This is very very contingent on the very specific details of the situation.

When it comes to a fight that was definitively instigated by the other person, (this can also be dependent on context as to whether fighting words were used and actionable body language/words and contrary to popular belief just because someone throws the first punch doesn't make it assault 100% of the time), but self defense is the act of standing one's ground and acting defensively without retreating.

This gets a little bit murky when it comes to choking someone out, self-defense allows you to engage, and even pursue, an assailant if there is a potential danger to you or someone else. If you were to, for example, choke someone out after they've disengaged from the fight or continued to excessively choke someone out after the fight was clearly and blatantly over the other party could press charges or claim they were assaulted.

Again, there's not a one-fits-all answer for every situation and context matters.