Knockout
A boxing result in which a fighter cannot continue after being knocked down or otherwise incapacitated. It ends the bout immediately.
Knockdown: A boxing event in which a fighter touches the canvas after a blow, or is held up by the ropes. A knockdown can begin the count that leads to a knockout.
Boxing: A combat sport in which two opponents strike with gloved fists under rules governing rounds, targets, and conduct. A knockout is one of boxing’s possible bout-ending results.
Boxing record: A boxer’s official history of bouts, including opponents, dates, and outcomes. A knockout is recorded as a distinct type of victory or defeat.
Jack Dempsey vs. Jess Willard: The 1919 heavyweight title fight in which Jack Dempsey defeated Jess Willard by third-round stoppage. Dempsey’s victory became a celebrated example of a fight-ending barrage, though the result was a technical knockout.
Ten-count: The referee’s count after a fighter is knocked down, traditionally ending at ten. A fighter who cannot rise before the count ends loses by knockout.
Punch: A strike delivered with a closed fist, central to boxing and several other combat sports. A legal punch may incapacitate an opponent and produce a knockout.
Concussion: A traumatic brain injury that temporarily disrupts normal brain function. A knockout can signal serious brain injury, though it does not by itself diagnose concussion.
Muhammad Ali vs. Sonny Liston II: The 1965 heavyweight rematch in which Muhammad Ali stopped Sonny Liston with a first-round punch. The disputed image of Liston on the canvas made this knockout one of boxing’s most debated moments.
Technical knockout: A stoppage victory declared when a fighter cannot safely continue, without a completed count to ten. It ends a bout through incapacity, but differs from a knockout decided by the count.
Head trauma: An injury caused by a blow or impact to the head, ranging from mild to severe. A knockout may follow head trauma, though not every knockout involves loss of consciousness.