The Art of Body Punching
By Teodoro Medina Reynoso
PhilBoxing.com
Mon, 26 Feb 2024
At high level of pro boxing, to win by body punch knockout is very rare especially in recent times. To this exclusive thin bunch of this sort of knockout winners, we can now add Takuma Inoue and Riku Masuda whose recent victims were both Filipinos, Jerwin Ancajas and Jonas Sultan.
But while Masuda's was a virtual instructional on how to deliver a quick knockout by a well placed and perfectly timed shot to the solar plexus as Sultan opened his wings, so to speak to throw a punch, Takuma's was a clinic on how to suddenly end a drawn out punching contest by employing body punch targeting the same area upon careful timing and calculation, i.e. after tiring and softening the opponent in the previous rounds
Takuma's body punch KO of Ancajas brings back memory of Rafael Limon's over Rolando Navarette against whom he traded punches for previous twelve rounds until he landed a body shot as Lando was in the middle of his respiratory process. Apart from the excruciating pain, the shot had the effect of temporarily shutting down the breathing process rendering the victim panic stickered and helpless and powerless for a while.
Most boxers, old-timer and modern, use body punching to soften up the opposition under the principle of kill the body and the head will fall i.e. hurt the body and the head will be open and vulnerable to attack and finishing blows.
That was Smokin' Joe Frazier noted for in scoring his many knockouts. But Frazier was never known for a one punch to the body knockout.
Mexicans are noted for the liver punch or punch to the rib cage which are as debilitating.
I saw Artiro Gatti finishing off a muscle bound Leonard Dorin in just two rounds with a well placed shot in the rib cage some years ago.
Bernard Hopkins kayoed Oscar de la Hoya with a shot to the liver in defense of his middleweight title also some years ago.
Naoya Inoue also has a wicked body punch in his arsenal but he uses it more as effective defense as he did against Nonito Donaire in their first fight or to weaken the opponent and set them up for head shot kill.
Body punching is in the repertoire of most boxers including Floyd Mayweather Jr who used it to disrupt the opponent and Manny Pacquiao who used it against tall defensive conscious foes particularly those using the antennae defense.
A well timed punch to the solar plexus though is an art thought forgotten until we saw them again Saturday night.
We might see more of this sort of knockout as Japanese boxers seem to specialize in it.
The author Teodoro Medina Reynoso is a veteran boxing radio talk show host living in the Philippines. He can be reached at teddyreynoso@yahoo.com and by phone 09215309477.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Teodoro Medina Reynoso.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
Parade of champs
By Joaquin Henson, Sun, 03 May 2026David Surov outboxes Kevin Martinez at IBA.PRO Russia vs World
Sun, 03 May 2026SHEEHY MAKES MATCHROOM DEBUT AGAINST GONZALEZ IN HOUSTON
Sun, 03 May 2026PH chess wizard IM Christian Gian Karlo Arca tops FIDE May 2026 PH Under 20 Junior rankings
By Marlon Bernardino, Sun, 03 May 2026The Monster Prevails: Inoue Weathers the Storm to Outlast Nakatani
By Dong Secuya, Sat, 02 May 2026Benavidez vs. Ramirez: Experts Weigh In Ahead of Blockbuster May 2 Light Heavyweight Clash
Sat, 02 May 2026Tsendy Erdenebat Wins Clear-Cut Unanimous Decision over Cobia Breedy in Main Event of ProBoxTV from Live! Casino Hotel Maryland
Sat, 02 May 2026Coach Ederwin Estavillo is ready
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 02 May 2026WOLVERHAMPTON FIGHT WEEK: OFFICIAL WEIGH-IN RESULTS AND FIGHT NIGHT RUNNING ORDER CONFIRMED FOR WALKER-EGGINGTON
Sat, 02 May 2026Cebuano Elmo Traya Eyes WBF World Title in Georgia
By Carlos Costa, Sat, 02 May 2026Jeter Promotions Yvgeniy Pavlov on a Championship Track
Sat, 02 May 20262nd SIGLO 100km Ultramarathon set May 30-31
By Lito delos Reyes, Sat, 02 May 2026Let's Go to San Manuel, Tarlac
By Marlon Bernardino, Sat, 02 May 2026Inoue vs Nakatani Make Weight, Set for Historic Showdown
By Carlos Costa, Fri, 01 May 2026Inoue vs Nakatani & Benavidez vs Ramirez Makes For Blockbuster Saturday
By Chris Carlson, Fri, 01 May 2026