The heavyweight punch is the most powerful weapon in sports. Mike Tyson in his prime proved that when used correctly, the punch of a heavyweight can do some serious damage. But the knockout punch has a science behind it that is as magnificent as the terrifying damage it inflicts. The knockout punch needs to be set up, a person must be in the proper stance, the target must be located, and the proper amount of force must be exerted. The weight of the person punching has a role in knocking an opponent out as well, but the punch is only as effective as the technique. Don Charles, a former boxer and current boxing trainer, states:
From a featherweight to a lightweight to a middleweight, if you can use your weight it doesn’t matter how small you are, you’ll be able to knock somebody out. So pound for pound, sometimes the lighter person can be punching harder than the heavyweight. But if the heavyweight is able to punch their whole body weight, it will be more devastating.
The knockout punch must first be set up with various combinations that will have the opponent guessing where the next punch will come from. Charles says that even though there are only six punch variations, those six punches will yield 1,000 different combinations. The proper stance required to throw the knockout punch is the front foot facing 12 o’clock and the back leg at about 4 o’clock. Charles states,
[The power from a punch] comes from the sole of your feet and the energy is transmitted through your body and ends up on your fist.
The most effective area that is targeted to get the knockout punch is the sharp end of the jaw. This area is said to cause the highest amount of torque and lead to a knockout. Finally, the force that is exerted in the knockout punch plays a pivotal role, especially in the heavyweight division. The heavyweight division starts at 201 pounds and a 240 pound boxer can exert up to 1,066 pounds of force throwing a punch. While a 165 pound boxer, which is below the weight limit for the super middleweight division, only exerts up to 690 pounds of force.
When the set up, stance, target, and force all come together in the heavyweight division, they combine to create the most brutal weapon in sports.
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