Frazier, Robinson, Garcia: The art of the left hook

Independent

27-05-2025

Ryan Garcia could not find the range with his famous left hook this month as he fell to a comeback defeat against Rolly Romero in Times Square.
The star had hoped to set up a rematch with Devin Haney but his fists failed him as he ended his one-year exodus from the ring in disappointing fashion.
The popular American still has the skill to be a top-notch performer though, especially with his big left hand - but just who else built a reputation for that particular blow?
Here, we look at the best left hooks from history and the art behind each power punch.
David Tua
The Samoan-born wrecking machine was a destructive force in the 1990s and early 2000s.
Knocking out 43 of his 52 professional victories, his explosive punching power and ruthless aggression were to be feared.
The left hook played an important role in Tua's style, using it as an explosive lead.
It was the punch that brought his fight with future world champion, John Ruiz, to an end in just nineteen seconds.
It was also used as part of violent barrages to the head and body to overwhelm his opponents.
It was in this way he brought his clash with three-time world heavyweight champion Michael Moorer to a close in just 30 seconds.
Tommy Morrison
The left hook of Tommy 'The Duke' Morrison was undoubtedly a piece of heavy artillery - anything it touched fell to the canvas.
He delivered it with perfect timing and blistering speed to incapacitate any opponent.
The hook was so effective it seemed as if all of his other punches were mere set-ups for it.
Donovan 'Razor' Ruddock famously felt the power of Morrison in 1995 - a flush single left hook landed on his chin, almost lifting him off the ground and turning his head a full 180 degrees.
'Golden Boy', most well known as a tough non-stop puncher, possessed a hidden weapon in his left hook.
De La Hoya is actually left-handed but was converted into the orthodox (left hand leading) stance at a young age.
His left-hand dominance meant his left hook had unnatural power, which he used to great effect throughout his career as both a powerful lead and to punctuate his high-speed combinations.
Being able to throw the hook with power moving forwards or backwards made De La Hoya a constant threat and stopping a legendary fighter like Julio Cesar Chavez not once, but twice, was a testament to that left hook.
Sugar Ray Robinson
Recognised as one of, if not, the best fighter of all-time, Sugar Ray Robinson was a well-rounded knockout machine.
He possessed power in both hands, but his left hook was revered around the world.
Both as a single shot fight-ender or the final flourish in a dizzyingly fast combination, Ray Robinson was able to find the target with his left hook at will and with over 100 career knockouts in just over 200 fights, it was lights out if he found the target.
Robinson's knockout of Gene Fullmer in 1957 remains as one of the greatest one punch knockouts in boxing history.
Robinson, moving backwards, landed an inch-perfect left hook that put Fullmer on his back.
Joe Frazier
Joe Frazier was famous for his left hook.
He had no need for any other punch. His bobbing and weaving style made it almost impossible for his opponents to control and hinder him.
The left hook was thrown with such malice and intensity from the opening bell to the end of the fifteenth round that it became an icon in its own right.
The moment that immortalised Frazier's left hook came in 1971. 'The fight of the century' against Muhammad Ali.
Frazier had been throwing and landing his left hook on Ali with undeniable ferocity for fifteen rounds before one final leaping hook put one of the greatest of all time on the canvas.
Ryan Garcia
When you mention the left hook in boxing today, it is inevitable Ryan Garcia will be a part of this conversation – his meteoric rise to superstardom, initially bolstered by his social media following became quickly backed up by his otherworldly hand speed and power.
Garcia utilises his hand speed to deploy a crunching counter left hook against his opponent's jabs as well as lead hooks and mid-combination power punches.
Among his list of show-stopping wins, his left hook has a highlight reel of its own - taking names such as Olympic gold medallist Luke Campbell with a whipping lead left hook to the body and dropping Devin Haney three times in their Brooklyn grudge match last year.
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