Question Of The Day: What Actually Is A “King Hit”?

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For the past few months everyone have been talking about the king hit, or coward punch if you want to be all PC about it. But after all these countless conversations we realised that for all the discussions no one could categorically define what the infamous move actually was. Some people said it was just a knockout punch, others an unprovoked on, several said it came from behind and was unseen, and the odd one guessed it was punching someone already on the ground.

We decided to see what Sydney locals thought it was, after all they're the ones who'll have to deal with new laws aimed at eradicating them?

VICE: What is a king hit?

Daniel: Probably when it’s not self-defense. When it’s just going out of your way to be a fuckwit. An unprovoked hit to the head.

Okay, one for fuckwit punch.

VICE: What makes it a king hit ?

Evo: Man, I’ve been king hit . I’m actually still recovering from surgery. I got king-hit last October. The left side of my face is all titanium man, it fucked me right up.

Oh whoa, so what is it?

When someone hits you while you’re not looking, man.

In the face?

Yeah, but it can be anywhere.

Does it have to be unprovoked?

Unprovoked, yeah. I had memory loss and everything. I couldn’t remember what happened the night before or anything.

That’s horrible man.

I’ve got pictures of the x-rays because I couldn’t believe what the surgeon had to do. I’ve got screws and everything, still got nerve damage on the side of my face.

Didn’t expect that did you?

No, I didn’t.  So it was some random?

Nah man, I went out on a Thursday night with my little brother and his mates and that’s when it happened. It was a pretty quiet night as well, there wasn’t that many people around.

VICE: If I say king hit, what do you think of?

Rhys: I think it’s a really big punch that is unexpected. Someone that’s not meant to start a fight but to end a fight before it’s even started.

Hannah, marketing assistant. Danni, platform evangelist

VICE: How would you define a king hit?

Hannah: It’s when you punch someone.

Danni: I think it’s one punch that leads to death. Or serious injury.

But it can’t be just when you punch someone, that’s just a punch.

Hannah: Well, that’s what the media definition is.

But it’s more than a punch surely?

Hannah: Yeah, it’s a strong punch.

And it has to kill you?

Danni: Pretty much. A fatal punch.

Hannah: Other people call it a coward punch.

VICE: What is a king hit to you?

Dom: Uh… being hit by a king? Who knows? Is it like a rabbit punch?

You’ve never heard the term?

Uh, I have heard it but I don’t know. I’m a lover, not a fighter y’know?

So nothing comes to mind when a king hit is mentioned in the news?

I don’t watch the news.

So nothing comes to mind?

Not really. It’s probably something to do with drunks in Kings Cross.

VICE: What’s a king hit?

Farah:What is a king hit? [looks at microphone] That’s so intense.

Yeah, we’re recording you. We need to write it down later. 

Do you actually need an explanation of what it is?

Well, everyone seems to think it’s something different. Someone thought it was a hit from behind, someone thought it’s when you killed someone…

Well, I live in New York and they don’t call it that, they call it something else. Weird. But I guess it’s just when somebody punches someone once and hopefully they don’t die but they have been dying, which is pretty fucked up.

Ok, so it’s like one big punch that ends the fight?

Yeah. On somebody unsuspecting.

That kind of covers all bases.

Follow Daniel on Instagram: @wehaveavisual