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The old “one-two” is defined by the Free Dictionary as “a series of two punches delivered quickly, one after the other.”
I recall the phrase from my youth when James, the playground bully, was imposing his authority on me. I lamented my tale at a family dinner one evening, and my dad’s dad listened, shrugged, and simply said, “Just give him the old ‘one-two.’” Figuring Grandpa knew about these things, I took him at his word. The next day, when James started picking on me, I turned, punched him in the gut, and said, “One.” As he bent over, my knee came up and met his nose and I said, “Two!” However, as his bloody--but conscious--head came up, I realized Grandpa had left out one very important thing, and my foe brought about a roundhouse that knocked me to the ground … and kept me there. As I fell, I heard him say, “Three!”
Grandpa left out that the “two” has to be of “knockout” quality. The “two” of the old “one-two” has to be a “finisher.” Mine was just a “delayer.” It put off the problem, but didn’t put it away for good.