Definition

1. Noun:
   • A technical knockout: A victory in boxing declared by the referee when they judge that one fighter is unable to continue the match safely or competently, even if they are not physically counted out. This often occurs due to injury, excessive punishment, or inability to defend oneself.

Usage

• A technical knockout is an official ruling that ends a boxing match. It is distinct from a standard knockout (where a fighter is down and cannot rise before a 10-count) because the referee makes an active intervention to stop the fight for the fighter's safety.
• The abbreviation TKO is commonly used in records and commentary.

Examples

• Noun:
  • The doctor advised the referee to call a technical knockout after the fighter sustained a deep cut over his eye.
  • She won the championship bout by technical knockout in the seventh round.
  • The fighter protested the technical knockout decision, believing he could have continued.

Advanced Usage

• "To win by technical knockout": The standard phrase describing the method of victory.
  • The up-and-coming contender aims to win by technical knockout to make a statement.
• "To stop the fight via technical knockout": Used in more formal reporting of the referee's action.
  • The referee was forced to stop the fight via technical knockout to prevent further injury.

Variants and Related Words

• TKO (n.): The standard abbreviation for "technical knockout."
  • His record shows 15 wins, 10 of them by TKO.
• Knockout (KO) (n.): A victory where a fighter is knocked down and fails to get up before the referee counts to ten.
• Stoppage (n.): A general term for a fight ended by the referee's intervention, which includes a technical knockout.
• Referee stoppage (n.): A more specific term synonymous with a technical knockout.

Synonyms

• Referee stoppage: A synonym emphasizing the official's role.
• Stoppage victory: A broader term that can include a TKO.
• Corner retirement: A related but distinct concept where a fighter's corner team stops the fight, which may be recorded as a TKO.

Related Phrases

• "Saved by the bell": An idiom describing a situation where a fighter in severe trouble is saved from a potential technical knockout only because the round-ending bell sounds. The referee may still stop the fight before the next round begins.
• "Out on his/her feet": A phrase describing a fighter who is conscious but dazed and unable to defend themselves, a common precursor to a technical knockout being called.

Noun

1. a knockout declared by the referee who judges one boxer unable to continue