One KO Wonders

[BoztheMadman]

There have been several boxers who only achieved glory with one single punch and that remained their biggest achievement. They were simply fortunate or good enough to land that big one at the right time. Here are some of the examples:

 

Akinobu Hiranaka

Hiranaka was the Japanese light welter ko artist who lost in his first world title bid on points to Juan Martin Coggi in 1989, fighting for the WBA title. He then got his second chance against one of the best lightweights in history, Edwin "Chapo" Rosario, who was making a comeback as a lww after losing his WBA title to Juan Nazario and had stopped Loreto Garza to win another one at 140. Date was 10 April 1992 and the stage Mexico City. Hiranaka shocked everyone present and watching the fight by stopping Rosario in 1 minute and 32 seconds, after first hurting him with a left hook and then following it up with a barrage. Rosario's career would never recover, while Hiranaka went on to lose his belt in his first defense to 19-yearold Pinoy called Morris East, who stopped him by TKO11 after only 5 months of Hiranaka's reign, 9 September in Japan. Hiranaka was ahead at the time of stoppage. He retired with that loss, despite being only 29.

 

Tomas Molinares

A truly unique example, this guy was the only man to knock out the defensive wizard Marlon Starling, who was otherwise known for his good chin, but was not given the credit for it. Molinares, a 5'9 Colombian welterweight, was undefeated with 23-0 and 21 ko's when he was chosen as the third defense of then-WBA champion Marlon "Magic Man" Starling. Molinares was unknown and this was his first world-class fight, so he was expected to be a pushover for Starling. Date was 29 July 1988 and the stage Convention Hall in Atlantic City. The fight had been surprisingly even going into round 6 and one of the judges had it even while the other two only had the champ up by one point. Just as the bell was about to sound, Molinares threw a right-handed bomb that hit Starling flush on the jaw and put him down and out, for the first and only time in his career! However, only a day later, the New Jersey commissioner Larry Hazzard decided the punch was thrown after the bell and so turned the fight into a no-contest. WBA still declared they intended to crown Molinares as the champion. All this had a profound effect on Molinares however and he sank into a depression so severe he had to be hospitalized, abandoning the title. He returned to the ring but was just a shell of his old self and he got knocked out in two of his next fights and then retired at the end of 1989. A victim of circumstance. It was after this that the 10-second warning was implemented at the end of every round.

 

Jae-Doo Yuh

One of very few Korean world champions above 147, Jae-Doo Yuh is famous for knocking out the three-time world light middle champion Koichi Wajima. To defeat a Japanese fighter in Japan and by ko was considered the ultimate triumph for a Korean fighter and this is what this guy did. It was on 7 June 1975 that it happened, in Wajima's first defense since reclaiming the title from Oscar Albarado. Wajima looked weary in the middle rounds and was dropped to his trunks just as the bell sounded in round 6. In the next round, they traded back and forth before Yuh nailed him with a chopping right and then a left hook which put Wajima down. Although he beat the count, he was finished and was put down again immidiately with a light two-punch combination and then as he again beat the count he was battered down for the third time and that was it. Yuh became the first Korean to win a world title in Japan and he made one defense by knocking out a lesser Japanese fighter called Masahiro Misako by KO6 before Wajima knocked him out in their rematch in the 15th round to reclaim his title. Yuh never fought in a world title fight again and retired in 1978, 2 years after losing to Wajima. A very game fighter he was, with a dangerous punch. It was the first and only time Wajima was stopped in the middle rounds since he became a world class fighter.

 

Morris East

The guy who ended Hiranaka's gravy train didn't fare much better. It all came too fast for him. East was born to an Afro-American marine and a Filipino woman in Olongapo City, Philippines. East started as a pro at only 16 and his career wasn't that successful at first. He lost a couple fights on points early on but then started winning and then, seemingly out of nowhere, he received an offer to fight for the WBA 140-pound title against Akinobu Hiranaka, the new sensation. It was 9 September '92, as mentioned, and East had to go to Japan to fight, He had just turned 19 a month prior to the fight. It would be a long and tough one and East was slightly behind on the scorecards but gaining strength and confidence going into round 11. It was then he scored one of the most unusual knockouts in a world title bout when he caught Hiranaka with a hard straight left. Hiranaka got up, but was unable to stand properly and that was it. It was named The Ring KOTY. It soon turned out to be too good to last when East lost his title in his first defense to the excellent Juan Martin Coggi, who stopped him by TKO8, 12 January '93 in Argentina. East would retire in 1995, with a record of 20 wins and 4 losses. Too much too soon.

 

Alfredo Layne

Nobody expected anything from this man when he faced Wilfredo Gomez, Bazooka himself, in Gomez's first defense of the WBA super feather title he took from Rocky Lockridge. The Panamanian Layne had an unimpressive record of 14-5 when he was somehow chosen as Gomez's first challenger, 24 May 1986 at Coliseo Roberto Clemente in San Juan, Puerto Rico. But, it turned out-he could punch. Gomez was comfortably ahead going into round 8, when he was caught by a straight right to the chin which put him down, at the end of the round. He made the count and went to his corner, but could not recover in time and as the round started, Layne jumped him and drove him to the ropes. Another straight right put Wilfredo out of the game for good, after 32 seconds. And so, one of the most unlikely upsets had been made. It would also mean the end for Gomez's career and he never again won a world title. Layne lost the title in his first defense to Brian Mitchell, putting up a brave fight before being stopped by TKO10. In his next fight, he managed to knock down Pernell Whitaker but lost to him by a wide UD. Layne lost 7 out of his 8 last fights and retired in 1989. Sadly, on 25 June 1999, Layne was shot and killed on the streets of Panama City, aged 39.