In boxing, TKO stands for "technical knockout". It is a fight-ending decision made by the referee or the official attending physician at ringside when a fighter cannot safely continue the match for any reason. This can happen when a fighter is deemed by the referee to be unable to defend themselves properly, when a fighter is deemed to have sustained a serious injury, or when a fighter or their corner decides they should not continue. In many regions, a TKO is declared when a fighter is knocked down three times in one round. Unlike a KO, where a fighter falls to the canvas and is unable to rise to their feet within a specified period of time, a TKO is declared when the referee decides during a round that a fighter cannot safely continue the match for any reason.