tomato can

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. An inferior fighter in the sport of boxing. The insinuation is that an up-and-coming fighter takes on a "tomato can" to burnish his reputation and record.
  2. By extension, an opponent who presents little challenge.
  3. A boxer who takes a dive, or loses a fight on purpose.

Pronunciation

En-au-tomato can.ogg

Word forms

tomato can tomato cans

Etymology

Presumably because of tendency to bleed when battered, tomato juice leaking from a can being a metaphor for bleeding.

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