Different Kinds of Power

Published

11 years ago

August 21, 2013

In the sport of boxing, nothing gets the casual fan as invigorated as a real knockout artist. While there’s no shortage of purists out there who find Floyd Mayweather and Andre Ward’s sublime skill sets most pleasurable (and I find them to be exhilarating, too), you can’t argue with the KO. And frankly, it’s casual fans that pay the bills. When they tune in, or buy the PPV, that’s when the networks and fighters make money.

The knockout is what separates combat sports from all other sports. You simply cannot hit a 5-Run Home Run to tie a game. You can’t hit a 5-point shot in basketball. No goals count for double in soccer or hockey. And while the rules allow for 2-point conversions in football, you simply can’t win with one play left when you’re down 9.

Conversely, boxing offers that element of theatrics where one blow can change the outcome of an entire fight. It’s why the 12th round always means something, and it’s why Meldrick Taylor-Julio Cesar Chavez lives on as a legendary night of boxing.

Boxing is currently blessed with several serious power punchers coming up the ranks. And while every division always has some knockout artists, it’s very rare that those same explosive punchers are in the elite class of their respective divisions. It’s why Mike Tyson was such an eye-catching fighter. He wasn’t knocking around club fighters; he was nearly decapitating championship-caliber fighters.

What’s interesting about punching power is how different it can be amongst different fighters, and how it’s uniquely blended with style and defense to either make a highlight-reel fighter, or a real nightmare for titleholders. Below are some of the sport’s biggest hitters (only including potential world titleholders in my opinion, so apologies to Marcos Maidana, Alfredo Angulo, etc.) and what defines their power.

Lucas Matthysse (140 lbs) – The Argentinean export has slowly catapulted up the ranks by flashing once-in-a-generation power for a junior welterweight. His only two “losses” came on questionable hometown decisions going against Americans Zab Judah and Devon Alexander. It’s worth mentioning that he put both men down during the fight. His power is a cracking power. It’s the type of power you think about if someone were to hit raw meat with a baseball mat. He is constantly a threat for a 1-punch knockout, effectively works the body, and was born with enough power to snap anyone’s head back with either hand. He’s one of the few fighters in boxing that can hurt his opponent with a glancing blow, or one that is partially blocked. That is a clear indicator of elite power. One of his best assets is his chin, as he’s traded bombs on multiple occasions and never been on the wrong end of a savage exchange. While an underrated tactician, he wins fights by making his opposition think twice about engaging with him in the pocket.

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Gennady “GGG” Golovkin (160 lbs) – Perhaps the best “boxer” on this list due to his extensive amateur resume, Golovkin (pictured above) is simply a damaging puncher. While his shots don’t always look as high-impact as Matthysse, the effects are even more noticeable. Similar to Miguel Cotto in his prime, GGG only needs to land a few punches to disfigure his opponent. Every punch he lands seems to both physically hurt his unfortunate foes (you don’t see many pro fighters wince upon contact like his opposition frequently does), and make them less willing to engage.

Partially due to his strong base with a wide stance, he is able to generate tremendous torque on all punches with both hands. His body punching is second to none in the sport right now, and his accuracy really stands out. Contrary to most extreme power-punchers, GGG picks his shots very intelligently and wastes little energy while unleashing the types of punches that end fights instantly. It’s really like he’s wearing brass knuckles and the other guy has pillows on his fists. He’s one of a handful of fighters that backs people up with jabs and would happily punish you over several rounds rather than knock you out in dramatic fashion. He is also defensively sound and takes very little punishment due to his well-schooled defensive prowess combined with the fear he imposes after landing a few shots. He has two legitimate knockout of the year candidates already in 2013, and when he faces Curtis Stevens in November, he’s got a good shot at a third. His willingness to bang with anyone from 154-168 lbs has pundits and fans alike salivating over potential matchups. We’ll see which ones come to fruition, but since HBO has taken a liking to this fan-friendly KO artist, he’ll be easy to watch as he continues his assault on his weight class(es).

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Sergey Kovalev (175 lbs)- Kovalev’s power can only be described as thudding. He has literally hammered his way onto this list by making short work of some very good fighters. What’s impressive about his punching power is that his shots don’t have to look like big punches to severely hurt high-caliber opposition. While Golovkin is a calmer, more cerebral KO artist, Kovalev is a stalker. He can certainly box well, and is trained by noted defensive master John David Jackson, but he simply throws bombs until his guy goes down. You really need to get his respect or you’re dead in the water. When he dispatched Nathan Cleverly this past weekend, it was incredibly impressive. When he combines high-volume with his confidence, power, and accuracy, your night ends early. Simple as that. He doesn’t need to hit you perfectly, he can clip you, and down you go. That’s the sign of a serious power puncher. Perhaps most importantly, he’s a finisher. When he hurts a guy, he goes after them with no concern for later rounds. That could hurt him against a seasoned veteran like Bernard Hopkins (who he may well fight next), but someone has to survive his onslaught to take him to the later rounds, which is one tough task.

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Adonis Stevenson (168-175 lbs)- Now this dude just throws sledgehammers with the sole intent of putting people to sleep. Stevenson doesn’t hurt people so much as end their nights with his absolutely devastating left hand. He honed his craft with the late, great Emmanuel Steward, so while he seems like a one-trick pony, he’s learned some really crafty ways of landing his one trick. He also covers a ton of ground with his straight left. I mean, this is really a heat-seeking missile, so any one shot could end a career. He tends to overwhelm lesser opponents with his brute strength, but any one shot could be the end of the night at any time. His biggest win was his last fight vs. a top caliber Chad Dawson, who is a good enough technical boxer to take one thing away from any fighter. However, he missed the memo that round one wasn’t just a feeling out process, got lazy, and then lost his title after one left hand thrown by Stevenson. He’s got that Tyson-esque power, something nobody else on this list has. Check out the 0:40 mark below. Have a pillow to hug nearby.

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As mentioned, it’s outstanding to see all of these murderous punchers either holding title belts or due for a major title fight. One of the easiest ways to get the casual fan back engaged with upcoming fights is to promise fireworks. While promoter’s tend to speak in superlatives (not unlike this writer), these guys always promise explosive outputs. And if you’re a purist looking for technical brilliance, watching some of these bombers create angles and expertly manage timing and distance to land with such unworldly power will certainly wet your palate.

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Skylar Lacy Blocked for Lamar Jackson before Making his Mark in Boxing

Published

18 hours ago

January 19, 2025

Arne K. Lang

Skylar-Lacy-Blocked-for-Lamar-Jackson-Before-Making-his-Mark-in-Boxing

Skylar Lacy, a six-foot-seven heavyweight, returns to the ring on Sunday, Feb. 2, opposing Brandon Moore on a card in Flint, Michigan, airing worldwide on DAZN.

As this is being written, the bookmakers hadn’t yet posted a line on the bout, but one couldn’t be accused of false coloring by calling the 10-round contest a 50/50 fight. And if his frustrating history is any guide, Lacy will have another draw appended to his record or come out on the wrong side of a split decision.

This should not be construed as a tip to wager on Moore. “Close fights just don’t seem to go my way,” says the boxer who played alongside future multi-year NFL MVP Lamar Jackson at the University of Louisville.

A 2021 National Golden Gloves champion, Skylar Lacy came up short in his final amateur bout, losing a split decision to future U.S. Olympian Joshua Edwards. His last Team Combat League assignment resulted in another loss by split decision and he was held to a draw in both instances when stepping up in class as a pro. “In my mind, I’m still undefeated,” says Lacy (8-0-2, 6 KOs). “No one has ever kicked my ass.”

Lacy was the B-side in both of those draws, the first coming in a 6-rounder against Top Rank fighter Antonio Mireles on a Top Rank show in Lake Tahoe, Nevada, and the second in an 8-rounder against George Arias, a Lou DiBella fighter on a DiBella-promoted card in Philadelphia.

Lacy had the Mireles fight in hand when he faded in the homestretch. The altitude was a factor. Lake Tahoe, Nevada (officially Stateline) sits 6,225 feet above sea level. The fight with Arias took an opposite tack. Lacy came on strong after a slow start to stave off defeat.

Skylar will be the B-side once again in Michigan. The card’s promoter, former world title challenger Dmitriy Salita, inked Brandon Moore (16-1, 10 KOs) in January. “A capable American heavyweight with charisma, athleticism and skills is rare in today’s day and age. Brandon has got all these ingredients…”, said Salita in the press release announcing the signing. (Salita has an option on Skylar Lacy’s next pro fight in the event that Skylar should win, but the promoter has a larger investment in Moore who was previously signed to Top Rank, a multi-fight deal that evaporated after only one fight.)

Both Lacy and Moore excelled in other sports. The six-foot-six Moore was an outstanding basketball player in high school in Fort Lauderdale and at the NAIA level in college. Lacy was an all-state football lineman in Indiana before going on to the University of Louisville where he started as an offensive guard as a redshirt sophomore, blocking for freshman phenom Lamar Jackson. “Lamar was hard-working and humble,” says Lacy about the player who is now one of the world’s highest-paid professional athletes.

When Lacy committed to Louisville, the head coach was Charlie Strong who went on to become the head coach at the University of Texas. Lacy was never comfortable with Strong’s successor Bobby Petrino and transferred to San Jose State. Having earned his degree in only three years (a BA in communications) he was eligible immediately but never played a down because of injuries.

Returning to Indianapolis where he was raised by his truck dispatcher father, a single parent, Lacy gravitated to Pat McPherson’s IBG (Indy Boxing and Grappling) Gym on the city’s east side where he was the rare college graduate pounding the bags alongside at-risk kids from the city’s poorer neighborhoods.

Lacy built a 12-6 record across his two seasons in Team Combat League while representing the Las Vegas Hustle (2023) and the Boston Butchers (2024).

For the uninitiated, a Team Combat League (TCL) event typically consists of 24 fights, each consisting of one three-minute round. The concept finds no favor with traditionalists, but Lacy is a fan. It’s an incentive for professional boxers to keep in shape between bouts without disturbing their professional record and, notes Lacy, it’s useful in exposing a competitor to different styles.

“It paid the bills and kept me from just sitting around the house,” says Lacy whose 12-6 record was forged against 13 different opponents.

As a sparring partner, Lacy has shared the ring with some of the top heavyweights of his generation, e.g., Tyson Fury, Anthony Joshua and Dillian Whyte. He was one of Fury’s regular sparring partners during the Gypsy King’s trilogy with Deontay Wilder. He worked with Joshua at Derrick James’ gym in Dallas and at Ben Davison’s gym in England, helping Joshua prepare for his date in Saudi Arabia with Francis Ngannou and had previously sparred with Ngannou at the UFC Performance Center in Las Vegas. Skylar names traveling to new places as one of his hobbies and he got to scratch that itch when he joined Whyte’s camp in Portugal.

As to the hardest puncher he ever faced, he has no hesitation: “Ngannou,” he says. “I negotiated a nice price to spend a week in his camp and the first time he hit me I knew I should have asked for more.”

Lacy is confident that having shared the ring with some of the sport’s elite heavyweights will get him over the hump in what will be his first 10-rounder (Brandon Moore has never had to fight beyond eight rounds, having won his three 10-rounders inside the distance). Lacy vs. Moore is the co-feature to Claressa Shields’ homecoming fight with Danielle Perkins. Shields, basking in the favorable reviews accorded the big-screen biopic based on her first Olympic journey (“The Fire Inside”) will attempt to capture a title in yet another weight class at the expense of the 42-year-old Perkins, a former professional basketball player.

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Mizuki Hiruta Dominates in her U.S. Debut and Omar Trinidad Wins Too at Commerce

Published

2 days ago

January 18, 2025

David A. Avila

Mizuki-Hiruta-Dominates-in-her-U.S.-Debut-and-Trinidad-Wins-Too-at-Commerce

Japan’s Mizuki Hiruta smashed through Mexico’s Maribel Ramirez with ease in winning by technical decision and local hero Omar Trinidad continued his assault on the featherweight division on Friday.

Hiruta (7-0, 2 KOs), who prefers to be called “Mimi,” made her American debut with an impressive performance against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez (15-11-4) and retained the WBO super flyweight world title by unanimous decision at Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

The pink-haired Japanese southpaw champion quickly proved to be quicker, stronger and even better than advertised. In the opening round Ramirez landed on the floor twice after throwing errant blows. On one instance, it could have been ruled a knockdown but it was not a convincing blow.

In the second round, Ramirez again attacked and again was met with a Hiruta check right hook and down went the Mexican. This time referee Ray Corona gave the eight-count and the fight resumed.

It was Hiruta’s third title defense but this time it was on American soil. She seemed nervous by the prospect of getting a favorable review from the more than 700 fans inside the casino tent.

For more than a year Hiruta has been training off and on with Manny Robles in the L.A. area. Now that she has a visa, she has spent considerable time this year learning the tricks of the trade. They proved explosively effective.

Though Mexico City’s Ramirez has considerable experience against world champions, she discovered that Hiruta was not easy to hit. Often, the Japanese champion would slip and counter with precision.

It was an impressive American debut, though the fight was stopped in the eighth round after a collision of heads. The scores were tallied and all three saw Hiruta the winner by scores of 80-71 twice and 79-72.

“I’m so happy. I could have done much more,” said Hiruta through interpreter Yuriko Miyata. “I wanted to do more things that Manny Robles taught me.”

Trinidad Wins Too

Omar Trinidad (18-0-1, 13 KOs) discovered that challenger Mike Plania (31-5, 18 KOs) has a very good chin and staying power. But over 10 rounds Trinidad proved to be too fast and too busy for the Filipino challenger.

Immediately it was evident that the East L.A. featherweight was too quick and too busy for Plania who preferred a counter-puncher attack that never worked.

“He was strong,” said Trinidad. “He took everything.”

After 10 redundant rounds all three judges scored for Trinidad 100-90 twice and 99-91. He retains the WBC Continental Americas title.

Other Bouts

Ali Akhmedov (23-1, 17 KOs) blasted out Malcolm Jones (17-5-1) in less than two rounds. A dozen punches by Akhmedov forced referee Thomas Taylor to stop the super middleweight fight.

Iyana “Roxy” Verduzco (3-0) bloodied Lindsey Ellis in the first round and continued the speedy assault in the next two rounds. Referee Ray Corona saw enough and stopped the fight in favor of Verduzco at 1:34 of the third round.

Gloria Munguilla (7-1) and Brook Sibrian (5-2) lit up the boxing ring with a nonstop clash for eight rounds in their light flyweight fight. Munguilla proved effective with a slip-and-counter attack. Sibrian adjusted and made the fight closer in the last four rounds but all three judges favored Munguilla.

More Winners

Joshua Anton, Tayden Beltran, Adan Palma, and Alexander Gueche all won their bouts.

Photos credit: Al Applerose

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Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Published

4 days ago

January 16, 2025

David A. Avila

Avila Perspective, Chap. 309: 360 Promotions Opens with Trinidad, Mizuki and More

Best wishes to the survivors of the Los Angeles wildfires that took place last week and are still ongoing in small locales.

Most of the heavy damage took place in the western part of L.A. near the ocean due to Santa Ana winds. Another very hot spot was in Altadena just north of the Rose Bowl. It was a horrific tragedy.

Hopefully the worst is over.

Pro boxing returns with 360 Boxing Promotions spotlighting East L.A.’s Omar Trinidad (17-0-1, 13 KOs) defending a regional featherweight title against Mike Plania (31-4, 18 KOs) on Friday, Jan. 17, at the Commerce Casino in Commerce, Calif.

“I’m the king of L.A. boxing and I’ll be ready to put on a show headlining again in the main event. This is my year, I’m ready to challenge and defeat any of the featherweight world champions,” said Trinidad.

UFC Fight Pass will stream the Hollywood Night fight card that includes a female world championship fight and other intriguing match-ups.

Tom Loeffler heads 360 Promotions and once again comes full force with a hot prospect in Trinidad. If you’re not familiar with Loeffler’s history of success, he introduced America to Oleksandr Usyk, Gennady “GGG” Golovkin and the brothers Wladimir and Vitaly Kltischko.

“We’ve got a wealth of international talent and local favorites to kick off our 2025 in grand style,” said Loeffler.

He knows talent.

Trinidad hails from the Boyle Heights area of East L.A. near the Los Angeles riverbed. Several fighters from the past came from that exact area including the first Golden Boy, Art Aragon.

Aragon was a huge gate attraction during the late 1940s until 1960. He was known as a lady’s man and dated several Hollywood starlets in his time. Though he never won a world title he did fight world champions Carmen Basilio, Jimmy Carter and Lauro Salas. He was more or less the king of the Olympic Auditorium and Los Angeles boxing during his career.

Other famous boxers from the Boyle Heights area were notorious gangster Mickey Cohen and former world champion Joey Olivo.

Can Trinidad reach world title status?

Facing Trinidad will be Filipino fighter Plania who’s knocked off a couple of prospects during his career including Joshua “Don’t Blink” Greer and Giovanni Gutierrez. The fighter from General Santos in the Philippines can crack and hold his own in the boxing ring.

It’s a very strong fight card and includes WBO world titlist Mizuki Hiruta of Japan who defends the super flyweight title against Mexican veteran Maribel Ramirez. It’s a tough matchup for Hiruta who makes her American debut. You can’t miss her with that pink hair and she has all the physical tools to make a splash in this country.

Mizukii Hiruta

Two other female bouts are also planned, including light flyweight banger L.A.’s Gloria Munguilla (6-1) against Coachella’s Brook Sibrian (5-1) in a match set for six rounds. Both are talented fighters. Another female fight includes super featherweights Iyana “Right Hook Roxy” Verduzco (2-0) versus Lindsey Ellis (2-1) in another six-rounder. Ellis can crack with all her wins coming via knockout. Verduzco is a multi-national titlist as an amateur.

Others scheduled to perform are Ali Akhmedov, Joshua Anton, Adan Palma and more.

Doors open at 4:30 p.m.

Boxing and the Media

The sport of professional boxing is currently in flux. It’s always in flux but no matter what people may say or write, boxing will survive.

Whether you like Jake Paul or not, he proved boxing has worldwide appeal with monstrous success in his last show. He has media companies looking at the numbers and imagining what they can do with the sport.

Sure, UFC is negotiating a massive billion dollar deal with media companies, as is WWE, both are very similar in that they provide combat entertainment. You don’t need to know the champions because they really don’t matter. Its about the attractions.

Boxing is different. The good champions last and build a following that endures even beyond their careers a la Mike Tyson.

MMA can’t provide that longevity, but it does provide entertainment.

Currently, there is talk of establishing a boxing league again. It’s been done over and over but we shall see if it sticks this time.

Pro boxing is the true warrior’s path and that means a solo adventure. It’s a one-on-one sport and that appeals to people everywhere. It’s the oldest sport that can be traced to prehistoric times. You don’t need classes in Brazilian Jiujitsu, judo, kick boxing or wrestling. Just show up in a boxing gym and they can put you to work.

It’s a poor person’s path that can lead to better things and most importantly discipline.

Photos credit: Lina Baker

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