K.O.W. - Beware the Cobra

For our second official No Mas Knockout of the Week, we turn to Tommy Hearns, which is appropriate, because if Tyson was the most devastating knockout artist of our time, Hearns is certainly a close runner-up.

We take you back to August 2nd, 1980, when the Hit Man won his first title, the WBA welterweight crown, from the ever popular Jose "Pipino" Cuevas. At this point in his career, Hearns was 29-0, with all but two of his wins coming by stoppage. He had become a feature attraction because of his devastating punching power - of his previous ten fights leading up to Cuevas, nine had ended in a stoppage, and none of those after the sixth round. After his second-round KO of Cuevas, the hype for a Leonard/Hearns showdown would begin in earnest.

Like all Mexicans, Pipino is gamer than game in this fight, and he comes out swinging for the fences, but about a minute into the first round Hearns staggers him with one of those cobra-sprung straight right hands. After that things turn ugly. By the second round, it's target practice for Hearns. His epic reach, the ferocity of his combinations - he's a terrifying fighter. In two rounds, Pipino takes a lifetime's worth of KO-worthy haymakers, and when he finally does go down for good, it seems like he's been shot with a gun. He shimmies in the air, suspended, barely conscious, and then Hearns finishes him with another short right. Enjoy.