Rounnd 12: The knockout artists world champions
By Mauricio Sulaimán – Son of José Sulaimán & President of the WBC
In the history of boxing there have been just 14 world champions who have won a title while undefeated, with all of their victories coming by way of knockout.
World Boxing Council head honcho, Mauricio, paid homage to them all during his recent 'Round 12' column:
On July 15, 1975, Thai Saensak Muangsurin won the world championship of the World Boxing Council in the super lightweight division, with only three fights, with the same number of knockouts. He lost the strap for four months in 1976, but then regained it and reigned for another two years until December 1978.
Then the Mexican Alfonso Zamora appeared. Only three years after winning the Olympic silver medal in Munich, Germany, he was crowned world bantamweight monarch, with 21 knockouts, on March 14, 1975.
Great Australian Jeff Fenech, won the bantamweight title on April 26, 1985. Each of his seven wins was by KO.
Also the American Michael Moorer came with 12 knockouts to seize the light heavyweight championship, on December 3, 1988.
Fernando El Feroz Vargas, of North American origin, but with Mexican roots, conquered the title with 15 fights and the same number of knockouts to gain the super welterweight championship. And at only 21 years old, he became the youngest fighter in history to achieve it in this division, on December 12, 1998.
Also the American Randall Bailey with 19 KO’s to seize the super lightweight title, on May 15, 1999.
Towering Ukrainian, who is currently fighting for the liberation of his country, Vitali Klitschko, was crowned heavyweight champion, with a record of 25 fights with the same number of KO’s, on June 26, 1999. He was an outstanding monarch, because of his 47 fights he won 45, only losing two, one of which was against the American Chris Byrd and the other to British Canadian Lennox Lewis. He made 12 defences of the WBC heavyweight strap from 2008 to 2012.
The Brazilian Acelino Freitas is also one of the champions who have arrived undefeated and with victory by knockout in all his fights. On August 7, 1999 he entered the ring, with 21 fights and the same amount of KO’s.
All the previous champions and those that follow have had dynamite in their fists. They were characterized by the power of their punching, underlining their respective victories.
Venezuela is a country of boxing and great champions. This nation has given us 38 monarchs. It started with Carlos Morocho Hernández in the super lightweight division, in 1965. From that date onwards they have continued to fight for more and more world titles.
One of the best-known in the 1970s was Betulio González, who fought epic battles in Mexico; another was Antonio Esparragoza. And Alexander Muñoz, winning the lightweight belt, with 22 knockouts in the same number of fights.
The Mexican Alejandro Terra García was also characterized by his solid striking, reached the super welterweight championship, with 26 knockouts without losing; This happened on March 1, 2003, thanks to his natural punch and great forcefulness, he achieved all those KO’s.
Another tremendous Venezuelan knockout artist was Edwin Valero, who reached his first super featherweight title with 19 knockouts, in an unblemished advance. He subsequently won the World Boxing Council lightweight championship. His quality in the ring was brilliant. He landed 18 knockouts in the first round. His personal life was turmoil, however, and he lost his life on April 19, 2010.
Britain’s Anthony Joshua won his first heavyweight championship, going 16 fights unbeaten and with 16 KO’s. That happened on April 19, 2016.
On May 20, 2017, Japan's Daigo Higa arrived with 13 wins and knockouts, to be crowned WBC flyweight world champion from 2017 to 2018.
We polish this off with fearsome Russian Artur Beterbiev, who scored 12 knockouts to win the light heavyweight title on November 11, 2017.
A magnificent seven X 2 parade of champions who have punctuated history as undefeated, winning via fast track, until they achieved the world title.
There are also other spectacular finishers: Joe Louis, Max Schmeling, Rocky Marciano, George Foreman, Joe Frazier, Muhammad Ali, Sonny Liston, Mike Tyson, Wilfredo Gómez, Alexis Argüello, Pipino Cuevas, Rubén Olivares and Carlos Zárate.
Did you know…? Archie Moore holds the record for the most knockouts in history, with 132, in 186 wins.
Today's Anecdote: Don José was impressed with Mike Tyson`s series of knockouts in the first round. Tyson subsequently became the youngest world champion in the heavyweight history, aged 20, when he won the WBC title, against Trevor Berbick, on November 22, 1986.
