Who has the most knockouts in boxing history? Ranking the top three fighters with the most devastating punches

The one thing that made boxing such a beloved sport by casual and hardcore fans will always be the knockout. Whether you're an entry-level observer or a stern follower with near-academic knowledge of the sweet science, you'll always be captivated by the drama, action, and glorious violence a KO can deliver in an instant.

We've seen many knockout artists - boxers who specialize in sending their opponents to the negative zone - in boxing's long and storied history. From ancient Greece to London Prizefighting, lots of great punchers have dazzled fans across generations.

Legends like Rocky Marciano, 'Iron' Mike Tyson, and more recently, Deontay 'The Bronze Bomber' Wilder are considered as some of the most vicious punchers to have ever laced 10oz gloves.

But who truly tops the list of the best KO artists ever? We'll rank the three boxers with the most knockouts in their careers - and we bet these aren't the ones you immediately thought of.

The boxer with the third-most KOs recorded in history is the late Young Stribling (born William Lawrence Stribling Jr.), an American boxer who was active between 1921-1933.

Stribling was one of the few boxers in history to have fought from featherweight (126 pounds) to heavyweight (200+ pounds). His heavyweight world title bout with the great Max Schmelling won The Ring Fight of the Year honors in 1931. Stribling had an official record of 224-13, with 129 knockouts.

Coming in second is a boxer more familiar to casual fans of the sport, 'The Old Mongoose' Archie Moore. The Mississippi native earned his unique nickname as he boasted one of the longest careers in boxing - spanning nearly three decades (1935 to 1963). He was also the longest-reigning light-heavyweight world champion ever, having held the strap for a full decade.

Boxrec ranks him as the third-greatest pound-for-pound of all time while The Ring lists him as the fourth-hardest puncher in history. His longevity in the sport allowed him to rack up a legendary record of 186-23 with 132 knockouts.

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The fighter with the most knockouts in boxing history: Billy Bird

In a close first place is British boxing legend Billy Bird. Much like Stribling and Moore, Bird fought at a time when fighters fought multiple times every month, accumulating staggering records by the time they retire.

In his 28-year career (1920 to 1948), Bird accumulated 356 fights (260-73), though it's been rumored that he had more due to unsanctioned and non-professional bouts. Bird's record will most likely never be broken as he recorded a total of 139 career knockouts, while the closest one active today can't even crack 60.

Having fought exclusively at welterweight (147 pounds), Bird never fought for a world title but will always top boxing lore as the greatest KO artist of all time.