I'll list them and say which I agree and disagree with, and which others I felt should have won instead. Good knockouts will probably slip past my head right now so I'll probably have to make some changes. 1989: This content is protected KO1 This content is protected No argument. Julian Jackson-Terry Norris and Razor Ruddock-Bonecrusher Smith were also good ones. 1990: This content is protected KO1 This content is protected I'd go with Razor Ruddock-Michael Dokes, or Julian Jackson-Herol Graham. 1991: No award given. Ray Mercer's stoppage of Tommy Morrison was very brutal. James Toney's left hook that essentially ended the fight with Michael Nunn was beautiful. The follow-up made the knockout less aesthically pleasing, but it still wouldn't have been a bad choice. 1992: This content is protected KO11 This content is protected tie: This content is protected KO11 This content is protected I have these fights somewhere in my collection. I need to see them again. 1993: This content is protected KO5 This content is protected No real argument, but I think Michael Carbajal-Humberto Gonzalez I could have been chosen instead. Felix Trinidad-Maurice Blocker was a nice KO, as was Roy Jones-Thulane Malinga. 1994: This content is protected KO10 This content is protected This was helped by the historical significance. I preferred other knockouts such as James Toney-Prince Charles Williams and Roy Jones-Thomas Tate. 1995: This content is protected KO11 This content is protected I haven't seen this one so I can't really argue for or against it. I know one thing though, Vincent Pettway-Simon Brown was one unforgettable knockout. 1996: This content is protected KO11 This content is protected Likewise, I haven't seen this one. Some of the knockouts I did like that year and saw were Frankie Liles-Tim Littles II, Arturo Gatti-Wilson Rodriguez, Kevin Kelley-Derrick Gainer I, Mike Tyson-Frank Bruno II, Bernard Hopkins-Joe Lipsey and especially David Tua-John Ruiz. 1997: This content is protected KO5 This content is protected I preferred Roy Jones's knockout of Montell Griffin. 1998: This content is protected KO 4 This content is protected No argument. Reggie Johnson-William Guthrie was a nice one, but not as great at this one. 1999: This content is protected KO6 This content is protected No argument, as this one just edges out Oleg Maskaev-Hasim Rahman I. 2000: This content is protected KO10 This content is protected Not really sure about this one. Arturo Gatti's KO of Joey Gamache was disturbing, especially due to the weight situation, but that finish was highlight reel stuff. Naseem Hamed-Augie Sanchez was another nice KO. 2001: This content is protected KO4 This content is protected No argument. I absolutely loved this knockout. Both Rahman-Lewis knockouts, actually. 2002: This content is protected KO8 This content is protected Poor choice. It's not that great of a KO when you have to shove the guy down with your 250+ after he takes about the 15th hard right hand in a 2 round period. James Toney's left hook KO of Jason Robinson was beautiful stuff. I would've gone with Roy Jones's behind-the-back KO of Glen Kelly, but the punch itself didn't look all that great. 2003: This content is protected KO10 This content is protected No argument. I love this knockout. 2004: This content is protected KO2 This content is protected No argument. I think some others were more brutal, like Glen Johnson-Roy Jones and Sam Peter-Jeremy Williams, but Tarver-Jones II was stunning, swift, and historical. 2005: This content is protected KO1 This content is protected Poor Jaidon. No argument here. 2006: This content is protected KO6 This content is protected No argument. 2007: This content is protected KO5 This content is protected Either this or Darnell Wilson-Emanuel Nwodo. 2007 had a good number of other knockouts I liked, but probably none as much as these 2. " This content is protected "
Good list. I have seen all of the knockdowns after 1997 because i'm a pretty new boxing fan. The worst one on the list was definatly Lewis vs. Tyson. Like you said Lewis leaned on Tyson and Tyson went down. It shouldn't have even been considered a knockdown let alone knockdown of the year. It was kinda like Dwight Howard winning the slam dunk contest this year without actually dunking. The best one though was Jefferson vs. Harris. It looked like Jefferson was wobbling a little, and then he gets a huge shot out a nowhere. Beautiful KO!
Pre-1989, this is what I would have picked: 1988: Iran Barkley vs. Thomas Hearns 1987: Mike Tyson vs. Pinklon Thomas Actually, maybe this can go to Mike McCallum-Donald Curry. Nothing quite like a one-punch KO. But I loved Tyson-Thomas. So brutal. 1986: Tough choice. Tyson had a lot of terrific KOs that year, over guys like Trevor Berbick, Marvis Frazier, Lorenzo Boyd, etc...Thomas Hearns's KO of James Shuler was vicious. 1985: Donald Curry vs. Milton McCory. I love this KO. 1984: Thomas Hearns vs. Roberto Duran. 1983: Not sure. 1982: Not too sure here. Alexis Arguello's KO of Kevin Rooney was picture-perfect. 1981: Wilfredo Benitez vs. Maurice Hope. I also loved Michael Spinks's uppercut KO of Marvin Johnson. Gerry Cooney-Ken Norton was brutal. 1980: Tough one. You've got the beautiful uppercut Matthew Saad Muhammad landed on Lottie Mwale. Or maybe Ray Leonard vs. Davey Boy Green. Then you've got Mike Weaver's left hook to take the WBA crown from John Tate.
KO Magazine, had Knockout of the year back to 1980. I preferred Ko's year end awards better than Ring's for some reason.
Yeah, I seem to remember KO giving the 1992 award for KO of the Year to Lewis-Ruddock. I also remember KO giving the 1997 Fighter of the Year Award to Oscar De La Hoya, while The Ring gave this to Evander Holyfield.
1990: Mark Breland-Aaron Davis. Don Dierdorf said these two look like they could share an ambulence on the way to the hospital. 1985: 1985's fight of the year is also 1985's knockout of the year. 1980: Many good candidates. I haven't seen Tate-Weaver yet but heard many wonderful things about it. For sheer impressiveness, I too will go with Leonard-Green. It was the first time a rabbit ever put a man to sleep.
Hagler-Hearns was great, but I prefer the Curry-McCory KO. Although really, Lane could've just stopped it after the first KD. Milton was donw.
