Meaning of 意識を刈りとる


Context: in a manga a man is explaining the rope-a-dope boxing technique ([see
wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rope-a-dope)) and he uses these
words:

> ロープに体を沈めて相手の攻撃をかわし更にカウンター。予期しない反撃ならいくら打たれ強くても **意識を刈りとる** ことができる。

The meaning of the first sentence is pretty clear to me, but I don't
understand the second sentence. What is the meaning of 刈りとる? I didn't find
this collocation on dictionaries. Is it a metaphor meaning "to knock down
unconscious"? My translation attempt:

> (It is a technique where) you lay on the ropes dodging the opponent's
> attacks, and then blow a counter-punch. It doesn't matter how many times or
> how strong you get hit, if the punch is unexpected, you are able to knock
> down the opponent.

It would be great if you could also check the rest of my translation. Thank
you for your help!




> "you lay on the ropes dodging" → "you lay yourself on the ropes dodging."  
>  "How many times, how strong you get hit" → "How struck strong the opponent
> is?"

I think the other parts of your translation are correct.

刈り取る literally means cut something with a sickle or a really sharp thing.

This time,

> 一発で相手の意識を刈り取る。まるで死神の鎌の様だ。  
>  Knock the opponent down with one punch. His punch as sharp as the sickle of
> the Reaper.

It should be one punch knock out.  
After you land a punch, and the opponent won't wake up. No need for 10 counts.
You can also google "意識を刈り取る ボクシング" and check YouTube and blogs contain its
usage in the sentences.




> 予期しない反撃ならいくら打たれ強くても意識を刈りとることができる。  
>  It would be great if you could also check the rest of my translation.

Let me break it down into smaller chunks:

予期しない反撃なら  
"if your counterattack is unexpected," -> "with an unexpected counterattack,"  
いくら打たれ強くても  
"no matter how tough/resilient your opponent might be,"  
"意識を刈りとることができる  
"you can knock him out"

Put together:

With an unexpected counterattack, you can knock out your opponent, no matter
how tough/resilient he might be.

