Thread: bring back 15 round fights

there was nothing like the 13th 14th and 15th around coming down the stretch and letting it all hang out and seeing which boxer really wanted the decision more than the other it is rather wimpy to find only 12 rounds any audience is not getting its money's worth 15 rounds should be reinstituted immediately

proper gladiators them days

This is a really good point and my 1st instinct was to agree totally. Nowadays, fighters are supposed to be fitter, there is more hi-tech nutrition and conditioning, more stringent medical rules, so why not have 15 rounders?
But......... The negative side is that a lot of fighters would conserve energy to make sure they last the distance(they already do with 12 rounds). This would mean the early / mid rounds could be a total bore. With that in mind, there could be an argument to reduce it to 10 rounds , so that fighters wet he'll for leather at it.

Originally Posted by brocktonblockbust

there was nothing like the 13th 14th and 15th around coming down the stretch and letting it all hang out and seeing which boxer really wanted the decision more than the other it is rather wimpy to find only 12 rounds any audience is not getting its money's worth 15 rounds should be reinstituted immediately

I always cringe a little when the announcers go on about entering the championship rounds. Fighters are lazier now and can become millionaires by doing very little. Many are gassed by the sixth round. They can stay clear of risk and still be champion. Povetkin just offered Wilder 10 million dollars and he turned it down. Only in 2015 does shit like this play out and paperweights like him call themselves "world champions". Another byproduct of all these damn belts.

15 round title fights would improve the quality of the sport from fighter to viewer. I also think it would eliminate many draws, thefts and overall bullshit calls. I've actually watched more 12 round title fights then 15 and yet still lament 15. My first fight was Chuvalo/Clay in 66 and the last 15 I watched was Tyson/Briggs in 87.

15-Rounds

Cruel and unusual punishment.

Not required to enjoy a well-contested bout.

And, not every 15-Round was great. Just as many sucked.

All great points here gentlemen

Originally Posted by IamInuit

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15 round title fights would improve the quality of the sport from fighter to viewer.

In what way exactly? Longer fights = more energy conservation. People don't want to see long drawn out fights.

I never understood the logic for 15 round fights. Generally less action and energy expenditure per round, and more risk of permanent injury, dehydration, ect for the fighter. Its hard to get behind any idea that a) won't draw in new fans and b) makes it harder for the athletes involved in one of the hardest sports to compete in.

People are interested in explosive displays of athleticism. Said it before and I'll say it again, thats why everyone in the world has heard of Usain Bolt and he's considered the fastest man in the world. No one is asking him to run a marathon to prove he's the fastest. No one gives a shit.

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

Originally Posted by IamInuit

[
15 round title fights would improve the quality of the sport from fighter to viewer.

In what way exactly? Longer fights = more energy conservation. People don't want to see long drawn out fights.

I never understood the logic for 15 round fights. Generally less action and energy expenditure per round, and more risk of permanent injury, dehydration, ect for the fighter. Its hard to get behind any idea that a) won't draw in new fans and b) makes it harder for the athletes involved in one of the hardest sports to compete in.

People are interested in explosive displays of athleticism. Said it before and I'll say it again, thats why everyone in the world has heard of Usain Bolt and he's considered the fastest man in the world. No one is asking him to run a marathon to prove he's the fastest. No one gives a shit.

I think it would force athletes to be in better shape. Not sure whether it would draw more or not as it has not been done in over 25 years. The injury thing is a fallacy. More people have died and been injured in 12s then 15s and the change had nothing to do with safety or health concerns even though the attempted to sell it that way.

15 round fights do nothing to take away explosive displays. Never heard that before and some of the best rounds in history are 13 to 15. Leonard would have lost to Hearns had it been 12 and lost to Hagler had it been 15 and close fights and shitty calls imo would not happen near as much. It would have helped fights like Hop/Taylor 1 and 2 and countless others.

Each to their own. I prefer 15 for title fights.

15 rounds helps diversity of styles. Grinders are practically extinct.

Originally Posted by IamInuit

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

Originally Posted by IamInuit

[
15 round title fights would improve the quality of the sport from fighter to viewer.

In what way exactly? Longer fights = more energy conservation. People don't want to see long drawn out fights.

I never understood the logic for 15 round fights. Generally less action and energy expenditure per round, and more risk of permanent injury, dehydration, ect for the fighter. Its hard to get behind any idea that a) won't draw in new fans and b) makes it harder for the athletes involved in one of the hardest sports to compete in.

People are interested in explosive displays of athleticism. Said it before and I'll say it again, thats why everyone in the world has heard of Usain Bolt and he's considered the fastest man in the world. No one is asking him to run a marathon to prove he's the fastest. No one gives a shit.

I think it would force athletes to be in better shape. Not sure whether it would draw more or not as it has not been done in over 25 years. The injury thing is a fallacy. More people have died and been injured in 12s then 15s and the change had nothing to do with safety or health concerns even though the attempted to sell it that way.

15 round fights do nothing to take away explosive displays. Never heard that before and some of the best rounds in history are 13 to 15. Leonard would have lost to Hearns had it been 12 and lost to Hagler had it been 15 and close fights and shitty calls imo would not happen near as much. It would have helped fights like Hop/Taylor 1 and 2 and countless others.

Each to their own. I prefer 15 for title fights.

Have to go against you on this one. I don't see where the payoff is for the fans. You'll have longer, slower paced fights, which sucks!
They'll never go back to 15 rounders, in my opinion.

Good discussion here.

Originally Posted by beenKOed

Originally Posted by IamInuit

Originally Posted by Beanflicker

Originally Posted by IamInuit

[
15 round title fights would improve the quality of the sport from fighter to viewer.

In what way exactly? Longer fights = more energy conservation. People don't want to see long drawn out fights.

I never understood the logic for 15 round fights. Generally less action and energy expenditure per round, and more risk of permanent injury, dehydration, ect for the fighter. Its hard to get behind any idea that a) won't draw in new fans and b) makes it harder for the athletes involved in one of the hardest sports to compete in.

People are interested in explosive displays of athleticism. Said it before and I'll say it again, thats why everyone in the world has heard of Usain Bolt and he's considered the fastest man in the world. No one is asking him to run a marathon to prove he's the fastest. No one gives a shit.

I think it would force athletes to be in better shape. Not sure whether it would draw more or not as it has not been done in over 25 years. The injury thing is a fallacy. More people have died and been injured in 12s then 15s and the change had nothing to do with safety or health concerns even though the attempted to sell it that way.

15 round fights do nothing to take away explosive displays. Never heard that before and some of the best rounds in history are 13 to 15. Leonard would have lost to Hearns had it been 12 and lost to Hagler had it been 15 and close fights and shitty calls imo would not happen near as much. It would have helped fights like Hop/Taylor 1 and 2 and countless others.

Each to their own. I prefer 15 for title fights.

Have to go against you on this one. I don't see where the payoff is for the fans. You'll have longer, slower paced fights, which sucks!
They'll never go back to 15 rounders, in my opinion.

Probably not but its because of economics and not anything to do with boxing. The reason they changed it to begin with was that 12 rds fit into an hour long format on tv not because Mancini beat Kim to death. It suited commercials better and it never ran over other shows. Given that boxing is more event based then legacy based I doubt it changes and based on the coddling and pussification of the sport and society in general I suspect 12 will turn to 8 by the middle of this century

Originally Posted by IamInuit

I think it would force athletes to be in better shape. Not sure whether it would draw more or not as it has not been done in over 25 years. The injury thing is a fallacy. More people have died and been injured in 12s then 15s and the change had nothing to do with safety or health concerns even though the attempted to sell it that way.

15 round fights do nothing to take away explosive displays. Never heard that before and some of the best rounds in history are 13 to 15. Leonard would have lost to Hearns had it been 12 and lost to Hagler had it been 15 and close fights and shitty calls imo would not happen near as much. It would have helped fights like Hop/Taylor 1 and 2 and countless others.

Each to their own. I prefer 15 for title fights.

I don't think fighters being out of shape is a problem, I consider boxing and MMA athletes to be the finest conditioned athletes in the world. I don't believe athletes in the 70s were any better conditioned than athletes today, actually logic would say it's vice versa with the superior sport science and nutrition. For every modern example you can think of where guys gassed out, I can give you one from the 15-round era.

It would not draw more, because nobody would give a shit. If you engage in a strenuous, dangerous activity for 45 minutes as opposed to 36 minutes, you're leaving yourself more open injury just on logic alone. But when you factor in what we know about concussions and about the vulnerability of the brain as the body becomes more and more dehydrated, it's not opinion, it's science.

If a fighter has to fight for 15 rounds, he's going to be more apt to conserve energy to go the distance than he would if he was fighting 4, 8, 10, or 12 rounds. That's just logic. And yeah 15 rounders would cut back on draws and controversies, but that's because it's an odd number of rounds. The same effect could be achieved by making bouts 11 or 13 rounds.

It's fine if you like 15 rounders, there's enough that happened in boxing to enjoy, I just have no idea why any true boxing fan would advocate something that makes it harder on the athletes and won't draw any more money to the sport.

Originally Posted by brocktonblockbust

there was nothing like the 13th 14th and 15th around coming down the stretch and letting it all hang out and seeing which boxer really wanted the decision more than the other it is rather wimpy to find only 12 rounds any audience is not getting its money's worth 15 rounds should be reinstituted immediately

I am shocked normally drinking large amounts of beer dulls your brain, you on the other hand
have become more intelligent.

12 rounds can be boring enough, just do a k-1 style fight, 3 rounds if draw an extra round, if still draw a final fifth round. Or something like that.

But in boxing just do 8 x 3 minute rounds, if draw then you do an extra round.