Maxboxing 2020 Knockout of the Year: Gervonta Davis KO 6 Leo Santa Cruz

The knockout.

Explosive, dynamic, and sudden.

A combustible reaction to a landed punch.

It happened last November when Gervonta Davis and Leo Santa Cruz threw hands.

The bout was a firefight from the get-go. Both fighters came out jabbing and looking for more. In a moment of foreshadowing, Davis connected with an uppercut. Santa Cruz, already bleeding, jabbed and fired right hands.

As expected, Davis, the southpaw, stalked Santa Cruz. His blows were heavy. Santa Cruz answered back but ate a left to the gut to end an action-packed three mins.

Santa Cruz fired more lead rights in round two. He also landed a left. Davis let fly with several lefts but missed most of them. Santa Cruz forced Davis into the ropes and unleashed. Davis nailed him with a counter uppercut.

In round four, Santa Cruz dug to the body. Davis said fine and returned fire with his own body and headshots. Santa Cruz absorbed the blows and fought back. Davis landed another one-two to the belly.

Santa Cruz got off first in round five. Davis fought back with combinations. Santa Cruz stayed in the pocket and took them. Doing that was dangerous, as it played out a few minutes later. Santa Cruz fired blows downstairs in round six. He also connected with a right. And an uppercut.

Davis kept working. He landed two left hooks.

Santa Cruz, always and forever gutsy, punched back, but seconds later, Davis stepped in and let go with a vicious uppercut from his hip. The blow disconnected Santa Cruz from conciseness. The proud warrior fell as if shot, landing under the ropes.

Thankfully, after a nervous two minutes, Santa Cruz sat up with a smile. Davis applauded his fallen foe.

“It (the uppercut) was right there,” said Davis.

I guess.

Honorable mention: Alexander Povetkin KO 5 Dillian Whyte.

Whyte was systematically beating Povetkin up. The old Russian was trying, but Whyte’s bodywork and power punches were softening him up. After going down for a second time in round four, Povetkin was groggy and ready to go.

Or so it seemed.

But, 25 seconds into round five, Povetkin dipped and uncorked a left uppercut. Whyte collapsed like a tree struck by dynamite.