Surviving the Sucker Punch Written by Mannie de Matos We know he's a coward, but he thinks he's a conqueror -- the thug who uses the sucker-punch to drop victims to the pavement or bar-room floor and give his sorry ego a boost. So how do you outsmart the sucker-puncher? Hakarac Martial Boxing founder and experienced security professional Mannie de Matos shows how to prepare for the king-hit and defeat the thug before his fist gets the better of your face. Charlie Suriano As the name implies, the sucker-punch, also known as the 'king-hit', relies on the attacker's ability to dupe his victim into a false sense of security, lowering their fight-awareness. The practised thug will do this through engaging the victim's mind with words or movement, meanwhile closing the distance and getting into a good striking position, to then deliver one -- and only one -- almighty punch. This punch is delivered with full speed and full power to do one thing and one thing only: knock out the victim. In such situations, there is no fight. There is only an ambush, brutality and violence. There is not a loser as such, only a victim. The sucker-punch is not a technique. The sucker punch is a set-up and delivery method that produces instant results. It's simple in application, has basic target locations, doesn't discriminate regardless of size, creates awe in onlookers and builds fearsome reputations. It is the chosen method of assault by many an attacker, and many a