10 Boxers Who Should Try Bare Knuckle Boxing

Bareknuckle boxing is a unique variant of boxing requiring different skills than traditional gloved boxing. A recent resurgence of interest in bareknuckle boxing makes it a quickly-rising version of combat sports. The absence of padded gloves makes it one of the most dangerous sports. Bareknuckle boxing carries inherent risk, so professional boxers must adopt a few unique strategies to help them move into this sport. Many current professional boxers can do it, considering the skills they showed in the professional boxing rings.

10 Terence Crawford

Terence Crawford has been the most consistent winner in the current professional boxing world. He had a career record of 40-0-0, 31KO). The substantial rise of Terence Crawford made him an attraction in combat sports. However, Crawford's skills and power made him one of the hardest strikers in the boxing world. The undisputed welterweight champion won his last 9 bouts by knocking out his opponents. His adaptability and ability to perform by switching stances in the ring make him a compelling contender for bareknuckle boxing - after his time being king of the pound-for-pound mountain, of course.

9 Sergey Kovalev

His nickname, 'Krusher,' depicted the crushing power of the man with extraordinary boxing skills. Unfortunately, the Russian boxer is just as infamous for punching a woman in the face in 2018 as he is famous for his sheer force of his punch. Unsurprisingly, his professional boxing career declined after the domestic incident, and he lost three fights in the last six years. Kovalev has a career record of 35-4-1 (29KO), which means he has an 83 percent knockout ratio. Being known as one of the hardest punchers in modern boxing history, Kovalev may find a second coming in bareknuckle boxing, as his style is suited for it.

8 Gennady Golovkin

The Kazakhstani boxer Gennady Golovkin earned a tremendous amount of respect for the work he put in the professional boxing ring in the last decade and a half. "GGG" is known for his diligent work ethic, which ensures he can achieve greatness in any ring he finds himself in, even if that means losing the gloves. During his training, Golovkin used to spar with top heavyweight boxers, which helped him deliver hard punches in the ring. GGG has a career record of 42-2-1 (37KO), and while he may be in the twilight of his traditional boxing career, his 88% knockout rate would roll down to the post-glove career.

7 Naoya Inoue

The supremely talented Japanese boxer never lost a professional boxing fight. After his sheer brutality in the ring, Inoue is known as 'The Monster' in boxing. A career record of 25-0 (22KO) is enough to say that bareknuckle boxing after his pound-for-pound dominance is well within the realm of reason. The Japanese Super Nova has a relentless fighting style, strong technical abilities, and sheer tenacity, which can translate well into bareknuckle boxing in a post-championship career. Inoue recently showed his knockout power by taking down undefeated Stephen Fulton with a flurry of stiff punches. He is among the top 10 pound-for-pound boxers in the world. What could he do when the lure of the gloves loses its lustre, and the song of the post-glove arena calls?

6 Anthony Joshua

The British heavyweight boxer Anthony Joshua has been among the greatest heavyweight of the modern era. Joshua transformed his boxing style and achieved a much more defensive style. However, his jab has been described as the best weapon in his arsenal. His outstanding footwork, speed, and technical abilities might make him an intriguing addition to bareknuckle boxing as his favor in traditional boxing begins to dwindle. Joshua has a career record of 26-3 with 23 knockouts, making his overall knockout percentage 88.46 percent. Joshua set his sights on a potential WWE career in the past, which means he is open to new opportunities in different venues.

5 Yuniel Dorticos

Yuniel Dorticos is nicknamed 'The KO Doctor' because of his outstanding knockout power. The career of Dorticos stands at 26-2 with 24KO, which showcases his excellent knockout skills. While nearing the end of his professional boxing career, his speed, endurance, and power can make him a standout performer in bareknuckle boxing. The former cruiserweight champion delivered many rights and lefts to his opponents, showing his excellent punching power. The aggressive and dominant boxing style will allow him to make a better career in bareknuckle boxing.

4 Gervonta Davis

The veteran boxer Floyd Mayweather praised Gervonta Davis as one of the most technical boxers right now. He is ring-savvy and knows where to punch and counter-punch. Davis has all the attributes to become a top-tier bareknuckle competitor after his current run at the top of the boxing ranks. An excellent career record (29-0-0, 27KO) is not enough to convey how accurately Davis can land blows with surgical precision. Past opponent Hector Luis Garcia praised his punching power by saying he became blind momentarily when Davis hit him with a punch during their bout.

3 Deontay Wilder

The 'Bronze Bomber' is tailor-made for bareknuckle boxers with outstanding punching power. A career record of 43-2-1 with 42 knockouts tells you the whole story of this vicious heavyweight beast. Wilder has been a great slugger and puncher who often avoids being hit. However, he always landed a power punch by putting all the force on his front foot, increasing his knockout win percentage. The transformation from professional boxing to a bareknuckle boxing career can come through the hard punches he can successfully land with his wide reach.

2 Serhii Bohachuk

Serhii Bohachuk has gained enormous respect in boxing by beating all his opponents with a knockout. However, the knockout is not the only skill that ensures a great potential career for him in bareknuckle boxing. The strategic approach of Serhii Bohachuk makes him a standout boxer among the current pack. He thrives on the opponent's weakness and attacks them when he sees an opening. The aggressive and high-pressure boxing style would be a critical factor to win in bareknuckle. Serhii, with a career record of 23-1 (23KO) will gain more benefits by making a move to bareknuckle boxing.

1 Artur Beterbiev

The Dagestan native Artur Beterbiev is a born fighter with a perfect career record of 19-0 with every single win coming by way of knockout. Beterbiev trained hard to get into perfect shape for his fights, which unsurprisingly leads him to victory, be it with or without gloves. Beterbiev has tremendous power in his right hand and dropped his opponents countless times with the hard punches. He thrives on counterpunches and jabs and pounced on his opponents with both hands, leaving nothing for them to resist. The calculated body shots, discipline, and timely aggression made him one of the most dangerous boxers in the world who can become a perfect addition to bareknuckle boxing.