tomato can

noun

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.

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Meanings

nountomato can (plural tomato cans)

plural tomato cans

  1. derogatoryslangboxingAn 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. slanghobbiesBy extension, an opponent who presents little challenge.
  3. slangboxingA boxer who takes a dive, or loses a fight on purpose.

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
stumblebum

Origin

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

Full word history & related roots →
Cite this entry
APA

tomato can. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tomato%20can

MLA

“tomato can.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tomato%20can. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “tomato can,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/tomato%20can.

Source: tomato can on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.