Tony Bellew believes that Leigh Wood’s knockout of Michael Conlan was the finest of the year.
Wood was down on points going into the 12th round and had to pull off a stoppage if he wanted to retain his world championship belt.
Almost incredibly, he delivered, sending his opponent out of the ring to be caught by members of his family to cushion his fall.
Speaking to The DAZN Boxing Show, Bellew said that the knockout demonstrated the hazards of boxing.
“I’d have to go with Leigh Wood. It’s the moment it’s done in,” he began.
“Don’t get me wrong, I was really worried on the night. It’s an argument why there should be a mat around the ring. That was the perfect example of why it should.
“If it wasn’t for his family catching him before his head hit the floor, it’s frightening to imagine what could have been, so that knockout, so late in the fight, the drama of it.
“I’m sure I’m missing a better actual one-punch shot putting someone to sleep, but nobody did it as dramatically as that. He’s losing the fight and in the 12th round he did what he was saying before the fight.”
Ade Oladipo suggested a potential alternative contender, Joe Cordina’s knockout of Kenichi Ogawa.
“It has to be Joe Cordina vs Ogawa,” he added.
“He landed that right hand as sweetly as any right hand. As soon as he sees it, he turns around and celebrates.
“The ref could have counted to 100 [seconds], two minutes.”