Kayo boxing cards

Kayo boxing cards was the name of a brand of boxing trading cards that were released in 1991. The cards were named "Kayo" because kayo, being the sound produced when someone spells k.o., is an alternative word to knockout. The legend "round one" followed the name on the cards' wrappers, because further production of Kayo cards was expected.

Kayo boxing cards was one of a number of boxing trading cards to surface during the early 1990s, others including All World and Ringlords. While considered innovative for that time, it wasn't the first set of boxing cards. During the early 20th. century, boxing cards with other brand names had been produced.

The cards' boxes promised autographs from Tommy Morrison, among others. Among the most famous Kayo boxing cards there were holograms of Muhammad Ali and of Evander Holyfield outpointing George Foreman in their early 1991 fight. Other cards included non-participants such as promoters, trainers, matchmakers, organization presidents and even a photographer (Tom Casino), all-time greats (Wilfred Benitez, Wilfredo Gómez, Salvador Sanchez-erroneously named Salvatore Sanchez by Ko cards-, Joe Louis, Muhammad Ali), contemporary boxers (Julio César Chávez, Terry Norris) and even comical cards (Bruce Strauss).

Kayo cards had different backgrounds. Modern boxer cards' backgrounds were colored blue, all-time greats' gold, and non-participants' silver.

Kayo boxing cards were (and in some cases, still are) prominent in card stores and card or autograph shows. No other editions were produced after 1991, however.