In 2022, the boxer who stood out with the most knockouts was Jermall Charlo. He delivered an impressive total of 4 knockouts in 4 fights throughout the year. Charlo showcased his formidable punching power and skill in victories against Juan Macias Montiel, Juan Pablo Romero, Bakhram Murtazaliev, and Maciej Sulecki, leaving no doubt about his dominance inside the ring.
While Charlo led the pack in terms of knockouts, there were other notable boxers who also displayed their knockout prowess in 2022. Here are the top 5 boxers, following Charlo, with the most knockouts in the same year:
Edgar Berlanga: Berlanga secured an impressive 3 knockouts in his fights during 2022, demonstrating his formidable punching ability and his potential as an up-and-coming force in the boxing world.
Luis Ortiz: Ortiz, known for his powerful punches, also recorded 3 knockouts in 2022. Finishing fights is what he does well, and his wins clearly showed this. This has now placed him as one of the top contenders in his division which means that an exciting future is on the cards.
Joseph Parker: Parker, a skilled heavyweight boxer, also notched 3 knockouts in his fights throughout the year. From rapid fists to a top technique, he can command the ring and get on the front foot, and this can be seen in the results in 2022.
Oscar Valdez: Valdez, a skilled featherweight fighter, rounded out the top 5 with 3 knockouts in 2022. His performances demonstrated his ability to generate explosive power and deliver devastating finishes.
These boxers showcased their knockout prowess in 2022, thrilling fans with their power, precision, and ability to end fights decisively. Their knockout victories solidified their positions as formidable forces in the world of boxing and added to the excitement and anticipation surrounding their future bouts.
The most watched boxing match of 2022 was undoubtedly the highly anticipated rematch between KSI and Logan Paul, known as KSI vs. Logan Paul II. This extraordinary event took place on December 9, 2022, at the renowned Staples Center in Los Angeles, California. It captivated a massive audience and garnered significant attention worldwide.
Broadcasted on the popular sports streaming platform DAZN, the KSI vs. Logan Paul II fight drew an impressive estimated 1.2 million pay-per-view buys. It surpassed the viewership of their first encounter in 2018, which attracted around 1.1 million pay-per-view buys. This rematch achieved even greater popularity, primarily because it marked the groundbreaking moment when two prominent YouTubers headlined a pay-per-view boxing event, captivating the interest of fans from both the boxing and online content creation worlds. It also due criticism due to its ‘novelty value’ and potential to negatively impact the sport due to that, rather than pure ability.
The KSI vs. Logan Paul II fight was intense and closely contested, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. Ultimately, KSI emerged victorious, securing a split decision win. This rematch not only solidified KSI’s standing as a formidable boxer (within the field of ‘entertainers’ at least) but also showcased Logan Paul’s resilience and dedication to the sport. The event’s overwhelming success propelled both fighters to new heights of recognition and respect within the boxing community and beyond, emphasising the viability of boxing as a legitimate career path for YouTubers.
In addition to the remarkable viewership of KSI vs. Logan Paul II, several other notable boxing matches captivated audiences throughout 2022. These include the highly anticipated clash between Canelo Alvarez and Dmitry Bivol, which generated an impressive 800,000 pay-per-view buys. The rematch between Oleksandr Usyk and Anthony Joshua, two heavyweight powerhouses, attracted 700,000 pay-per-view buys, further solidifying their status as boxing superstars.
Furthermore, the matchup between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano captivated boxing enthusiasts, drawing 500,000 pay-per-view buys. Lastly, the thrilling encounter between Terence Crawford and Shawn Porter captivated audiences with its high stakes, resulting in 400,000 pay-per-view buys.
These unforgettable boxing matches of 2022 showcased the immense popularity and global appeal of the sport, captivating audiences with their electrifying performances and unforgettable moments.
Born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr. on January 17, 1942, in Louisville, Kentucky, Ali’s journey towards eternal greatness ignited in the summer of 1960, when he blazed a trail of triumph at the Rome Olympics. With the weight of the nation on his shoulders, the young Ali emerged victorious, his fists ablaze with the power of his dreams. A gold medal adorned his neck, signifying the birth of a rising star.
Fuelled by an unquenchable thirst for greatness, Ali forged ahead, turning professional and navigating a path strewn with fiery challenges. With each fight, his star burned brighter, his talent radiating like a celestial flame. And on the unforgettable night of February 25, 1964, in a heated clash against the formidable Sonny Liston, Ali ascended to the summit of professional boxing, capturing the world heavyweight championship in full glory.
Ali’s unprecedented achievement set the tone for future generations, inspiring fighters to dream big and reach for the scorching heights of both Olympic and professional success. His legacy, like a radiant fire, continues to illuminate the annals of boxing history, reminding us of the relentless pursuit of excellence and the incandescent spirit of a true champion.
Muhammad Ali, the first boxer to meld the brilliance of an Olympic gold medal with the scorching heat of a professional world championship, forever etched his name in the fiery tapestry of the sweet science. His flame, fierce and enduring, serves as a testament to the relentless pursuit of greatness and the transformative power of a burning passion.
Confusingly, while the Guinness World Records website states that, ‘There is a distinction between the quickest knock-out and the shortest fight’, it does not elucidate any further. In any event, according to the international authority, the shortest world heavyweight title fight took place at the Cadillac Athletic Club in Detroit, Michigan on April 6, 1900.
In his second defence of the world heavyweight title, James J. Jeffries, a.k.a. ‘The Boilmaker’, faced one of his sparring partners, John ‘Jack’ Finnegan, who weighed in at just 180lb – fully 60lb ligher than Jeffries and, according to a contemporary report, ‘looked like a boy beside the champion’. Unfortunately, the contest was as one-sided as the weight differential suggested it might be, with Jeffries flooring his opponent twice in the opening seconds with left hooks to the jaw and finishing him off with another, to the body, after just 55 seconds.
However, rather mysteriously, an even shorter world heavyweight title fight took place at the Nynex Arena in Manchester, Lancashire on April 18, 1998. In the first defence of his World Boxing Organisation (WBO) World Heavyweight title, Herbie ‘Dancing Destroyer’ Hide made short work of the unheralded ‘Dangerous’ Damon Reed, winning without his opponent landing a blow.
Hide connected with a clubbing right hand after just 15 seconds of the opening round and followed up with a left hook, knocking his opponent down. Reed, cut under his left eye, struggled to his feet and, although reluctant to do so, referee Rudy Battle allowed to fight to continue, albeit momentarily. Hide immediately unleashed a right-left combination and Battle dived in to protect Reed from further punishment, waving the fight off and handing victory to Hide by technical knockout after 52 seconds. A mismatch, in the same vein as the Jeffries-Finnegan fight nearly a century earlier, the contest was described in commentary as a ‘predictable farce’.
Born in Yokosuka, Japan on February 9, 1978, to Filipino parents – hence his nickname, ‘The Filipino Wrecking Machine’ – Muñoz moved to Vallejo, California as an infant. An individual gold medallist in the 197lb weight class at the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Wrestling Championships in Iowa City in 2001, while a senior at Oklahoma State University, Muñoz made his MMA debut in the Palace Fighting Championship (PFC) at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California on July 19, 2007. On that occasion, he beat Austin Achorn by technical knockout after 1:25 of the opening round.
The following April, Muñoz left his position as assistant coach at the University of California, Davis to pursue a professional MMA career. He made his World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) debut on June 1, 2008 at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, California. On the main card at ‘WEC 34: Faber vs. Pulver’, he competed in the light heavyweight division, defeating Chuck ‘The Reverend’ Grigsby by knockout after 4:15 of the first round. Another first-round victory, by technical knockout, over Ricardo Barros on the preliminary card of ‘WEC 37: Torres vs. Tapia’, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Paradise, Nevada on December 3, 2008, took his MMA record to 5-0.
Following the elimination of the light heavyweight and middleweight weight classes from WEC, Muñoz was one of a handful of fighters selected to make the transition to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) which, like WEC, was owned and produced by parent company Zuffa, LLC. He made his UFC debut on the main, pay-per-view (PPV) card at ‘UFC 96: Jackson vs. Jardine’ at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio on March 7, 2009. However, the light heavyweight contest against Matt ‘The Hammer’ Hamill ended in the first defeat of his career when he was knocked out by a head kick after 3:53 of the first round.