Andy Clarke

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The Knockout

Swift, brutal and utterly final: with knockouts, there are no grey areas; a KO is a KO. But what actually is a knockout, and why are we so fascinated by it?

The Knockout is the most dramatic and devastating moment in sport. There is nothing to rival it: Not the last second goal, not the basket on the buzzer, not the putt that drops on the eighteenth green. In terms of its brutality and finality, it stands alone. It's a bolt of lightning; fascinating and frightening; a shot of pure adrenaline that only the very rarest moments can provide. This book examines what it's like for the people at the centre of that storm.

How does it feel to land that ultimate blow? How does it feel to suffer it? We assess the impact it has on the fighters and the people close to it and ask what it takes mentally, physically and emotionally for a person to enter into an arena where the stakes are so unimaginably high. Agony and ecstasy, triumph and disaster, hope and despair, self-belief and doubt, The Knockout embraces it all.

Part macro, part micro exploration, the narrative will move across the physical, psychological, social, and even philosophical aspects of the knockout. With insights from renowned commentators, as well as fighters, their coaches, doctors and family members, this is a complete look at the finishing blow that brings any match to a sudden close, and the repercussions that follow.

Featuring extensive coverage of Froch vs Groves II, the epic rematch that saw Carl Froch knock out George Groves with what proved to be the final punch of his career and close the book on their bitter rivalry. The Knockout goes deeper into the phenomenon than ever seen before and explores the idea of male vulnerability and the delicate nature of many boxers, particularly pronounced once they have experienced a knockout.

The Knockout contains interviews and insight from the following boxing insiders and experts: Boxers: Carl Froch, Ricky Hatton, David Haye, Tony Bellew, Amir Khan, Deontay Wilder, Jamie Moore, Matthew Macklin, Johnny Nelson, Anthony Yarde, Scott Welch, Fabio Wardley, Karriss Artingstall, Lauren Price, Spencer Oliver, Anthony Crolla Trainers: Teddy Atlas, Billy Graham, Peter Fury, Dave Coldwell, Joe Gallagher, Mark Seltzer Referees: Kenny Bayless, Marcus McDonnell, Charlie Fitch, Victor Loughlin Promoters: Frank Warren, Eddie Hearn Observers: Steve Bunce, Thomas Hauser, Tris Dixon, Dr Neil Scott, Sara Chenery.