What ever happened to 15 round title fights?

[Punisher136]

Every title fight nowadays is a 12 rounder and i think thats bs. If marciano-walcott 1 was only 12 rounds, the world would never have witnessed the single greatest punch ever thrown by a boxer. I feel it should be 4-6 rounds for people just starting out, 10 rounds when you're more experienced and have "better" opposition, 12 rounds for title eliminators and then 15 rounds for the championship fights.

[ICB]

Every title fight nowadays is a 12 rounder and i think thats bs. If marciano-walcott 1 was only 12 rounds, the world would never have witnessed the single greatest punch ever thrown by a boxer. I feel it should be 4-6 rounds for people just starting out, 10 rounds when you're more experienced and have "better" opposition, 12 rounds for title eliminators and then 15 rounds for the championship fights.

i think 15 rounds were stopped because more likely to get badly damaged remember mancini fight ?? i think they were starting to stop it after that fight

[TheBESTP4P]

also D.K. KIM rip!!!!!

[X]

Didn't Marvin Hagler fight the very last scheduled 15-rounder? I recall a lot of angst when Leonard outpointed him (allegedly!!) as Hagler would likely have stopped him over 15 (of course Leonard paced himself excellently for the 12 rounds, not 15, but there were some arguments I think)

I know that Joe Louis fought the very last scheduled 20 rounder, though he whacked out Buddy Baer much sooner than that.

[ICB]

x was larry holmes vs michael spinks the last 15 rounder at heavyweight ??

[X]

I think it was Holmes v Randall 'Tex' Cobb, in 1982

[X]

Yeah - thought so (this is from his wife's blog, apparently on http://sharoncobb.blogspot.com/2005/...-round_26.html)


November 26, 1982 was the last 15 round Heavyweight Championship title fight. It was held at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The fight, between champion Larry Holmes and challenger Randall "Tex" Cobb was a mismatch from the beginning. While Cobb had fought Shavers, Dokes, Norton and other top ten fighters to reach this deserved shot at the title, he had no amateur career, and by the time he fought for the title, he had less than 80 ROUNDS of experience. That's right. Not 80 fights, but 80 rounds. Tex lost 15 out of 15 rounds, but was never knocked down during the fight. I wasn't a boxing fan at the time, but since I was in love with one of the fighters, I thought I should watch the match.

Boxing fans know Howard Cosell quit calling boxing because of this "brutal" fight, but what the fans didn't get to hear is Cosell riding in the elevator complaining about being away from his wife over the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Without missing a beat, Tex turned around and said to Cosell, "Yeah. Your wife phoned and thanked me."

In fairness to Cosell, the fight did appear to be unusually brutal, even for boxing. Tex was getting smashed left and right and was bloodied. It looked a lot worse than it was. Tex's first words after this fight were, "Let's party!" Even though it was the biggest lost in the history of championship fights, he considered it a win to have gone 15 rounds with Larry Holmes in his prime for the title.

The next morning, Larry Holmes came in the room and asked Tex to cut up his "eggies" for him because he thought he had broken his hands on Tex's head. Tex replied, "I can't help you Larry. I have to sip my eggies with a straw!"

Johnny Carson liked Tex's sense of humor, and invited Tex on the show. Tex would appear 8 times on the Carson show in subsequent years. On his first appearance, the producers of the film "Uncommon Valor" saw Tex on Carson, and wanted him immediately for the role of Sailor in their film. Tex went on to make many films, but is best remembered for his role in Raising Arizona as the evil biker/bounty hunter--the "Warthog from hell."

The smartest move he made, however, was marrying me. The stupidest move he ever made was leaving me for this chick named Janet who had purple hair with blue eyeshadow who played bass in her husband's band. I always hear from people how she totally runs and controls his life...a long way from the cowboy I met who stood up to Larry Holmes for 45 minutes without taking a step backwards. That's the Tex I try to remember. Happy anniversary baby. That day, you did good.

Posted by Sharon Cobb on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 4:29 AM

[Lance Uppercut]

when Tyson fought Tony Tucker in 1987, there was some fuss made over the fact that it was scheduled for 15 rounds, but Tuckers people demanded it be dropped to 12 rounds, which it was, only days before the fight. (Just watched the fight on my Mike Tyson career set)

[Lance Uppercut]

November 26, 1982 was the last 15 round Heavyweight Championship title fight.

Thats definetly not true. Both Spinks vs Holmes fights, and numerous other alphabet heavyweight title fights were 15 rounds.

[X]

I'm only quoting what I read - though I am pretty sure it was sometime around then that they stopped?


You might be right though, because you piqued my interest and I found this "Not since the rematch between Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks in April of 1986 has a heavyweight title fight gone or been scheduled for 15 rounds. "

Does anyone definitively know the answer?

[Jody Lane]

I'm only quoting what I read - though I am pretty sure it was sometime around then that they stopped?


You might be right though, because you piqued my interest and I found this "Not since the rematch between Larry Holmes and Michael Spinks in April of 1986 has a heavyweight title fight gone or been scheduled for 15 rounds. "

Does anyone definitively know the answer?

Yes the answer is that the WBC started mandating 12 round title fights in 1983. The WBA and IBF still mandated 15 rounders until around 1987 when Tyson started unifying the heavyweight titles. Holmes fought a couple of 12 round WBC title fights in 1983 before ditching that title in a dispute over challenger Greg Page. Holmes then assumed the IBF title and fought 15 rounders again in 1984 and 85 (stopping James Smith in 12 in 1984, decisioning Carl Williams in 15 in 1985, and then losing to Spinks in 1985 and 86 in 15 round fights.) Look up Holmes record at Boxrec and you'll this.

Jody

[oakleyno1]

soon as mancini fight was ova and the opponent died 4 days later the wbc changed, then later the other belts followed, tyson fought the last heavy 15 rounder i think?

[gyrokai]

Yeah - thought so (this is from his wife's blog, apparently on http://sharoncobb.blogspot.com/2005/...-round_26.html)


November 26, 1982 was the last 15 round Heavyweight Championship title fight. It was held at the Astrodome in Houston, Texas. The fight, between champion Larry Holmes and challenger Randall "Tex" Cobb was a mismatch from the beginning. While Cobb had fought Shavers, Dokes, Norton and other top ten fighters to reach this deserved shot at the title, he had no amateur career, and by the time he fought for the title, he had less than 80 ROUNDS of experience. That's right. Not 80 fights, but 80 rounds. Tex lost 15 out of 15 rounds, but was never knocked down during the fight. I wasn't a boxing fan at the time, but since I was in love with one of the fighters, I thought I should watch the match.

Boxing fans know Howard Cosell quit calling boxing because of this "brutal" fight, but what the fans didn't get to hear is Cosell riding in the elevator complaining about being away from his wife over the Thanksgiving Day holiday. Without missing a beat, Tex turned around and said to Cosell, "Yeah. Your wife phoned and thanked me."

In fairness to Cosell, the fight did appear to be unusually brutal, even for boxing. Tex was getting smashed left and right and was bloodied. It looked a lot worse than it was. Tex's first words after this fight were, "Let's party!" Even though it was the biggest lost in the history of championship fights, he considered it a win to have gone 15 rounds with Larry Holmes in his prime for the title.

The next morning, Larry Holmes came in the room and asked Tex to cut up his "eggies" for him because he thought he had broken his hands on Tex's head. Tex replied, "I can't help you Larry. I have to sip my eggies with a straw!"

Johnny Carson liked Tex's sense of humor, and invited Tex on the show. Tex would appear 8 times on the Carson show in subsequent years. On his first appearance, the producers of the film "Uncommon Valor" saw Tex on Carson, and wanted him immediately for the role of Sailor in their film. Tex went on to make many films, but is best remembered for his role in Raising Arizona as the evil biker/bounty hunter--the "Warthog from hell."

The smartest move he made, however, was marrying me. The stupidest move he ever made was leaving me for this chick named Janet who had purple hair with blue eyeshadow who played bass in her husband's band. I always hear from people how she totally runs and controls his life...a long way from the cowboy I met who stood up to Larry Holmes for 45 minutes without taking a step backwards. That's the Tex I try to remember. Happy anniversary baby. That day, you did good.

Posted by Sharon Cobb on Saturday, November 26, 2005 at 4:29 AM

You visit a boxing forum and most of the time you read garbage and jokes. heheh
But now and then you come across a intelligent perspective or a great read.
That was a great little read, Thanks X

[Punisher136]

Boxing matches used to go on for hours until somebody dropped. Thats why the 15 round rule was put in place after things got organized. So they only reduced it from 15 to 12 because they thought it would be better for the fighter? So instead of fighting 4 fights all the way thru to get 60 rounds of punishment you now have to fight 5 fights all the way. If the cobb/holmes fight was that onesided they should've stopped it thats what referee's are there for. Maybe one day some research will come around that says "Hey it doesn't matter how long the rounds are because some people die before they even have an amateur fight from blunt force trauma in sparring and Others can fight 70 some fights including some 15 rounders and walk away without any longer term issues." Next thing you know they'll reduce it to 10 rounds and require amatuer headgear for protection. It all comes down to the number one rule "Protect yourself at all times".

[stavros693000]

MIKE TYSON FOUGHT THE LAST HW 15 ROUND BOUT...1987..VS TYRELL BIGGS