Vitali's Punch: KO of the Year, or Greatest Coincidence of All time.

[Rick Grimes]

Seriously, I keep reading these moronic posts about how Solis slipped...hmm...so his knee didnt require surgery during all of sparring, didnt require surgery from jumping around and hell, was fin until the precise moment Vitali hit him with his first real right hand shot...hmm...So it was just coincidence that Vitali hit him right then and at that precise moment Solis's knee went out.

Isnt it just far more likely that he stepped into a hard real punch on a place where he most likely has rarely even been truly hit...because of wearing headgear in sparring and the amateurs and his body overreacted to it? Or do you really believe that SOlis is just totally unlucky and if Vitali hadnt touched him the same thing would have happened that the fight would have been an NC.

See sig, clearly slips before any contact from Vitali.

[Dale Cardon]

I admit at first it was fishy, but when a 250 pound boxer hits you in the temple you're probably gonna drop. Doesnt help that solis fat ass twisted his ankle on the way down.

Pretty much a freak K.O

lolz... do you know where the temple is, sir?

[CubanGuyNYC]

And the punch crosses quite close to that line...

Yes, close. As in "almost." Almost won, almost lost, almost had it, etc.

Vitali's punch did not hit Solis in the temple, a soft spot on the skull many of us rub when we have a headache.

[MuckMuck]

As you can see, Solis was moving forward into the punch. If he had been standing still and Vitali landed that shot, probably not the same outcome. It was a combination of Solis' forward momentum and the punch that had him on queer street.

[Rick Grimes]

As you can see, Solis was moving forward into the punch. If he had been standing still and Vitali landed that shot, probably not the same outcome. It was a combination of Solis' forward momentum and the punch that had him on queer street.

Solis's left leg slides forward which put all the weight and momentum on his right knee which buckles, Vitali catches the top of his head with a grazing punch at the same time this happens which makes it appear like the punch caused his knee to buckle.

[Eaner0919]

If your version of the KO of the year has controversy as to whether it's even a clean punch or not but rather an injury?

chances are it's not going to be KO of the year

[khepesh]

Yes, close. As in "almost." Almost won, almost lost, almost had it, etc.

Vitali's punch did not hit Solis in the temple, a soft spot on the skull many of us rub when we have a headache.

Now, if we draw a line from the eyebrow (as you said) to the back of Solis' head, considering that the face is pointing slightly downwards, that line seems to cross with Vit's pinkie-knuckle. Take it the way you like, arguing about it is like splitting hair.

[MuckMuck]

Solis's left leg slides forward which put all the weight and momentum on his right knee which buckles, Vitali catches the top of his head with a grazing punch at the same time this happens which makes it appear like the punch caused his knee to buckle

His left leg sliding doesn't mean he was off balanced. Lots of fighter slide their lead foot when moving forward. The problem is he came into the punch, which made an ordinary punch carry much more impact. Simple physics. You can tell how his left legs stiffened up and how he wobbled in place fore a second that he was stunned by the punch.

[CubanGuyNYC]

If your version of the KO of the year has controversy as to whether it's even a clean punch or not but rather an injury?

chances are it's not going to be KO of the year

Excellent point, Eaner. Even if we were to agree that Solis was out on his feet, and suffered no injury, he still beat the count. "KOs of the Year" tend to be a little more authoritative than that.

[CubanGuyNYC]

Now, if we draw a line from the eyebrow (as you said) to the back of Solis' head, considering that the face is pointing slightly downwards, that line seems to cross with Vit's pinkie-knuckle. Take it the way you like, arguing about it is like splitting hair.

Maybe it is like splitting hairs. But there's no choice, and it's partly what makes Vitali's "KO" punch seem unlikely. The blow thrown by Klitschko didn't connect flush. As you say (and I agree), Vit's pinkie knuckle made contact. Even a powerfully executed punch wouldn't have tremendous force if only the end knuckle of the fist connected. Therefore, the punch would have to hit a sensitive area to have a chance at hurting a professional heavyweight-- the temple, for instance. Trouble is, Vitali's punch didn't strike the temple area.