DEONTAY WILDER extended his knockout ratio to 97 per cent with a brutal one-shot finish against Luis Ortiz.
The Bronze Bomber further cemented his legacy by making his 10th consecutive title defence, equalling Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Vitali Klitschko and Lennox Lewis.
Deontay Wilder tops the list of hardest hitting heavyweights
But the Alabama hitter tops the list in KO ratio by 10 per cent.
Legendary undefeated heavyweight Rocky Marciano is second with 89 per cent just ahead of former unified champion Klitschko who retired with 84 per cent.
Fearsome puncher George Foreman had an 84 per cent ratio with Iron Mike Tyson fifth with 76 per cent.
Wilder has only failed to KO one of his opponents, Tyson Fury, who also marks the one blemish on the WBC king’s 42-0-1 record.
The Bronze Bomber – who twice floored Fury in their 2018 draw – rematches the Brit in his next outing, set for February 22.
And Fury’s trainer Ben Davison does not argue with the stats and facts admitting Wilder is one of the greatest punchers in the sport’s history.
By Wally Downes Jr, SunSport Boxing Reporter
DEONTAY WILDER now has every right to claim he is the hardest hitting one-punch boxer on the planet.
The fact he was confident enough to let Luis Ortiz run away with six rounds on Saturday, before detonating a single right hand, proves that.
But he has a way to go before convincing the history books that he is No1 heavyweight slugger of all time.
Earnie Shavers, never a world champion and not even a familiar name to casual boxing fans, has long held that title, with excellent reason and testament.
Despite, like Wilder, not being an expert technical boxer he managed to get 68 of his 74 wins inside the distance, handing him a 91.8% KO ratio.
Even monsters like Mike Tyson, George Foreman, Ron Lyle and Klitschko brothers Wlad and Vitali have been kept in the shade by Shavers’ shuddering reputation.
The Alabama slammer was also dubbed the most powerful puncher by some of the greatest to ever lace up gloves, some of whom he beat and some of whom he lost to.
Muhammad Ali, Larry Holmes (twice), Ken Norton, Lyle and Jerry Quarry all atested to Shavers’ power during those magnificent heavyweight years between 1970-80.
Ali famously said after beating Shivers on points in 1977: “Earnie hit me so hard, it shook my kinfolk back in Africa”.
Fouteen defeats, an engine that struggled to go past 7-8 rounds and a suspect chin counted against the 75-year-old at the top level he mixed in for a decade.
But, unlike Wilder who has only come to prominence in the last six years with a handful of credible opponents, Shavers did it during a halcyon period for the division.
And all those faults and defeats should emphasise just how terrifying his KO power was and how far Wilder has to go, against better opponents, to take his mantle.
Davison said: “He’s the biggest puncher not just in heavyweight history, but in boxing history.”
Bermane Stiverne became the first man to stay on his feet against Wilder, as the Tuscaloosian’s run of 32 straight KO’s came to an end the night he became WBC champion on points.
But Stiverne was laid flat out in the first round of their rematch, and the Bronze Bomber’s round nine and 12 knockdowns of Fury means he has floored every opponent he’s faced.
This kind of form leaves the 34-year-old in no doubt he is the hardest hitter to ever lace up the boxing gloves.
Wilder said: “I think I earned my respect to say I’m the hardest-hitting puncher in boxing history. Period.
“I do what I do time and time again. I give people great fights and great knockouts.
Deontay Wilder v Luis Ortiz 2 – Round by Round from Las Vegas
“You’ve got to give me my credit. It’s sad that it took me over 40 fights to get the recognition that I truly deserve.
“When people see me, they have never seen my style. It took them a while to get used to what I display, my talent that I present to boxing.
“It’s different to any other fighter. It’s not textbook. You can’t really teach it and that’s what makes me unique from the rest of these fighters.”
Deontay Wilder knocked out Luis Ortiz in seven rounds in their rematchCredit: AP:Associated Press
Wilder extended his KO ratio to 97 per cent with his 41st career finishCredit: AP:Associated Press
Source: Boxing - thesun.co.uk
