Review of The Knockout

The Knockout: Sport's Most Decisive Moment
By Andy Clarke

Aurum, 2024

In The Knockout, Sky Sports commentator Andy Clarke examines the moment a fight is stopped through the perspectives of the victor, the vanquished, the coach, and the referee. The views of Carl Froch, Tony Bellew, David Haye, and Matthew Macklin make up the majority of the book and are its strength.

The fighters share their mentality heading into battle. Most acknowledge that they can- and at some point will- get knocked out, an illuminating revelation. They discuss their fear, their nerves, and their focus. They provide a fascinating window behind the scenes.

Knockouts are broken up into two categories: the one-punch shot and the type that involves breaking down the opponent. Clarke explains everything thoroughly so that someone new to the sport can follow along. However, the insight from the boxers will satisfy a hardcore fan and resonate with current and former fighters.

The Knockout comes up short in some ways, however. It's organized thematically, but the best portions are when the focus is simply on one person for an extended portion. Those parts made Clarke's journalistic introductions, describing where he met the interviewee, more relevant. The chapter on "Fear" left the most to be desired in terms of organization.

The book could've used better editing. Long-winded sentences and inconsistent comma usage probably don't matter to most readers, but those who care will struggle with some parts of the book. The numerous clauses in a sentence can muddle Clarke's points, "Despite my reservations above, I do believe, having discussed it with numerous parties, that 'everything happens for a reason' can be a helpful navigational tool (especially in a career as unpredictable as that of a professional boxer), if employed as a philosophical overview, as an ongoing course of treatment, if you will, rather than as a cure for a specific ailment (pg. 196)." Many of Clarke's sentences are pithy and enlightening, but there are too many tedious ones like this example.

British English and American English disagree on some forms of comma usage. Personally, I favor commas after introductory phrases, the oxford comma, and the consistent employment of commas. It helps make things clearer. For fear of going to deep into a lesson of commas, suffice it to say, this book had its issues regardless of which system is used.

The Knockout had the potential to be mentioned alongside Mike Silver's important Arc of Boxing, but the above issues hold it back. The final fight covered at length, between Deontay Wilder and Joseph Parker, didn't even end in a knockout. But there are plenty of interesting anecdotes to make it worth a read, especially for those interested in the British boxing scene.