The Pokémon franchise has endured as a fun monster battling game since the 1990s and has come up with a whopping 898 Pokémon as of 2021. With that many fictional creatures, series producers need to keep their creative teams sharp when it comes to Pokémon design. While most Pokémon are based on animal appearances, a good number of them also have anthropomorphic features or resemble people a little more than they resemble animals.
Human-like fists are somewhat common amongst Pokémon species, with some Pokémon—like Machamp—having actual human hands while others take on glove-like appearances. Hitmonchan is the original Pokémon to sport a pair of boxing gloves, but several others have been released over the years with gloves or glove-like appendages that are perfect for throwing some punches.
8 Ledian's Base Attack Is 35, Making It Pretty Weak
While it's technically not a Fighting-type Pokémon, Ledian still sports a quartet of arms with glove-like hands attached. But since it's not Fighting-type, its base attack is very low, and its special attack isn't much better, clocking in at 55. This puts Ledian on the lower end of the spectrum in terms of strength, but it does have the Hidden Ability Iron Fist, which strengthens punching moves by 20%. Luckily, Ledian can learn a handful of punching moves via the Move Tutor or other methods, including Focus Punch and Drain Punch.
7 Makuhita's Base Attack Is 60, But Its Evolution Is Much Stronger
The shape and black coloring of Hoenn region Makuhita's hands certainly resemble gloves, and this Hoenn Fighting-type Pokémon can learn a few punching moves in Pokémon. Steel-type Bullet Punch and Fighting-type Dynamic Punch and Focus Punch can be all be learned by Makuhita through breeding. Makuhita's evolution, Hariyama, trades out its glove-like fists for open palms, which is quite appropriate since Hariyama is meant to resemble a sumo wrestler. Hariyama's base attack skyrockets to 120, meaning it can still take advantage of those punching moves.
6 Poliwhirl's Base Attack Is 65 & Learns Limited Punch Moves
Poliwhirl is a pure Water-type Pokémon, but it's got white gloves that are strikingly similar to boxing gloves, so it gets a pass. As for moves, Poliwhirl can learn only two punching moves with the Normal-type Mega Punch and Ice-type Ice Punch. It can also learn the Normal-type move Pound, for what it's worth. Poliwhirl gets a decent boost to its base attack once it evolves to Poliwrath, and even gains Fighting as its sub-type.
5 Clobbopus' Base Attack Is 68 & Looks Like It Could Give A Good Punch
Instead of the tapered point one would expect on the end of a tentacle, Clobbopus' tentacles end in large, exaggerated nubs that resemble gloves quite nicely. And with its name punning the word "clobber," it's hard not to imagine it punching its opponents.
And it turns out that Clobbopus can learn a handful of punching moves, including the Fighting-type Power-Up Punch, Dark-type Sucker Punch, and Ice-type Ice Punch. And if trainers choose to evolve it to Grapploct, it'll lose the glove-like hands, but its base attack will shoot up to 118. Not a bad trade-off.
4 Crabrawler's Base Attack Is 82, Putting Its Glove-Like Claws To Good Use
With its species noted as the Boxing Pokémon, it makes complete sense that Crabrawler's claws resemble boxing gloves. And not only that, but it also learns a wide variety of punching moves to put its claw-fists to work. Fighting-type Power-Up Punch, Dynamic Punch, Drain Punch, and Focus Punch are all in Crabrawler's skill set. It can also pick up punching moves of other types, including Ice Punch and Thunder Punch.
3 Poliwrath's Base Attack Is 95 & It Gains A Fighting Sub-Type
Although Poliwrath's fists are slightly less glove-like than its previous evolution, it nevertheless sports a couple of powerful-looking fists and gains Fighting as a sub-type on top of it. It also gains access to a couple more punching moves with the Fighting-type Dynamic Punch and Drain Punch.
While it doesn't have "punch" in the name, Poison-type move Poison Jab is also a move Poliwrath can learn. The 30-point increase to its base attack from Poliwhirl means Poliwrath's punching moves pack more power.
2 Hitmonchan's Base Attack Is 105 & It Wears Actual Boxing Gloves
As part of the original 150 Pokémon, Hitmonchan is the only Pokémon who sports actual boxing gloves. Accordingly, its species is listed as the Punching Pokémon, and it learns many punching moves that the game has to offer. Fighting-type Mach Punch, Drain Punch, Focus Punch, and Power-Up Punch are all in its repertoire. Hitmonchan also has Steel-type Bullet Punch, Ice-type Ice Punch, Electric-type Thunder Punch, Fire-type Fire Punch, and Normal-type Mega Punch in its skillset as well.
1 Primape's Base Attack Is 105 & Its Base Special Attack Is 60
Although its base attack matches Hitmonchan's, Primape's special attack beats Hitmonchan's by about 25 points, meaning it's got more utility with strength. Using a special attack wouldn't be preferred, but it is possible, and it would be stronger than Hitmonchan's. Primape doesn't learn any Fighting-type punch moves, unfortunately, but it can learn Ice-type Ice Punch, Electric-type Thunder Punch, and Fire-type Fire Punch, as well as Poison-type Poison Jab. There's also the fact that Primape's animation has it holding up its fists as if it's ready to brawl, meaning it's at least got the spirit of a boxer.