By Dan Morley
The left hook is my favorite punch in boxing. When a boxer learns to throw the main hook, he realizes the true power of his weak hand.
Requiring a tight, fast strike, coupled with a clean, well-timed swing – yet loose enough to inflict maximum damage – a left hook can quickly turn the tide of a fight, a career and, in some cases, boxing history.
The spectacular left hook that Knockout of the Year Contender Angelo Leo used to dispatch highly regarded champion Luis Alberto Lopez last weekend reminded me of boxing’s most effective, consistent, and devastating left hookers.
Angelo Leo (right) throws a left punch at dethroned champion Luis Alberto Lopez (left).
Here are the eight greatest left hookers in boxing history:
8. Bob Foster
Bob Foster left a lasting impression on the light heavyweight division, standing the test of time as one of the division’s greatest champions. Taller and leaner than his opponent, Foster threw his left hook with sniper-like precision, delivering a fierce snap upon impact.
Unlike many other taller fighters, Foster can remain dangerous in the pocket while still being one of the sport’s most dangerous punchers at mid-range. There’s no way to hide either; you’re always in the danger zone with ‘The Deputy Sheriff’.
Fittingly, it was this punch that successfully defended the light heavyweight world title, shocking the legendary Dick Tiger. During his 14 successful title defenses, light heavyweight challengers were terrorized by Foster (below), especially his left hook, which brutalized Mike Quarry in the most horrific way.
7. David Tua
One of the most entertaining heavyweights of his era and as durable and destructive as any fighter before or since. David Tua was a human wrecking ball. An incredibly stocky yet strong and explosive knockout fighter, Tua would close the distance and throw sledgehammer punches that would blow your head off if you were unfortunate enough to still be in range!
Among the most ferocious of these were the left hooks, which Tua threw with terrifying force and speed, knocking out champions and formidable opponents in quick succession. This punch immediately started a series of strikes, knocking out future heavyweight champion John Ruiz within 30 seconds of the first round.
David Tua (Al Bello /Allsport)
6. Felix Trinidad
Felix Trinidad is among Puerto Rico’s greatest boxers, having completed a near-record 15 successful defenses of his welterweight title. Tito defeated a host of boxing legends, including De La Hoya, Whitaker, Camacho and Vargas, winning titles from welterweight to middleweight during a perfect 40-fight winning streak.
The Puerto Rican is one of the best finishers in the sport and favors his left hook to deal damage, knocking out world-class fighters with efficiency.
Trinidad is not your typical stocky puncher. Like Bob Foster, he is slimmer and has more reach than most – throwing hooks from a wider angle; however, the effect is poor.
Action Images/Reuters/Steve Marcus
5. Robinson Road
A boxer who is widely considered to be the greatest of all time would unsurprisingly be high on most lists. Sugar Ray’s spectacular left hook is no exception. Robinson possessed one of the most brutal left hooks in history, with power in both hands and the ability to throw unique punches seamlessly and in combinations, racking up over 100 KOs in his career.
Robinson’s left hook KO of Gene Fullmer, one of the most famous power punchers in history, is considered by many to be the greatest one-punch KO ever. Throwing the hook perfectly while retreating with pinpoint accuracy and blinding speed.
While Robinson skillfully used left hooks as a versatile tool in his combinations, they were often the exclamation point that ended them abruptly.
4. Joe Louis
Joe Louis was a textbook boxer. Every punch was thrown with exquisite technique, not a single move was wasted, while each punch was gifted with unprecedented KO power. Louis was considered boxing’s most effective KO Artist, defeating numerous celebrities, champions and challengers during his massive, record-breaking reign as the world heavyweight champion.
Louis could have made any of these lists without much surprise, but his left hook over Billy Conn, a clear example of great balance, precision, and power, stands out as one of my favorite KOs of all time.
3. Tommy Morrison
Tommy Morrison’s left hook was an unstoppable force of nature, brutally destroying anything it touched. The punch to Ruddock was almost comical in the sheer violence of the impact, causing Ruddock to spin almost 180 degrees upon impact.
Morrison wastes nothing with his left hook, throwing a battering ram with lightning speed and perfect timing. Physically, Morrison is big, strong and explosive, allowing his hooks to be backed up by a lot of heavy muscle.
His left hook became legendary after being credited with hundreds of knockouts at both the professional and amateur levels.
2. Pipino Caves
Cuevas was a badass, considered the most dangerous man in boxing in the late 70s, a time when Duran was dominating every weight class from lightweight to welterweight.
The Mexican boxer achieved the extraordinary feat of winning the welterweight title at the age of 18. He successfully defended the title 12 times, scored 11 knockouts, and set a unique record for breaking more facial bones in his title challengers than any other champion in history.
Cuevas is a tank who fights like welterweight George Foreman, able to knock opponents out or temporarily paralyze them.
Action image
1. Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier was as ruthless as any boxer in history and, in my opinion, had the greatest left hook ever seen, far surpassing any other.
It was an iconic punch delivered with brute force, vicious intent and relentless intensity throughout 15 rounds. It knocked out many of the great heavyweights of the era and most notably took Muhammad Ali off the chin countless times, scoring the most famous knockout in boxing history.
Frazier’s left hook is a truly powerful punch, which can be delivered to the head or body, and in my opinion is the greatest left hook in boxing history.
New York, NY: Joe Frazier, left, attacks Muhammad Ali during the 15th round of their heavyweight boxing championship match at Madison Square Garden in New York on March 8, 1971. (Photo by Dick Morseman/Newsday RM via Getty Images)
Honorable mentions: Henry Cooper, Roy Jones, Mike Tyson, Floyd Patterson, Nonito Donaire, Gerry Cooney, Evander Holyfield, Oscar De La Hoya.
