saved by the bell

adjective2

1. •
   Of a competitor in a boxing or wrestling match or similar competition, spared from being counted out by the referee by the ringing of the bell which concludes the round.

   • Forrest floored Mosley again at the end of the round and almost finished him, but Mosley was saved by the bell. — 2002
2. •
   Rescued or favorably assisted by a timely interruption or by the sudden termination of difficult circumstances.

   • So Asad's probing created a problem. . . . In a real sense Kissinger was saved by the bell: the American party had that afternoon to catch a plane to Israel. — 1988