gene Fullmer, Carl 'Bobo' Olson, Henry Armstrong, Rocky Graziano and Kid Gavilan.

He knocked a guy out while he was going backwards. Let that sink in, pick up your jaw, and resume the list.

#6: Mike Tyson (50-6-0-2 44 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 16

Everyone's favorite knockout machine is at number six. One of my personal favorites he could knock out anyone at anytime.

If he didn't knock you out, you were probably going to knock him out.

#5: Jack Dempsey

Division: Heavyweight

Ring ranking: 7

If Tyson isn't my favorite fighter then Jack Dempsey is. The man was a bull in the ring and would do anything to pull out a win.

His beating of Luis Angel Firpo prompted outrage from the fans because he would hit him as soon as he got up.

Dempsey was a huge attraction and landed the first million dollar gate.

#4: Archie Moore (185-23-11 131 KO)

Division: Light Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 4

We continue my run of favorite fighters with Moore. He hold the all-time-record for knockouts and did so over a long period of time.

He held the light heavyweight title for seven straight years and then again for one year. He fought in four separate decades.

#3: Big George Foreman (76-5 69 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 1

In all honesty he should probably be number one but I will get to that in a second. Louis may be the greatest heavyweight ever to live.

He held the title for 12 years, defended it 25 times, and was a world champion for 11 years and 10 months. Those are still a record today for the heavyweight division (the latter for all divisions).

#2: Joe Louis (65-3 51 KO)

Division: Heavyweight

Ring Ranking: 1

In all honesty he should probably be number one but I will get to that in a second. Louis may be the greatest heavyweight ever to live.

He held the title for 12 years, defended it 25 times, and was a world champion for 11 years and 10 months. Those are still a record today for the heavyweight division (the latter for all divisions).

#1: Julian Jackson (55-6-0-2 49 KO)

Division: Middleweight, Jr. Middleweight

Ring ranking: 25

I am going to get a lot of crap for this but I am sticking to my guns on this one. When I first saw I could do this he was the man who came to mind.

He knocked out a lot of people and got knocked out a lot himself. You can say what you want but your not going to change my mind.

He could punch and when he hit you your lights were out. He is my number one today, tomorrow, and forever.

The man had a skill. It was knocking people into next year.

#11: Tommy Hearns (61-5-1 48 KO)

Division: Welterweight, Super Welterweight, Middleweight, Super Middleweight, Light-Heavyweight, Cruiserweight

Ring ranking: 18

I really don't have much to say because everyone knows what he has done. He is a tall, lanky fighter who could punch with anyone.

He was one half of the war with Marvin Hagler. I'll stop now so you can watch the video and be amazed.