[8.6] SUNG KIL MOON 22-20(15)-2 [Bantamweight & Super-Flyweight]: Boxing Monthly online -
Picture a multiple amateur medalist, an Olympian and World Amateur Championship gold medalist. You’ll probably envision a fighter of some sophistication, even if your first thought is that of an offensively minded fighter.
Sung Kil Moon reached the pinnacle of the unpaid ranks with no silky skills to boast of. He was a force of nature, with a chin filled with cement and sandbags for fists his a transition to the top of the pro game was as simple as taking off his vest and head guard.
Perhaps the closest comparison in this regard would be to George Foreman, a fighter similarly gifted at dishing out pain with little more than brute strength and otherworldly power.
Moon’s ascension to world title level was swift but at a weight above the one we are discussing, winning the WBA bantamweight title against Khaosai Galaxy’s win brother Khaokor in seven fights after a clash of heads sent the bout to the scorecards early. After two successful defences, Moon had the title battered off his waist in a return match with Khaokor, in a one-sided drubbing that showed up not just Moon’s lack of versatility but also the Korean’s unparalleled ability to absorb punishment.
The loss only made him more fearsome. To the likely chagrin of the division below, it convinced Moon to pursue further title opportunities at super flyweight, which only made his strength and power more apparent.
Unbeaten Ghanaian champion Nana Konadu was coming off the best win of his eighteen-fight career, having eviscerated legendary champion Gilberto Roman by scoring multiple knockdowns en route to a wide decision victory. Konadu was of the more sophisticated variety of offensive fighter, a skilled boxer-puncher who had shown himself able to go tit for tat with one of the more skilled boxers of the era.
In a classic battle the two juggernauts traded knockdowns before Moon’s gung-ho style brought about another premature ending due to a clash of heads. Just as he had against Khaokor Galaxy first time around, Moon came out the winner, and proved his superiority over Konadu in a terrifying battering a year later that saw Konadu surrender, unable to stave off Moon’s Neanderthal slugging.
Moon made nine defences of the WBC (lineal) title – including a drubbing of the aforementioned Roman – but found technically astute fighters more difficult to overwhelm. Small and tricky Greg Richardson, durable and versatile Carlos Gabriel Salazar and well-schooled Jose Luis Bueno all gave him trouble, with the latter relieving Moon of his title and sending him into retirement.
Despite his limitations, you will find no-one else in this list scarier. Like those preceding him in this top ten, Moon was not a perfect fighter, but with the legitimate title fights he won – and with the quality of fighters he beat – he can be no lower than fourth. Boxing Monthly online article 23 February 2018 Kyle McLachlan, ‘The Top Ten Super Flyweights of All Time’