Mark Hunt’s greatest hits: Is the Super Samoan the world’s heaviest puncher?

MARK Hunt might just be the world’s heaviest puncher. But what do you know about his real-life Cinderella Man story?

UFC Fight Night Media Session

WHEN UFC fighter Mark Hunt lands a punch inside the cage, his opponents are often asleep before they’ve even hit the ground.

On Sunday, Hunt completed another chapter in this real-life Cinderella Man story, knocking out the previously unfinishable Roy “Big Country” Nelson at UFC Fight Night in Japan.

In the second round of their main event bout, Hunt, who lives in south-western Sydney, landed a sweet uppercut flush on the chin of Nelson that sent him crashing to the canvas for the first knockout loss of his 30-fight career.

The second round stoppage earned 40-year-old Hunt a cool $50,000 bonus.

But the most amazing thing about Hunt isn’t just incredible power, it’s his comeback to the top of the meat market that is the talk of the fight world.

The story begins when the UFC bought out now defunct fight promotion PRIDE FC.

A former K1 kickboxing world champion, Hunt was at the time still finding his feet in mixed martial arts (MMA). Having suffered losses five straight losses, the UFC wasn’t interested in bringing Hunt into the fold when it engulfed the Pride roster in 2007.

Keen to send him packing, the UFC offered to pay out Hunt, who had three fights remaining on his Pride contract.

But Hunt insisted he fight for the rest of the money owed to him. The UFC reluctantly obliged ... only to watch Hunt suffer a first-round submission loss to journeyman Sean McCorkle in his UFC debut.

Banished to the preliminary card, nothing was expected of Hunt in his second UFC bout against Chris Tuscherer at UFC 127 in Sydney in February, 2011.

With a devastating walk-off knockout in the second round, everything changed.

The same year, Hunt beat Ben Rothwell and then in early 2012 he knocked out towering former heavyweight contender Cheick Kongo.

After a 12-month injury-enforced lay-off, Hunt returned and knocked out promising youngster Stefan “the Skyscraper” Struve (so nicknamed for his seven-foot frame).

Are you picking up on a trend here?

Hunt was on a four-fight winning streak and was proving he still had something left in the tank.

When Alistair Overeem was forced to withdraw from a scheduled heavyweight title match-up with the then-champion, Junior dos Santos, at UFC 146 in May, 2012, somehow Hunt’s name got thrown into the mix to replace him — and #RallyForMarkHunt was born.

The social media campaign urged the big wigs of the UFC to give Hunt a chance to fight for the belt.

It was the perfect underdog story. A guy who went four years without winning a single fight, now in the midst of a career resurgence, could be one win away from fighting for the heavyweight championship.

The fans wanted it ... and while the UFC refused to relent, they were forced to realise the fans wanted to see more — much more — of the Super Samoan.

At UFC 160, he was given the chance to press his claims for a title shot against dos Santos, who had recently lost the belt to Cain Velasquez. While he eventually lost via a spinning hook kick in the third round, he did so while fighting with a broken toe in what turned out to be the fight of the night.

The #RallyForMarkHunt grew stronger.

He had shown he was no pushover and the UFC rewarded him with a headline bout against Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva on home soil in Brisbane late last year.

The main event was a five-round war and has been touted as the greatest heavyweight bout in UFC history. Neither man won that day — the judges declared a majority draw — but there was no doubt the bout was a huge victory for the fans and the UFC.

That brings us to present day.

Nelson has just become another notch on Hunt’s belt and the brutal victory will make UFC brass take note.

Hunt is on the verge of challenging for the heavyweight title.

One more big win should get him there.

Maybe then this fairytale story can have its happy ending.