The 10 Most Devastating Punchers In Boxing Right Now Have Been Ranked
Published
| Last updated
Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder feature in a top-10 list of active pound-for-pound punchers but are given fierce competition by a Japanese bantamweight king.
The ranking, put together by The Athletic in the US, has an American in top spot - but it's definitely not a case of home bias.
Wilder takes the crown and, even after he was manhandled by Tyson Fury in February, it's a strong choice. Wilder is arguably the hardest one-punch hitter in boxing history and his 93.2% KO ratio is the highest of any heavyweight to hold a world title.
Many boxing fans would agree that second spot is easy too: Japan's Naoya Inoue has never fought above bantamweight (118lb) - but he's a fearsome puncher in the lighter weights.
Nicknamed 'The Monster', he lives up to the billing with 16 knockouts in 19 fights. When he fought Britain's durable Jamie McDonnell in 2018, he blew him away in under two minutes.
Third spot belongs to bearded banger Artur Beterbiev, the stone-faced Russian boasting a perfect record of 15 KOs in 15 fights.
The other top-five picks are Cuba's 'KO Doctor' Yuniel Dorticos and Anthony Joshua, still recognised as a dangerous puncher despite boxing off the back foot to outpoint Andy Ruiz in December.
The Athletic pick AJ's unforgettable 2017 battle with Wladimir Klitschko as his most impressive stoppage, while listing his most dangerous punch as the right uppercut that hurt Wlad and finished off Dillian Whyte.
Mexican idol Canelo Alvarez sits just outside the top five after his brutal stoppage of light-heavyweight Sergei Kovalev last year.
Canelo's great rival, Gennady Golovkin, would have topped a list like this in his prime when he was riding a remarkable 22-fight KO streak. But the Kazakh middleweight turned 38 this April and four of his last six fights have gone the distance.
You can see The Athletic's top 10 - actually an 11, as the Charlo twins share 10th spot - below. Just remember to duck low if any of these brutes take a swing at your face.
10. Jermall Charlo/Jermell Charlo (73.3%/50% KO ratios)
9. Gennady Golovkin (83.3% KO ratio)
8. Teofimo Lopez (80% KO ratio)
7. Gervonta Davis (95.6% KO ratio)
6. Canelo Alvarez (64.3% KO ratio)
5. Anthony Joshua (87.5% KO ratio)
4. Yuniel Dorticos (88% KO ratio)
3. Artur Beterbiev (100% KO ratio)
2. Naoya Inoue (84.2% KO ratio)
1. Deontay Wilder (93.2% KO ratio)
All imagery: PA Images
.jpg)
