It's only February, but we've already seen the most violent one-punch knockouts of the year in the boxing world.
Oscar Valdez brutally blasted Miguel Berchelt instantly unconscious in their super-featherweight world title fight, Berchelt collapsing face-first to the canvas after Valdez landed a titanic left hook.
The thumping sound of the punch landing echoed around the empty MGM Grand, and the referee instantly waved the fight off as Berchelt lay motionless on the canvas. It was an absolutely chilling KO.
Berchelt had actually been the pre-fight favourite going into the hotly anticipated all-Mexican clash. But it was the unbeaten Valdez who took his record to 29-0 (23 KOs) as he crushingly ended the contest.
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Valdez took control early on, scoring a knockdown in the fourth round when referee Russell Mora ruled the ropes held Berchelt up.
But there was no ropes to help Berchelt in the 10th round when he desperately came swinging forward with several wild hooks of his own. Valdez timed him perfectly coming in, catching him with a pulverising power shot.
Berchelt was unconscious on the canvas as his training team turned him on to his front. However he thankfully made a recovery and was able to leave the ring under his own steam.
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"There's nothing better in life than proving people wrong," the 30-year-old Valdez said in the aftermath of his devastating KO.
"I have a list of people who doubted me. My idols doubted me. Boxing analysts doubted me. They said Berchelt was going to knock me out.
"I have a message to everybody: 'Don't let anyone tell you what you can and can't do.'"
Valdez can certainly put his name on the list as the clubhouse leader for boxing's best knockout of 2021. If we see a cleaner one in the next 10 months, it's going to be one hell of a KO.
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Featured image credit: Top Rank/Twitter
Featured Image Credit:Topics: Boxing
