Liver punch

The liver punch is a punch used in boxing. It deceives the average spectator, as the punch is short and quick. The drive is usually made with the left hand, or the left hook in infighting, or the regular short body hook.

The drive is usually made under and to the front of the ninth and tenth ribs upward to the base of the shoulder blade toward the spine.

The liver is one of the largest vital organs and its effect is sickening, as it shocks the liver, the largest gland organ, and causes the victim to lose much of his fighting "drive", and causes the air to escape his body.

It is usually delivered when feinting an opponent to lead with his right, which leaves the body exposed; the attacker then steps in and delivers a short, stiff uppercut, over the liver, which will usually put the average man out of commission at once.

Normally, a liver punch is more or less unintentional. It begins as a left hook to the body, but as the defending boxer puts his elbow down and begins to roll with the punch, the back is exposed. Thus, the attacking boxer is frequently offered either the arm or the back of the ribs, the latter of which he will usually take instead of the arm.

For recent examples of the effectiveness of a liver punch, see Bernard Hopkins' knockout of Oscar de la Hoya in 2004, or the 2007 knockout of José Luis Castillo by Ricky Hatton.

Mixed martial arts

Bas Rutten made the liver punch famous in mixed martial arts (MMA), even utilizing it in rupturing Jason Delucia's liver while in Pancrase—a major Japanese fighting organization.