The Most Legendary Body Shots In Boxing

In boxing, the perfect body shot can be a game changer or, at its best, a fighter ender. Images of boxers of all levels and ability, sliding to the canvas, gasping for air, adorn any highlight reel collection.

While punches to the head can often be shaken off, the lingering effects of a good body shot can stay with a boxer for an entire contest.

The importance of employing a quality, consistent body attack cannot be underestimated. Hall-of-Fame trainer Teddy Atlas often describes body shots as investments, using the analogy of chopping down a tree; such is the importance of a strategic assault on the body.

Hammering away at the ribs weakens an opponent and as their energy levels diminish, the hands start to lower, leaving more defensive gaps and opportunities to land those all-important fight-ending headshots.

Whether it’s a constant spear jab to the solar plexus, a whipping right hand to the liver or a classic Mexican left hook thrown off the back of a combination, the beautiful brutality of a well-placed body shot cannot be overstated

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[joebutlersnr]

I've been knocked out by a punch to the jaw and never even felt it, but a light punch to the body had me writhing in agony, god knows what a body shot feels like after being hit by a professional boxer.

[dacoup]

I’ve been hit in the liver by a world champ in sparring, I made the mistake of asking him to go hard on me for one round as an amateur because I wanted to feel the difference in pedigree and asked him not to hold back … we’ll while I was in the high guard looking for an opening he faked a straight while in orthodox lunging forward closing the gap and landed a left hook to the liver with pin point accuracy, and I’ll never forget it … it was the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced, I was on my knees praying to whatever god would take this pain away, I had trouble breathing, couldn’t stand up and the pain just kept me on my knees … it lingered for weeks I was having trouble pissing without it hurting for 3-4 days … I’ll never forget that experience, it’s the single most painful thing I’ve ever experienced.

[tyjuanwilliams]

A shot to the liver is one of the most excruciatingly painful shots you can take. It’s indescribable pain that shuts your body down like an old computer.

[misterdeeds]

A left hook to the liver has got to be one of the prettiest punches a skilled fighter can deliver. It also happens to be the one that is hardest to recover from. That hit takes the fight out of most all fighters when delivered perfectly by a fighter who has power in his punches. That shit hurts like nothing else. On rate occasions fighters survive such shots, and I am always simply amazed. Even much smaller opponents can leave a giant rolling on the ground in agony wondering what the hell just happened.

[robdog]

I use to fight in martial arts, full contact. One time i was hit in the side with a spinning heel kick. There are no pads on the bottom of your feet, so it is a heel to body shot. It hurt so bad I couldn’t even think. I dropped to my knees, couldn’t breath, couldn’t do anything. So i know what a shot there feels like. I learned to protect my sides after that. I can see that pain on these guys face. Ouch.

[alexreid]

Glad they showed the Gatti Ward shot. Was gonna flag that up so pleased I watched the whole thing. Amazing he came back from that. RIP Arturo.

[InformationIsTheEdge]

Gatti - Ward is my all time favorite fighting trilogy. We watch sport to marvel in the human experience, to see people of spectacular skill put to the test. Those 3 fights of theirs transcended sport and laid bare the awesome power of the human spirit.

[michaelh.]

That first Inoue-Donaire fight was amazing in so many ways. Donaire gets up from that liver shot and finishes the fight, for one thing. Also, Inoue had that sick orbital-bone fracture (and broken nose and hideous cut) all the way back in the 2nd round. The Monster doesn't just have explosive talent, he has colossal heart. (Same can be said for Donaire.) Fight of the Year, sure, but also Fight of the 21st Century, IMO.

Not as appreciated as it should be: Carlos Palomino wins the welterweight championship in 1976 over John H. Stracey with a brutal body assault.

[felixfranzen]

The funny thing is, these body shots (most the ones to the liver) doesn't look all that dramatic. In most cases those watching doesn't even notice until the clip is re-run. But I can hardly imagine how bad they most hurt when you're the receiving end. I mean these are people who take countless insanely hard punches to the faces and don't even flinch. Pro boxers must have a high tolerance for pain. So when they keel over and are not even able to stand (or hardly even breed) you know it must hurt like hell.

[devonfaulks]

how poetic it was for ryan to get knocked out by the same left hook from tank

[StryveTactical]

Body shots are a lost art. Everyone seems to headhunt for the highlight reel but the body shot is a thing of beauty

[pretorious]

I went 8-1 fighting light heavy in the army. My only loss was to a perfect punch to the lower tip of my right ribcage. I thought they were broken. They weren't, but it took me about a week to recover completely.

[BloodoperaBlackvomit]

I love body shots. Every bad dude or woman has a off switch.

[lime]

I think he said right hand to the liver, but a left hook is what gets the liver not a right.

[justtim]

My father was a great fight fan and one of his favorite sayings was - Kill the body and the head dies.

[onedecimaleight]

I remember watching Roy Jones Jr and he would wreck more people with body shots than anyone I have ever seen.

[IVE.EVN]

Too many people underestimate bodyshots
Ive had a sparring partner who has thrown many thunderous shots to my head and i only feel them hours after the training session. However every single time a shot goes to my liver or solar it puts me down every time.

[tdyerwestfield]

Round 9, Gatti V Ward 1, the greatest round of all time in the greatest fight of all time.

[Pointmand]

last scene here, same body shot tank did to garcia.

[OPTIONALWATCH]

I remember Mike McCallum's body punches as a young teen watching boxing. He was known as the Body Snatcher.