Definition of the word sudden death

The term "sudden death" originated in the sport of boxing in the late 1800s. In those days, boxing matches were considered brutal and often resulted in serious injuries, including deaths. In 1892, the British Medical Journal reported that nearly 3% of all boxing matches ended in fatalities. This led the Marquess of Queensbury to establish a new set of rules for boxing, which included rounds, gloves, and a referee. These rules aimed to make the sport safer and reduce the number of deaths. Despite the new rules, fatalities still occurred in boxing matches, but they became much rarer. As a result, the term "sudden death" came to be associated with these rare and tragic events. "Sudden death" was used to describe a match that ended unexpectedly in the death of one of the fighters. Today, the phrase is still used in boxing and other combat sports, such as mixed martial arts, to describe a match that must be stopped due to injury or the fighter's inability to continue. Interestingly, the phrase "sudden death" has also found its way into other areas of society, particularly in sports like soccer, hockey, and basketball, where a match can end suddenly and unexpectedly in a tie, leading to a series of additional "sudden death" periods or shots to determine the winner. Despite its tragic origins, the term "sudden death" has become a well-established part of the lexicon of both sports and life.