Knockout
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
- KO redirects here. For other uses, see Ko. For other uses of knockout, see Knockout (disambiguation).
A knockout (also referred to as a K.O.) is a winning criterion in several full-contact combat sports, such as boxing, kickboxing, Muay Thai, mixed martial arts and others sports involving striking. A knockout is usually awarded when one participant is unable to rise from the canvas within a specified period of time, typically because of fatigue, injury (serious or temporarily incapacitating, e.g. a bleeding cut above the eye can blind a fighter), loss of balance, or unconsciousness. A technical knockout (also referred to as a T.K.O.) is often declared when the referee or other judges (such as official ring physician, the fighter himself, or the fighter's cornermen) decide that a fighter cannot continue the match, even though he did not fail the count.[1] British records refer to TKOs as either "retired", if the fighter refuses to continue, or "R.S.F.", for Referee Stopped Fight.
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[edit] Physical characteristics
There is actually very little known about what exactly causes a knockout but many agree it has to do with minor trauma to the brain stem. This usually happens when the head rotates sharply, often caused by a strike. A common misconception is that a knockout is caused by compression put on the carotid arteries in the neck restricting blood flow, but this is in fact how a choke out works.[2] A basic principle of boxing is to defend against this vulnerability by keeping both hands raised about the face.
A fighter who suffers a concussion and becomes unconscious from a strike with sufficient knockout power is referred to as having been knocked out or kayoed (KO'd). Losing balance without losing consciousness is referred to as being knocked down ("down but not out"). Repeated blows to the head are known to gradually cause permanent brain damage, with Alzheimer- or Parkinson's-like symptoms, and in severe cases may cause strokes or paralysis. This is commonly known as becoming "punch-drunk". Because of this, many physicians advise against sports involving knockouts.[3]
[edit] As a winning outcome
In boxing, a knockout occurs when a fighter is knocked down and does not get up within 10 seconds, as counted by the referee.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- ^ Sugar, Bert. Boxing. www.owingsmillsboxingclub.com. URL last accessed March 4, 2006.
- ^ Margaret Goodman, MD Ringside and training principles URL last accessed June 20, 2006
- ^ Lieberman, Abraham. Causing Parkinson: Boxing, Brain Injury. www.liebermanparkinsonclinic.com. URL last accessed March 4, 2006.
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