Winner
Rob Brant KO's Decarlo Perez
Sure there were more important fights that ended with a knockout but don't let a marquee name fool you into thinking any knockout was better than Rob Brant's abrupt destruction of Decarlo Perez. Early in the fourth round of their 10-round fight with Perez backing up towards the ropes Brant flashed a quick jab and followed it with a brutal straight right hand that caught Perez perfectly on the chin. The impact from the punch sent Perez flailing into the ropes, and nearly right through them. Perez would be caught by the ropes for a moment before they snapped him back into the ring, his head thudding to the canvas. The fight was immediately waved off giving Brant the win and the 2016 Knockout of the Year.
Runner-Up
Deontay Wilder KO's Artur Szpilka
Deontay Wilder wasn't having a great night against Artur Szpilka throughout the first eight rounds. Wilder's best weapon is his right hand but if he doesn't have his jab working the right hand doesn't land much. Well against Szpilka the jab wasn't working, that is until the ninth round. In that round Szpilka had Wilder in the corner and went in for the kill with an overhand left but Wilder timed it perfectly and caught Szpilka mid-punch with a perfectly placed right hand. The punch spun Szpilka around and knocked him out cold in what was a scary few minutes. Wilder is known as a knockout artist and this was one of his best.
Honorable Mention
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez KO's Amir Khan
While Amir Khan was able to find some early success against Saul "Canelo" Alvarez with his speed eventually Alvarez proved to be too much for him. In the sixth round and in the center of the ring Khan was about to get to work when Alvarez caught him with his hands down. Alvarez connected with an overhand right that landed clean on Khan's fragile chin and momentarily folded him up like a beach chair. After unfolding, Khan dropped straight back, slamming his head against the canvas. Laying in the center of the ring with arms at his sides Khan looked more like a corpse than he did a prizefighter and it took him a few moments to get back on his feet. This is the second year in a row Alvarez finds himself as the honorable mention for the Knockout of the Year after knocking out James Kirkland last year.
In the Running
Vasyl Lomachenko KO's Roman "Rocky" Martinez
Not many fighters come to the ring with more skills than Vasyl Lomachenko and he flashed those skills against Roman "Rocky" Martinez. Martinez was supposed to be a tough challenge for Lomachenko who was moving up from featherweight to challenge Martinez in the junior lightweight division. It was clear from the start that Lomachenko was just too much for Martinez and in the fifth round he put an exclamation point on the fight. Lomachenko has some of the fastest hands in the sport and Martinez saw that firsthand when he ate a left uppercut from the Ukrainian fighter who followed that up with a perfectly placed right hook that dropped Martinez like a bullet and immediately ended the fight. Not only was it a beautiful knockout but also one of the best combinations you could ever hope to see.
Thomas Williams Jr. KO's Edwin Rodriguez
Whenever Thomas Williams Jr. or Edwin Rodriguez fight it is must see TV and also usually ends very quickly. Both fighters came out swinging for the fences in the opening round and the action didn't slow down in the second round. Earlier in the round both fighters had been hurt but with only seconds left in the second round Williams caught Rodriguez with a massive overhand right. Somehow Rodriguez managed to stay on his feet after that punch but Williams followed it up immediately with a left hook that caught Rodriguez on the chin and sent him flailing to the canvas ending the fight and giving Williams a title shot against Adonis Stevenson.
Fernando Carcamo KO's Daniel Echeverria
Usually an orthodox fighter Fernando Carcamo found himself momentarily fighting out of the southpaw stance against Daniel Echeverria. A moment was all Carcamo needed though. In the third round Echeverria threw a weak right hook and when he went to throw the left Carcamo struck him down with a well placed straight left hand. The punch caught Echeverria on the chin and sent him crumbling to the canvas in slow motion with his legs buckling beneath him as he lay defeated.
Ray Beltran KO's Mason Menard
When Ray Beltran took on the young Mason Menard most people thought the fight would end with Menard knocking Beltran out or Beltran winning by decision. Instead Beltran showed impressive power throughout the fight, especially in the seventh round. In that round with both fighters in the center of the ring and standing toe-to-toe Menard connected with a left hook to the body that didn't phase Beltran. Beltran absorbed the punch and connected upstairs with a left hook of his own that dropped Menard and ended the fight.
Rob Brant KO's Decarlo Perez
Runner-Up
Deontay Wilder KO's Artur Szpilka
Honorable Mention
Saul "Canelo" Alvarez KO's Amir Khan
In the Running
Vasyl Lomachenko KO's Roman "Rocky" Martinez
Not many fighters come to the ring with more skills than Vasyl Lomachenko and he flashed those skills against Roman "Rocky" Martinez. Martinez was supposed to be a tough challenge for Lomachenko who was moving up from featherweight to challenge Martinez in the junior lightweight division. It was clear from the start that Lomachenko was just too much for Martinez and in the fifth round he put an exclamation point on the fight. Lomachenko has some of the fastest hands in the sport and Martinez saw that firsthand when he ate a left uppercut from the Ukrainian fighter who followed that up with a perfectly placed right hook that dropped Martinez like a bullet and immediately ended the fight. Not only was it a beautiful knockout but also one of the best combinations you could ever hope to see.
Thomas Williams Jr. KO's Edwin Rodriguez
Whenever Thomas Williams Jr. or Edwin Rodriguez fight it is must see TV and also usually ends very quickly. Both fighters came out swinging for the fences in the opening round and the action didn't slow down in the second round. Earlier in the round both fighters had been hurt but with only seconds left in the second round Williams caught Rodriguez with a massive overhand right. Somehow Rodriguez managed to stay on his feet after that punch but Williams followed it up immediately with a left hook that caught Rodriguez on the chin and sent him flailing to the canvas ending the fight and giving Williams a title shot against Adonis Stevenson.
Fernando Carcamo KO's Daniel Echeverria
Usually an orthodox fighter Fernando Carcamo found himself momentarily fighting out of the southpaw stance against Daniel Echeverria. A moment was all Carcamo needed though. In the third round Echeverria threw a weak right hook and when he went to throw the left Carcamo struck him down with a well placed straight left hand. The punch caught Echeverria on the chin and sent him crumbling to the canvas in slow motion with his legs buckling beneath him as he lay defeated.
Ray Beltran KO's Mason Menard
When Ray Beltran took on the young Mason Menard most people thought the fight would end with Menard knocking Beltran out or Beltran winning by decision. Instead Beltran showed impressive power throughout the fight, especially in the seventh round. In that round with both fighters in the center of the ring and standing toe-to-toe Menard connected with a left hook to the body that didn't phase Beltran. Beltran absorbed the punch and connected upstairs with a left hook of his own that dropped Menard and ended the fight.
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