Best Current Examples Of Each Punch

Hey all, I'd like to generate some discussion and see what you think regarding each basic punch and which CURRENT boxer exemplifies the best usage of that punch - whether you consider it the most technically sound, the most devastating, the most overwhelming, you pick the criteria for the boxer you choose for each punch. See if you can give a reason for why you chose the boxer to go with each punch. Here's my list.

Jab - Wladimir Klitschko. His jab is more than just a rangefinder, it's truly an offensive weapon. Klitschko is often criticized for being far 'too' cautious and relying 'too' much on his jab. But to see this punch used to its devastating potential, check out the second Wladimir Klitschko, Lamon Brewster fight. Klitschko absolutely dominated Lamon Brewster with little more than just his jab, picking him apart and throwing a staggering 346 jabs in just 6 rounds before finishing his man off.

Straight right - Randall Bailey. The man might be a one-trick pony, but he's managed to make a career out of this one signature punch. It's like an atomic detonation. Watch the knockout of Figueroa. The man is unconscious before he even hits the canvas. Bailey also managed to drop iron-chinned Urango for the first time in his career, dropping the muscle-bound Colombian puncher with a gargantuan straight right.

Straight left (southpaw) - Manny Pacquiao. While Pacquiao is no longer the one-handed fighter he used to be, his straight left is still a punch to be feared. This single punch floored future hall-of-famer Marco Antonio Barrera, future hall-of-famer Juan Manuel Marquez three times in a single round, future hall-of-famer Erik Morales multiple times, and many others. This punch is generally unleashed in combinations following a couple of lightning-fast range-finding jabs, then Pacquiao launches himself forward leading with that crunching left.

Uppercut - Andre Berto has extremely fast hands, and is able to tie the uppercut into combinations extremely effectively, usually using it to end a combination before he backs out of range. We saw this tactic applied perfectly in his recent fights against both Collazo and Urango. It isn't an exceedingly powerful punch, but it's extremely effective and lands out of nowhere.

Hook - Edwin Valero. The Venezuelan southpaw throws wide, looping punches from unorthodox angles, but his left hook has sleep-time spelled all over it when it connects cleanly. Valero likes to work his way in, leading with either a jab to the body or a straight left, and then this punch is usually thrown in flurries of hooks following a right hook, so that Valero's body is already cocked and ready to throw the left. He may not hit you with all of those hooks, but if one lands, ask any one of his 27 opponents what happens.

Body shot - Previously I would have given this award to Miguel Cotto, but in his recent fights he appears to have all but abandoned his signature body attack for almost pure head-hunting. Ricky Hatton also was famed for his body punching, the knockout of a faded Jose Luis Castillo with a perfect left hook to the ribs is testament to that fact. Right now I don't have a clear front-runner for this punch that comes to mind. Any suggestions? I'd be glad to hear them.

 

Didn't even consider that. Well-played, sir! I guess that's a testament to how far Tua's fallen off my radar over the past few years.