A boxing photographer caught the exact moment a 2-weight champ landed a punch so powerful it distorted his opponent's face

• One of the best boxing photographs of the year was taken Thursday.
• During Jose Pedraza's 10-round decision win over Mikkel LesPierre, photographer Mikey Williams who was ringside at the time, snapped a shot which showed one thing — boxing hurts.
• Though LesPierre scored the first knockdown of the bout, Pedraza scored one in the fifth and another in the 10th round, earning lopsided decisions on the judges' scorecards.
• Watch Pedraza's knockdowns below.

A boxing photographer caught the exact moment a two-weight world champion landed a punch so powerful it distorted his opponent's face.

What this shows is clear — boxing hurts.

The photograph was taken by Mikey Williams who was ringside for a Top Rank boxing event held at the MGM Grand Conference Center, also known as "The Bubble," in Las Vegas.

Jose Pedraza, a Puerto Rican fighter nicknamed "Sniper," rebounded from a decision loss to Jose Zepada last year to out-point Mikkel LesPierre in a 10-rounder Thursday.

Though LesPierre knocked him down in the fifth, it was Pedraza who dominated the match, knocking LesPierre down in the fifth and 10th rounds, earning lopsided scores of 99-89 (twice) and 100-88 from the ringside judges.

Watch Pedraza's knockdowns here:

This fight was originally scheduled to take place in mid-June but LesPierre's manager, Jose Taveras, tested positive for the coronavirus.

The team had to leave "The Bubble" and the rescheduled bout was put together at a slightly higher weight limit, from 140-pounds to 144, this week.

"Mikkel was a tough opponent, but I stuck to my game plan. I wanted the knockout, but he stayed strong in there. I give him a lot of credit," Pedraza said, now targeting an opponent who holds a championship belt in the super lightweight division.

"I would like to fight any of the world champions, but we have to see what happens next. I proved I belong with the top guys in the 140-pound division."

Read more:

A 26-year-old boxer called Robeisy Ramirez thumped his opponent so hard snot flung out of his nose and went all over his face

A fast-emerging boxing prospect left his opponent hanging from the ropes after knocking him out with a jab to the face

2 American boxers threw and landed the same power punch at the same time, almost sealing an ultrarare double knockout

UFC boss Dana White says he hasn't spoken with Conor McGregor in weeks, suggesting the Irishman's shock retirement is real

A 25-year-old scored the best KO of the COVID-era with a crisp uppercut that left his opponent in an awkward heap on the floor