Chris Algieri famously said, during the buildup to his fight with Manny Pacquiao, that "just because I don't have a lot of knockouts, doesn't mean I don't hit hard." It turned put, for him, that it absolutely meant that. However, there have been big punchers who did not have glittering KO records. The reasons for this are as diverse as the fighters themselves, and today, I take a look at a few:
Diosbelys Hurtado - Hurtado dropped Pernell Whittaker twice in his coming out fight, and also finished off Randall Bailey with one ody shot to become world champion, while he also dropped hall of famer Kostya Tszyu 3 times in a title fight. The problem with this big puncher was two fold: first, the style in which he used to create them. He was very awkward, especially in counterpunching, and that style does not lend itself to finishing. He also had a very weak chin, and was also dropped or KO'd in every fight I just mentioned. When Vivian Harris is finishing you in two, and Whittaker is knocking you unconscious, your chin was not made for the highest level.Manny Pacquiao - Pacquiao only had this problem when he stepped up in weight, and quality of opposition. He also had the bad luck of taking on men like Clottey and Margarito, who if nothing else, are iron-chinned. His religious conversion, and hesitancy after the Marquez loss are not helping, but Pacquiao's KO record is slipping, because his weight and quality of opposition are not. Period. These men he is fighting know how to survive, and he is often letting them, as he does not want to walk into anything.
Kendall Holt - Holt barely had 13 KOs in 25 wins when he became a world champion, yet before his crushing KO of Ricardo Torres, he had made several other man unconscious with brutal KOs. He even retained this ability as his career faltered, starching former 2-time champ Julio Diaz in 3 rounds. he even dropped Tim Bradley twice, with his numbing single shot power. The reason Kendall did not score as many KOs seems to be his style in getting them. He is a boxer, without an iron chin, and his first loss was a KO in round 1, to a journeyman fighter... you guessed it, it came when he himself had his opponent hurt. he was even down against Torres twice, before the final comeback KO shot landed.
Terry Norris - Norris, like Holt, had chin deficiencies that held up his attack. He was also a brutal puncher without a ton of KOs. However, there is an added wrinkle in Norris's game. He was very overexcited when he had an opponent hurt, and his wildness cost him dearly. Not only did he suffer 3 DQs for single offenses, but he had a history of hitting fighters when down, hitting low, and walking into deadly punches himself. Norris, like Holt, was better off out-boxing an opponent. He had the ability, and it was safer.
Chris Strait
www.convictedartist.com
