By Alexey Sukachev

Like a much needed potion after a long desert journey, nothing aids better to a spectator after a prolonged and dull fight than a one-punch knockout. Nothing surpasses this particular moment – not superstitious speed or reflexes, not stunning anger or strong character, not a blatant foul or a second a verdict is voiced – only when a scythe-like punch separates one from its senses, people start to feel both awe and beauty of prizefighting.

Pound-for-pound rankings reveal the best fighter in the world. This chart – call it Knockout-for-Knockout – lists those, who are the most spectacular (safe for several exceptions).

Timing isn’t accidental. 

Two of the sport’s fiercest and scariest punchers will collide in an expected shootout Saturday night in Las Vegas. Bermane Stiverne stopped Chris Arreola to show his power and to snatch the WBC heavyweight title a year after a wide decision in their first meeting. Deontay Wilder is yet to find someone to hear a final bell within the same moment with him. 

Their collision is all what a true fan of the sport can anticipate. Maybe it won’t last long. But it’ll be a thriller all the way.

How great is Stiverne’s and Wilder’s power? How good do them fit to a company of the sport’s most feared bangers? Who are the best of the crop?

Questions are raised. Answers to them – from a separate point of view – are found below.

Long range: Marcos Rene Maidana (Argentina, 35-4, 31 KOs), Jhonny Gonzalez (Mexico, 57-8, 48 KOs), Julio Ceja (Mexico, 28-1, 26 KOs), David Lemieux (Canada, 33-1, 31 KOs).

Close call: Alexander Povetkin (Russia, 28-1, 20 KOs), Naoya Inoue (Japan, 8-0, 7 KOs), Bermane Stiverne (Canada, 24-1-1, 21 KOs), Shinsuke Yamanaka (Japan, 22-0-2, 16 KOs)

10. Andy Lee (Ireland, 34-2, 24 KOs)
KO ratio: 66.7%. Title fights: 50%. KO/TKO: 0.41. 1st round KOs: 6

Memory is a tricky source of sometimes undesired info. Andy Lee was one of the most terrific, hot punchers of 2007 with an eye-opening knockout of former champion Card Daniels, stamping his ticket to a narrow team of the sport’s best finishers.

Lee’s perspectives were extremely bright at that time but it all went crushing down in an upset collision against durable Brian Vera. Vera’s fight was also a turning point of Andy’s career and a subsequent turnaround had overthrown him, also affecting his pugilistic psychology for a long time. It also forced even some hardcore fans to forget or to X-mark the Irish fighter.

Some positive moments surfaced years later when Lee produced a rare comeback kayo against Craig McEwen in the tenth and final round of a bout he was losing. Still little was expected of Lee until the last year, which saw him regaining his best shape and also his mental power. 

In June, Lee fought it to the end against talented John Jackson. The son of Julius Jackson was ahead on the scorecards, hurting and punishing Lee. Just when he went in for what was expected to be a final storm before a stoppage, Lee landed a crushing right, forcing Jackson down face-first in one of the biggest kayos of 2014 and a reminiscent of memoable John David Jackson vs. Jorge Fernando Castro clash twenty years ago.

Andy Lee repeated this trick a month ago against Matvey Korobov. The latter wasn’t winning one-sidedly but he was convincingly ahead… and then - bang! – no, Korobov hasn’t gone down, just on a queer street, forcing the referee to halt an end to the fight almost immediately.

The Irishman was one of the hottest stories of the last twelve months. His power allowed him to be a contestant for several nominees and also to clinch the last #10 ranking in this chart.

9. Carl Froch (England, 33-2, 24 KOs) – super middleweight
KO ratio: 68.5%. Title fights: 41.7%. KO/TKO: 0.16. 1st round KOs: 4

His official record deceives but you’ll struggle to find a more feared puncher than Froch even despite uninspiring numbers.
Froch is a notoriously slow starter but a much faster finisher. Probably the most telling knockout of his career came with seconds to go in the first defense of his WBC super middleweight title. Jermain Taylor, who was crushed just once before – by another wicked puncher in Kelly Pavlik – was on the brink of a career-saving victory (four points ahead on two judges’ scorecards), when Froch’s power has finally found her room for a gruesome (for Taylor) end. Jermain, lying down with no ability to get an upright position, was easily one of the best pictures of one of the better year in boxing.

Cobra’s title fights’ KO ratio doesn’t impress but let us not forget who he has been pit against. Mikkel Kessler and Jean Pascal have never been stopped or seriously hurt. Arthur Abraham boxed (and won) through one of the sport’s most horrible injuries in history. Both Andre Dirrell and Andre Ward were too elusive for a slow-footed fighter from Nottingham.

For those, who have forgotten his power, Froch prepared a stark reminder against Bute and in the second Groves match-up. He is still part of our squad.

8. Roman Gonzalez (Nicaragua, 41-0, 35 KOs) – flyweight 
KO ratio: 85.3%. Title fights: 66.7%. KO/TKO: 0.94. 1st round KOs: 8

Flyweight king of the world is also one of the best punchers in the game. Yet, his power isn’t eye-catching as he prefers to maul his opponents, methodically breaking them down into submission. So, classically, the mighty Nicaraguan isn’t a one-punch terminator but more of formal kayo artist.

Still dynamite in his gloves impresses. Gonzalez started his professional career with 16 consecutive stoppages. Showing he isn’t just a mauler, Chocolatito produced one of the finest kayos of 2007 with a picturesque left hook to the liver to finish two-time title challenger Heriberto Gejon.

Gonzalez also started each of his three title runs with a bang. Long-time WBA minimumweight king Yutaka Niida was beaten up, dethroned and then forced to retire under heavy fire of the Nicaraguan in 2008. Francisco Rosas, one who gave Gonzalez his toughest career assignment, was completely destroyed in two for an interim WBA light flyweight belt two years later. And, finally, Akira Yaegashi also fell down after taking too much punishment from the Nicaraguan in 2014.

What let Gonzalez down in this list is a fact that he has diminished his power with improved opposition. Four of his six decisions happened in title fights, although some notable finishes (like on against Omar Soto) were in place too.

7. Deontay Wilder (USA, 32-0, 32 KOs) – heavyweight
KO ratio: 100%. Title fights: N/A. KO/TKO: 0.88. 1st round KOs: 18

With a record like this, one will wonder why Wilder not our top choice is. He isn’t even in the top-5, struggling a bit before making the list after all.

Quality of opposition. It’s that simple. Unlike all of the others, the Bronze Bomber has never taken part in a title fight. One against Stiverne will be his first.

Some seemingly meaningful fights on his record don’t help either. Both Audley Harrison and Sergey Liakhovich were well past their primes – to say the least. And a so-called “eliminator” against Malik Scott was a joke of sorts, as the latter went down hardly from a punch but from a touch.

However, record like this and power like this cannot be ignored. You can laugh at it but Wilder has an eight first-round kayo streak, ended more than a half of his fights in the first round, and his knockout of Lyakhovich was scary as dominant was his win over Nikolai Firtha.

We still have to learn bounds of his power. Those bounds will be tested mightily on Saturday night, when we shall finally find a proof (or a refutal) of Deontay Wilder’s vaunted power.

6. Lucas Martin Matthysse (Argentina, 36-3, 34 KOs) – light welterweight
KO ratio: 87.2%. Title fights: 66.7%. KO/TKO: 1.13. 1st round KOs: 10

They know how to breed them in Argentina, eh? And for Lucas Matthysse it’s also a family story. Though his sister Soledad Edith Matthysse can hardly be called a puncher, his older brother Walter Dario was a notable heavy hitter, with an entry record to the States equal to 25-0, with 24 KOs. 

Unfortunately, he was also flawed and china-chinned, being immediately exposed as he tried to improve his level of opposition. Older Matthysse was stopped on his feet by rising star Paul Williams and has never been the same, ending his career with four kayo losses.

Thankfully for us, Lucas Martin is equipped by a sturdier chin, which allowed him to be competitive on a considerably higher level. Of three of his losses only one – against WBA/WBC champion Danny Garcia – was undisputed. Elusive Zab Judah and Devon Alexander were able to find questionable salvation, despite being dropped against tattooed Argentinean but it was Garcia, who found a way to defeat the Argentinean convincingly. He is also the reason why Matthysse isn’t in the top five.

Lucas Martin’s top performances came against DeMarcus Corley (eight knockdowns) and in 2013/2014 with fierce demolitions of Mike Dallas Jr., Lamont Peterson, John Molina and Roberto Ortiz. Corely is also a difference with Marcos Maidana and a pass for Matthysse to this list.

5. Sergey Kovalev (Russia, 26-0-1, 23 KOs) – light heavyweight
KO ratio: 85.2%. Title fights: 80.0%. KO/TKO: 0.44. 1st round KOs: 6

Sadly, the first notion of Kovalev’s immense power (two and a half years since the start of his pro career) came in a tragedy. Roman Simakov, a brave but outgunned and outclassed warrior, fell a victim of the Krusher (and his own courage) in a city of Ekaterinburg. Simakov passed away three days after the fight.

With literally killing power Kovalev was one of the best kept (or least talked) secrets in boxing. His coming out party happened just two years ago in a three-round blowout of usually capable Gabriel Campillo. Cornelius White and later Nathan Cleverly were destroyed with the same ease, both feeling the presence of Kovalev the same way Mike Tyson’s opponent felt in his prime.

An aura of terrific fear was on full display against Kovalev’s bitter rival Ismayl Sillakh. As was Kovalev’s power in one of the most brutal kayos of 2013. It has taken Bernard Hopkins to diminish this atmosphere around the Russian. He was also first to last the distance with the Russian over the last four years. Despite a one-sided loss it was quite an achievement. And it’s also why Kovalev is no higher than at #5 in the list.

4. Adonis Stevenson (Canada, 25-1, 21 KOs) – light heavyweight
KO ratio: 80.7%. Title fights: 80.0%. KO/TKO: 0.62. 1st round KOs: 10

Stevenson is a notch higher than Kovalev thanks to a more spectacular nature of some of his kayos. One can rightfully note that the Russian can very well be a better fighter with a better overall arsenal. However, when it comes to one finishing touch, little can do this better than the Superman.

His late start in pro ranks wasn’t sensational, as he went just 10-0, 7 KOs, against week opposition. But after his penultimate decision against then-sturdy journeyman David Whittom Stevenson fought the last six and a half years without hearing a final bell. And while his first kayos – like one against Anthony Bonsante – were distasteful (if not ridiculous) his later deeds proved his hailing power. 

The best of Adonis came in two first-round annihilations – one against 27-1 Jesus Gonzalez in frightful fashion, and another one – his historical win over Chad Dawson in 2013. He was no less persuading in other wins, like his latest – the fifth-round destruction of Dmitry Sukhotskiy. 

Unlike Kovalev, Stevenson doesn’t rely on his boxing skills, probably knowing that they are subpar to that of the Russian. His advantage in one-punch crushing power is still intact, making the 175lb unification a thrilling fight of epic proportions.

3. Wladimir Klitschko (Ukraine, 63-3, 53 KOs) - heavyweight
KO ratio: 80.3%. Title fights: 73.0%. KO/TKO: 0.36. 1st round KOs: 11

The young father is unique in many ways and for many reasons. Some of these reasons can be applied to this list as well.

Great fighters and great punchers are two different categories. Wladimir fits well into both, being a long-time stalwart of the P4P ranks but also a usual entrant to this list. He is also BoxingScene’s best reigning champion, as announced by Cliff Rold. Not for the first – for the fifth straight time. There’s no one who resides any distantly as high on those three lists as the towering Ukrainian.

Overwhelming power is one of the keys to this dominance. Amazingly though, Wladimir is often perceived as a “dull” champion, not worthy another look. Part of the reason is his tendency for long ground preparations, leading to a good share of retirements, on-feet stoppages or slow breakdowns of his opponents. It shows how big his advantage in tonnage can be. He just literally pounds his challengers down, forces them to feel the power every second of every round with ever increasing authority and intensity.

But Wladimir can also be as quick and as merciless in stoppages as any of the renowned kayo artists. The latest proof has been got in his latest fight against arguably the best possible challenger. Kubrat Pulev showed some strength and also a bad part of his character to anger the champion. He paid an ultimate price in the fifth, with a left hook of Klitschko, producing one of the strong candidates for Knockout of 2014.

That hook wasn’t accidental even despite a fact Klitschko is known to be mostly a one-two fighter. Almost five years ago the same hook put Eddie Chambers to sleep in the deadliest way.

For all his flaws as an entertainer (sometimes), this versatility keeps Wladimir high on the list.

2. Nicholas Walters (Jamaica, 25-0, 21 KOs) - featherweight
KO ratio: 84.0%. Title fights: 100.0%. KO/TKO: 0.50. 1st round KOs: 4

Known universally as the Axe Man, Nicholas Walters has hewed his way into the list of the champs and, even more so, to the list of P4P top kayo artists in 2014.

It’s not that then-WBA “regular” champion Walters was unknown substance before the last year. He just had Q marks all over him, fighting for the first in the States five years since the beginning of his professional career. The Axe Man was great before, and even some names he had added to his victim list were remotely familiar but the scene – mostly Panama and a bit his native Jamaica – was not.

The first flashback of a new natural force has been got in late 2013 with the fourth-round stoppage of capable Alberto Garza in his stateside debut. Still it was just another opponent. The same could hardly be said of his newest additions to the hit list – Vic Darchinyan and Nonito Donaire.

It’s true that the first one was damaged, coming in. He was stopped in his latest fight and struggled in world title fights since 2010. But the way the knockout has been produced – a ready reminiscent of 2007 KO of the Year – was just downright scary.

More came on later with a stoppage of Nonito Donaire, a terrific puncher himself (aforementioned 2007 KO of Darchinyan and again in 2013 plus 2011 KO of the year candidate with Fernando Montiel is amongst his highlight reels). Technically, it was a TKO but it didn’t matter a lot based on its psychological upside.

With two candidates to the list of the scariest kayos of the last year, produced in his most meaningful fights, Walters is second on the list only behind

1. Gennady Golovkin (Kazakhstan, 31-0, 28 KOs) - middleweight
KO ratio: 90.3%. Title fights: 100.0%. KO/TKO: 0.87. 1st round KOs: 5

A cliché being heavily used, not every fan will stop for a second to think of Golovkin’s reputation and the origin of aura around him. Numbers can be deceiving sometimes but clearly not in this case.

Just think about it. Golovkin hasn’t been seen going the distance since his unanimous decision over Amar Amari in June 2008, six and a half years ago. That was way back, when such fighters as Walters or Wilder haven’t even started as pros. Golovkin is also the only one on the list whose kayo percentage actually improved since fighting better opponents. He is 13-0, with 13 KOs. Kassim Ouma was the closest to go the distance before being stopped in the tenth.

Since Amari, Golovkin fought fighters from Australia, Ireland, Germany, USA, Japan, Ghana, Mexico etc. The only difference? The way they were stopped, and the way they allowed Triple G to showcase his power. Some (like Ouma or Gabe Rosado) were methodically battered into submission, some (Curtis Stevens) were forced to retire, some were broken with a number of knockdowns, and some were taken out with a single punch. Those were also different: Matthew Macklin was put on his knees with a liver checker, Nobuhiro Ishida was put out cold with a left hook, and other got their own tickets to the dreamland.

It’s true that Golovkin is yet to be seen against P4P-level opponents. It doesn’t hurt him a bit now. He is the most consistent kayo artist among the champions, and champion among the kayo artists and BoxingScene’s #1 puncher, knockout-for-knockout.