Ceferino Garcia and his famed bolo punch checks in at #89 / Photo courtesy of The Cyber Boxing Zone.

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Mark Lyons is back with the latest instalment of his Top 100 Punchers list.  Today he's counting down numbers 90 through 86.

Mark's previous entry: Numbers 95 through 91

Let's get to the next 5...

90. Jaime Garza

Career Record: 48-6 (44)

Most Impressive Stoppages: Bobby Berna TKO2, Felipe Orozco KO3, Carmelo Negron TKO5

Seeing Jaimie just ahead of arguably the greatest junior-featherweight ever in Wilfredo Gomez must look strange. To be honest, it looks strange to me as well. But it's greatest punchers, not greatest fighters and shot for shot, Garza packed a bigger wallop. Jaimie was a two handed puncher that could turn out lights with one shot. While his defensive liabilities kept him from achieving greatness, he did put on one of the greatest first rounds in history with Juan Meza...

89. Ceferino Garcia

Career Record: 102-27-12 (67)

Most Impressive Stoppages: Freddie Apostoli KO7, Kid Azteca KO5, Baby Joe Gans KO1

Perhaps best remembered today for coming up second best against Hank Armstrong, Garcia was the only man to knock granite chinned Barney Ross off his feet.  The big punching Filipino was also the first well known practitioner of the bolo punch, using the sweeping upper-cut to claim a portion of the middleweight title by decking Fred Apostoli 3 times.   Earlier in the same year, he sent a young Lloyd Marshall to the canvas 4 times in winning a decision.  I can't say I'm familiar with a lot of his other victims, but for the day and age that he fought, it's safe to assume that many weren't pushovers

88. Ingemar Johansson

Career Record: 26-2 (17)

Most Impressive Stoppages: Eddie Machen KO1, Floyd Patterson TKO3, Henry Cooper KO5, Franco Cavicchi KO13

While many people will call Floyd Patterson china chinned, a great deal of that has to do with Ingo's right hand missiles that sent him to the canvas eight times. Johansson was not an all world talent, but his right hand was as good as they get. Starching Eddie Machen inside of one round was a tremendous feat. That is a man who went the distance with Sonny Liston.  Ingemar may not belong in the Hall of Fame and he shouldn't rate high as an all time heavyweight, but he hit hard enough to earn a spot on this list.

87. Ezzard Charles

Career Record: 93-25-1 (52)

Most Impressive Stoppages: Archie Moore KO8, Lloyd Marshall KO2 & KO6, Jimmy Bivins KO4, Elmer Ray KO9, Nick Barone KO11, Rex Layne TKO11, Jose Basora KO5

A supreme bad ass that I don't think I could keep off of any list.  With blinding speed, ring smarts and every punch in the book, it's hard to imagine you could mold a better fighter if God gave you the power and some clay.  Ezz could rip off 5 consecutive left hooks and follow it with a cross before your body had the sense to go down.

One of my favorite battles ever is an ageing Charles going to war with Marciano in their first first.  Rocky was lucky he didn't get the younger version, as Charles was a wrecking machine in those days.  Knock-outs of Marshall, Moore, Basora, Bivins, etc say it all.

86. Sugar Ray Leonard

Career Record: 36-3-1 (25)

Most Impressive Stoppages: Thomas Hearns TKO14, Wilfred benitez TKO15, Andy Price KO1, Ayub Kalule TKO9, Dave Green KO4, Don Lalonde TKO9, Pete Ranzany TKO4

My least favorite fighter in history, but I must give credit where it is due. Ray had underrated power, and his left hook was crunching to the head or to the body. Those shoeshine flurries didn't hurt anyone, but if Leonard sat down on his shots he could gain anyone's attention.

The one win that people may not be as familiar with as they should be was Andy Price. That was a big step up for Leonard, as Price had beaten Palomino & Cuevas both and was an avoided spoiler. Leonard destroyed him inside of a round (see below). I don't agree with the way he negotiated outside the ropes, especially his policies on rematches, but there is no denying when he climbed through the ropes Ray Leonard was one bad SOB.

Check back soon for the next instalment of my Top 100 Punchers list.

e-mail Mark Lyons