We've taken to the annals of Irish boxing folklore to bring you the ten most explosive knockouts by Irish fighters from the past decade (for what it's worth, these are just our picks; feel free to reply with any more that tickled your fancy and we'll check them out).
Kicking off the list, it's a certain former World silver medallist from Donegal:
10) Jason Quigley KO1 Greg McCoy, October 2014
Before he was christened 'El Animal' by his ardent Latin fanbase in California, Ballybofey banger Quigley showed his predatory instinct when he finished journeyman Greg McCoy at the Memorial Hall in Plymoth, MA.
9) Matthew Macklin TKO1 Amin Asikainen, September 2009
It seems like only yesterday, but Tipperary's own middleweight tornado bombed out his Finnish opponent to become European champ just over six years ago. This decimating performance in Manchester announced Mack the Knife's arrival on the world stage. Asikainen might as well have stayed on the plane.
8) Carl Frampton TKO9 Kiko Martinez, September 2013
'The Jackal' of Belfast blasted out his Spanish opponent - famously a former Bernard Dunne conqueror - nine rounds into a punch-perfect display. Martinez rebounded from his fourth defeat to claim the IBF super-bantamweight crown, before relinquishing it to Frampton in their rematch last September.
7) Tommy Tolan TKO3 JJ McDonagh, August 2010
The Belfast bruiser entered his scrap with then two-fight unbeaten novice McDonagh with three defeats in his opening six fights as a professional. Tolan lost thirteen and drew one of his next fourteen fights, with twelve of those coming against undefeated opponents. But since his sixteenth defeat last August, 'The Tiger' has clawed back with five victories on the spin.
6) Luke Keeler TKO4 Festim Lama, June 2014
Celtic Warrior-trained Dub Keeler isn't totally averse to a tear-up, and the affable 'Cool Hand Luke' absolutely iced his Albanian opponent in his fifth professional outing last summer. Incidentally, Lama hasn't fought since his close brush with decapitation in the same middleweight scrap that night in Belfast.
5) Andy Lee KO3 Carl Daniels, March 2007
Limerick's current WBO World middleweight champion Lee lowered the boom on veteran world title challenger Carl Daniels in his eighth professional outing. Interestingly, this is what Lee had to say eight years ago when he uploaded the famous highlight-reel KO to Youtube:
Naturally, the Right Hook from Hell™ features again later in this list.
4) Martin Lindsay KO9 Derry Matthews, September 2008
Down on the scorecards in Sheffield, Lindsay - not known for his punching prowess - dropped a bomb on the current WBA Interim champion and fan favourite. Lights out for the man from Liverpool, as Belfast's future British champ moved to 13-0. What a hit from 'Mac Man.'
3) Seán Turner TKO1 Zoltan Elekes, June 2014
Dublin's 'Big Sexy' heavyweight went viral when he knocked out his Hungarian opponent with his first ever punch as a professional, 12 seconds into his career. A year on, the charismatic and slimmer Turner is now 7-0 with 5 knockouts, dropping another Hungarian - Gabor Farkas - with his first shot in anger at the National Stadium this November, en route to another first round stoppage.
2) Spike O'Sullivan TKO1 Anthony Fitzgerald, November 2014
Cork's KO artist O'Sullivan channelled the great Marvin Hagler against his arch nemesis from Dublin at the 3Arena last year, donning 'WAR' on his Rebel-red trunks and laying down the law behind enemy lines. O'Sullivan ended a five-year-fight-engagement with a concussive right uppercut in the opening stanza, before more war broke out ringside; Spike was infamously forced to duck a flying stool while celebrating on the ropes.
1) Andy Lee KO5 John Jackson, June 2014
Five minutes ago you wouldn't have given a plug nickel for Lee's chances of remaining a significant fighter in the sport,
mused HBO's Jim Lampley.
It was the punch that once again resurrected Andy Lee's career. Down hard in the first and taking a relative shellacking from the rock-fisted son of a legend, Lee - not for the first time - was forced to dig his heels in and unleash The Kracken. Jackson was out before he hit the deck, as the great Roy Jones Junior gasped "OOOOOHHHH!" before proceeding to to wax lyrical about Ireland's comeback king.
Now ranked as the 10th-hardest puncher in world boxing by both HBO and ESPN, this was Andy Lee going full Andy Lee. Shift, right, good night.
Honourable mentions:
Paul McCloskey KO11 Guiseppe Lauri (2010)
Brian Magee KO5 Rudy Markussen (2012)
Anthony Cacace TKO1 Mickey Coveney (2012)
Tyson Fury KO7 Steve Cunningham (2013)
Marco McCullough TKO3 Noel O'Brien (2013)
Marco McCullough TKO9 Willie Casey (2013)
Eamonn O'Kane TKO1 Alvaro Gaona (2014)
