Skip to main content
Gifts from The Morning Star
The Knockout
JOHN WIGHT writes about boxing media veteran Andy Clarke and his recently published book on the ‘most definitive event in the world of sports’
Andy Clarke during the Hughie Fury v Joseph Parker press conference at the Landmark Hotel, London, September 18, 2017

ANDY CLARKE enjoys a prominent place within the boxing media landscape, and deservedly so. His work as a broadcaster and commentator, covering the sport now for over 20 years, is infused with passion, intelligence and commendable insight. Those attributes he has brought to bear in the pages of his recently published book on the sport The Knockout.

Clarke: “The knockout started life as the ultimate means of conflict resolution, then over time became the ultimate expression of sporting victory and defeat and has remained so ever since. There is no other moment in sport that can rival it for its utter finality.”

The knockout, as Clarke argues above, is the most definitive event in the world of sports. It not only marks the inarguable victory of one human being over another in a sporting arena, it taps into something primordial when it comes to the human condition, something that many will no doubt find uncomfortable. Yet, even so, its enduring fascination cannot be denied.

The 95th Anniversary Appeal
Support the Morning Star
You have reached the free limit.
Subscribe to continue reading.
More from this author
British Heavyweight boxer Frank Bruno speaking at the first ever Annual Dinner of the Professional Boxers Association in London, watched by commentator Harry Carptenter, June 22, 1994
Men’s boxing / 29 August 2025
29 August 2025

Amid riots, strikes and Thatcher’s Britain, Frank Bruno fought not just for boxing glory, but for a nation desperate for heroes, writes JOHN WIGHT

American boxer Mike Tyson (left) throws a punch at Briton's Julius Francis, during their heavyweight fight at the MEN Arena, Manchester
Men’s Boxing / 16 August 2025
16 August 2025

In recently published book Baddest Man, Mark Kriegel revisits the Faustian pact at the heart of Mike Tyson’s rise and the emotional fallout that followed, writes JOHN WIGHT

The Atomic Bomb Dome is seen on July 10, 2025, in Hiroshima, western Japan
Features / 9 August 2025
9 August 2025

As we mark the anniversaries of the Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombings, JOHN WIGHT reflects on the enormity of the US decision to drop the atom bombs

Josh Taylor, May 25, 2024
Men’s boxing / 1 August 2025
1 August 2025

From humble beginnings to becoming the undisputed super lightweight champion of the world, Josh Taylor’s career was marked by fire, ferocity, and national pride, writes JOHN WIGHT

Similar stories
John Cooney celebrating with his team after winning his Celt
Men’s Boxing / 14 February 2025
14 February 2025
Following the untimely death of 28-year-old Irish boxer John Cooney, JOHN WIGHT explores how the sport can be made ‘safer’ than it is at present
Jake Paul lands a left to Mike Tyson during their heavyweigh
Men’s boxing / 22 November 2024
22 November 2024
JOHN WIGHT reacts to last weekend’s bizarre spectacle between the veteran boxer and the upstarting social media influencer in Dallas, Texas
Anthony Joshua during the ceremonial grand arrivals at the O
Men’s Boxing / 18 September 2024
18 September 2024
kapow: Oleksandr Usyk (left) lands a punch on Tyson Fury dur
Sport / 13 September 2024
13 September 2024
Not only did this school of fighting create champions in Eastern Europe, it influenced boxers across the entire world, explains JOHN WIGHT