The knockout punch is the most spectacular blow in boxing. When a boxer enters the ring and delivers a punch or a series of punches that sends his opponent to the canvas and prevents him from getting to his feet for a count of 10, he has registered a knockout and the fight is over. Most boxers enter the ring with the goal of knocking out the opponent.
Knockout Punch
A one-punch knockout is rare in boxing. A one-punch knockout occurs when a fighter connects with a hard punch to the head or body that leaves the opponent on the floor of the canvas for a count of 10 seconds by the referee. The one-punch knockout is usually shocking to anyone watching the fight because the fighter who delivers the blow suddenly finds an opening and delivers a straight right hand or a left hook that crumples his opponent to the canvas. The winning fighter may have been winning or losing the fight prior to the blow, but often he has not shown the ability to deliver a powerful punch until connecting at the right moment.
Punch Combination
A knockout usually occurs when one fighter has dominated the fight by delivering punch combinations to his opponent. The knockout often results from the accumulation of damage after a series of blows have been landed. The combination is often a left jab, followed by a right cross and then a left hook. This can devastate the recipient and leave him unable to continue. The sport's top knockout artists are much more likely to finish a fight with a combination of punches as opposed to a single knockout blow.
Technical Knockout
A technical knockout -- TKO -- occurs when the referee rules that a boxer has been battered and beaten up so much in the ring that it is not safe for him to continue in the fight. The fighter may be standing but the referee decides -- often after consultation with the ringside physician -- that the fighter should not be allowed to continue. A cut above the eye is often sufficient cause to stop the fight by TKO because the blood from the cut is flowing into the eye and impacting the fighter's vision. The key rationale for stopping a fight on a TKO is that the fighter can no longer protect himself adequately in the ring.
Top Knockout Punchers
Many of the greatest boxers of all time have been knockout specialists. Rocky Marciano retired as an undefeated champion and finished his career with 43 knockouts in his 49 fights. George Foreman was one of the most powerful punchers in heavyweight history, registering 69 knockouts while recording a 76-5 career record. Mike Tyson's fury in the ring allowed him to knock out 44 opponents -- many succumbing to the one-punch variety -- in his 56 career fights. Joe Frazier's legendary left hook helped him knock out 27 opponents while going 32-4-1 during his career.
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