French kickboxer floors opponent with one-punch KO

IT TOOK just 17 seconds for this kick-boxer to send his opponent “tumbling to the canvas like a tree that had just been felled.”

Warren Thompson lay motionless on the canvas for some time after the knockout.

KNOCKOUT wins don’t come much sweeter than this.

Kickboxer Zinedine Hameur-Lain hardly had to work for his fourth Glory win, knocking out opponent Warren Thompson just 17 seconds into the first round in the franchise’s Light Heavyweight Contender Tournament.

The Frenchman struck his opponent just once prior to the knockout, with a solid right kick to Thompson’s thigh. The move was followed by a barrage of punches from the American, all of which were blocked by Hameur-Lain.

Missing with a short left jab, the 30-year-old then connected with a huge right hand, knocking his opponent out instantly.

Sports Joe writer Ben Kenyon described how the fighter, “in almost slow motion, tumbled to the canvas like a tree that had just been felled.”

Watch the full fight in the player below — KO at 2:29

“Oh what a knockout! Mamma Mia,” one commentator said.

“Knockout of the Year candidate courtesy of Zinedine Hameur-Lain, and it happened quick.

“That was the only one shot that Zinedine threw. It was a great one-punch knockout.”

Showing a touch of class, Hameur-Lain kept his celebration brief and went to check on Thompson, who remained face down on the canvas.

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

If this truly is a contender for Knockout of the Year, it will have to be able to cut it with the best of them. How do you think it rates against the top five best knockouts from the UFC and the world of boxing in 2016?

UFC’s top five

1. Diego Rivas def. Noad Lahat (flying knee) — UFC Fight Night 82, February 2016.

2. Yair Rodriguez def. Andre Fili (flying head kick) — UFC 197, April 2016.

NOCAUTAÇO!!! Yair Rodriguez venceu Andre Fili por nocaute no segundo round no #UFC197. pic.twitter.com/geUNShljwE

— Superman_Punch (@supermanp_am) April 24, 2016

3. Dan Henderson def. Hector Lombard (head kick and elbows) — UFC 199, June 2016.

4. Anthony Johnson def. Ryan Bader (punches) — UFC on Fox, January 2016.

UFC Anthony Johnson vs. Ryan Bader #ufcfightnight #ufconfox18 #ufcnetwork #ufcfightpass #AnthonyJohnson #RyanBader pic.twitter.com/26pM0byGxc

— John Frias (@johnfrias15) January 31, 2016

5. Glover Teixeira def. Rashad Evans (punches) — UFC on Fox, April, 2016.

Boxing’s top five

1. Deontay Wilder def. Artur Szpilka — New York, January 2016

2. Canelo Alverez def. Amir Khan — Las Vegas, May 2016.

"Canelo" Álvarez noqueó a Amir Khan en el 6° round y retuvo el título medio del CMB pic.twitter.com/A3yOaaeOa1 #HechosAM

— Hechos AM (@HechosAM) May 9, 2016

3. Muriat Gassiev def. Jordan Shimmell — Minnesota, May 2016.

4. Mason Menard def. Eudy Bernardo — New York, April 2016.

"Knockout of the Year?" Mason @rockhardmighty Menard KO3 Eudy Bernardo, from 4/15/2016 #boxing pic.twitter.com/0uq3DAbthg

— Boxing History (@BoxingHistory) June 3, 2016

5. Justin DeLoach def. Dillon Cook — Oklahoma, June 2016.