View source for Mandatory eight-count

A mandatory eight count is an 8 second count that a fallen boxer must take when he gets back on his feet following a [[Knockdown|knockdown]]. It allows the referee time to decide whether the boxer can continue the fight. 

The [[Association of Boxing Commissions]] [[Unified Rules of Boxing|unified rules]] state that the mandatory eight-count "will be standard procedure in all bouts."

Note: The first time the mandatory eight-count was used in a heavyweight title fight was when [[Floyd Patterson]] defended his title against [[Ingemar Johansson]] in 1961. Patterson, who won by a [[Floyd Patterson vs. Ingemar Johansson (3rd meeting)|sixth-round knockout]], was floored twice in the first round and later said, "The eight-count helped me. Those extra few seconds gave my head a chance to clear."

Compare: [[standing eight-count]]

[[Category:Glossary|mandatory eight-count]]