Anyone who had the opportunity to watch Muhammad Ali at work in the ring might understand why boxing is referred to as "The Sweet Science." Those who have seen George Foremen at work in the ring might wonder how the word "sweet" applies to boxing at all. Both men were involved in TKO fights at some point in their boxing careers.
Rules of Boxing
"Toeing the Line" is one of the original rules of boxing that remains today. The first organized matches featured a short line in the center of the ring. At the bell to start a round, each fighter had to answer by touching the line with the toe of his shoe. The line has since been replaced by sponsor's logos, but answering the bell continues to be enforced by boxing referees. Each fighter must leave their respective corners and immediately go to the center of the ring at the start of a round, or be disqualified. This type of decision falls into the category of a technical knock out, and is listed in the record book as a TKO for the victor.
TKO Situations
Unlike a knockout that clearly decides the outcome of a fight, a TKO is awarded when a fighter's opponent is unable to continue. The loser may be able to stand, move about in the ring and throw punches, but his vision or senses might be obscured to the point where he is being hit at will by the other fighter. The boxing referee is responsible for closely watching fighters in bad condition, and ascertaining whether further action might lead to permanent physical damage.
Stopping a Fight
The boxing referee can stop a fight any time he feels one fighter is unable to protect himself in the ring. The referee may elect to stop the fight before the bell for an upcoming round or during a round. The result is a TKO victory for the other fighter. In addition, the corner man or trainer for a badly beaten boxer can literally throw in the towel that's used to wipe his fighter down between rounds. This has been known to happen when the referee refuses to stop a one-sided fight. Throwing the towel into the ring results in a TKO victory for the opposition.
TKO Trivia
Possibly the most famous TKO in recent decades occurred in 1964. The victory was awarded to challenger Cassius Clay after champion Sonny Liston failed to answer the bell for round seven of their heavyweight title match. Liston had been out-boxed, frustrated and hurt by Clay, and refused to continue. Clay announced after the fight he would be known as Muhammad Ali. In the modern era, welterweight champion Manny Pacquiao has become a dominating force in the boxing world. In a career consisting of 57 professional fights as of the date of publication, Pacqiao has recorded 26 TKO victories. He has beaten and bloodied almost half of his opponents to the point where the fights were stopped before the final bell.
Posted in: Boxing