Know Your Holds

Ron Farrar (Ace Sports Promotions)

The K.O.

All bouts are decided by an agreed number of falls, usually two, or a Knockout.

A knockout is declared if the best wrestler is unable to rise from the mat within a count of ten. A variation of a straight K.O. is the so-called T.K.O. This is the given decision when a wrestler is unable to proceed with the bout. It is however the actual knockout that we will deal with in this article. K.Os are not the norm in women's bouts as being of lighter build it is not always possible for a woman to land a K.O. blow. K.Os I have witnessed include a judo chop to the breasts delivered by Mitzi Muller on Sue Brittain, this brought an instant K.O. A double judo chop to the sides of the neck by Sue Brittain on Suzy Parkins. K.O.s resulting from pressure from holds I have seen are the K.Oing of several girls by Miss Akala Jan with her choke and stretch hold, Milica Milan passed out during a very savage application of the Boston Crab by Miss Sue Brittain.

For illustration we see Sue Brittain standing over Hazel James whilst the referee has the double duty of trying to count out Miss James and holding back Miss Brittain who seems to want to carry the fight to the unconscious opponent.

Our second illustration shows Miss Brittain triumphantly walking around the K.Od Michelle McKenzie whilst the referee counts her out. This followed a double judo chop to the sides of the neck.

The final illustration shows the result of the choke by Akala Jan on Lady Dawn. Dawn made the mistake of trying to resist the hold, with her usual skill and determination Akala simply applied the hold to its full extent and Lady Dawn came to the only possible outcome, she passed out.

The undoubted all-time Queen of the Knockout has to be Maria Bivoldi the 1960s star, her nearest rivals in the rings of Great Britain would be Miss Sue Brittain and Miss Akala Jan, both with an excellent record of putting away opponents for the full count.