As 2015 comes to an end, we decided to look back at some of the last decade’s most devastating knockouts in UK boxing. All fights fans love a knockout, it’s just in our DNA. Below we rank ten of the most explosive KO’s recorded by British boxers between 2005 and 2015.
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10. Derry Matthews vs Tommy Coyle, July 2013
Derry Matthews v Tommy Coyle was a complete war and had a brilliant knockout thrown in. Coyle looked set to finish Matthews but Derry landed a left hand that left Coyle slumped against the ropes.
9. Carl Froch vs Lucian Bute, May 2012
When Carl Froch met Lucian Bute everyone said it was his last shot at the big time. Bute was a clear favourite and was undefeated, but Carl Froch had other plans.
After battering Bute since the first, Froch finished him off in the fifth after backing him up against the ropes and landing hayemaker after hayemaker, crushing Bute with every punch. Froch won the IBF title and catapulted himself into the PPV big time.
8. David Haye vs Enzo Macarinelli, March 2008
David Haye and Enzo Macarinelli squared off in 2008 with the Cruiserweight World Titles on the line. Both fighters carried brilliant KO records and a short fight was expected. That’s exactly what we got.
In the second round it all came to an end for Enzo. Haye landed a right hand which staggered Enzo, Haye then went in for the kill, landing huge shots until he caught the Welshman flush. Enzo’s legs failed him and the ref waved it off.
7. Anthony Joshua vs Zumbano Love, May 2015
Anthony Joshua has won all of his fights by KO so far, the most devastating of which came when he destroyed Raphael Zumbano Love.
Joshua landed a perfectly timed right hand, which left Love sprawled out on the floor.
6. Anthony Joshua vs Dillian Whyte, December 2015
It was billed as ‘Bad Intentions’ and rightly so, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte genuinely didn’t and still don’t, like each other. This fight had it all as both fighters getting rocked and even had a near brawl between the corners , with the referee catching a punch in the face for his troubles.
But it is the stunning knockout we will all remember. Joshua had Whyte in trouble and was landing hurtful punches, none more hurtful than the right uppercut that nearly knocked Whyte completely out of the ring.
5. David Haye vs Dereck Chisora, July 2012
David Haye v Dereck Chisora was a real grudge match, their now infamous press conference brawl in Germany is what led to this fight being made. The fight took place at Upton Park, neither fighter held a British Boxing license so the fight had to be sanctioned by the Luxembourg Boxing Board of Control.
In the 5th round Haye stepped it up a gear, and landed some punishing shots on Chisora and sent him to the canvas with a crushing right hand. Chisora continued but it only took Haye a few seconds to send him crashing to the floor again, after an absolutely brutal left hand.
4. Audley Harrison vs Michael Sprott, April 2010
Audley Harrison wouldn’t be known being a KO specialist, but he makes it to number 4 on our list. In 2010 Harrison faced old rival Michael Sprott for the European Title in this one. Sprott controlled the fight from the first bell and was ahead on all 3 scorecards going into the 12th and final round, Harrison needed a KO to win, and boy did he deliver.
Sprott rocked Audley and had him in trouble on the ropes, Harrison then landed some good shots and had Sprott covering up with Harrison ready to pull the trigger. Harrison detonated a huge left hand on the jaw of Sprott, leaving him unconscious on the canvas.
3. Ola Afolabi vs Enzo Maccarinelli, March 2009
Ola Afolabi and Enzo Maccarinelli faced off in Manchester in 2009 on the undercard of the Khan/Barrera show. The WBO ‘Interim’ title was on the line, Maccarinelli was favourite going into the fight and bossed it up to the 9th round.
Afolabi a genuine unknown before this fight, buzzed Enzo in the 3rd but he recovered well.
The 9th round brought one of the most devastating KO’s you will ever see, when Afolabi landed a massive over hand right that left Enzo flat on his back, looking up at the lights.
2. Ricky Hatton vs Carlos Maussa, November 2005
Probably the most exciting British Boxer of recent times was Ricky Hatton. Known as the ‘Hitman’, Hatton’s come forward, all action style gained him a considerable following across the boxing world. On November 26th, Ricky Hatton faced Carlos Maussa for the WBA Light Welterweight Title.
A fight in which Hatton was cruising, he began to put the pressure on Maussa in the 9th.
At this stage Maussa was running on empty and as he tried to back away from Hatton’s punches, he was caught right on the chin by a perfectly timed left hook. The punch left Maussa slumped in the corner and the fight was over. Ricky Hatton was named Ring Magazine ‘Fighter of the Year’ that year.
1. Carl Froch vs George Groves II, May 2014
Top of the pile has to be Carl Froch v George Groves II. The fight was one of the biggest in British Boxing history, staged at Wembley Stadium in front of 80,000 people who witnessed the most devastating knockout of the last decade.
Carl Froch is known for his punch power, and it was never more evident than on the night he finished Groves.
Froch backed Groves onto the ropes and proceeded to faint with a jab, then unleashed a sickening right hand, that knocked Groves out conclusively, ending their bitter rivalry.
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