| the termination of a bout by the referee when it is the judgment of the attending physician, a boxer's seconds, or the referee that a boxer cannot continue fighting without sustaining severe or disabling injury. Abbreviation: TKO, T.K.O. |
| technical knockout n. Abbr. TKO A victory in boxing, with immediate termination of the match, awarded by the referee when it appears that one fighter is too badly injured to continue. |