Sould fifteen round championship fights make a return?

[holmcall]

Duk Koo Kim was fatally injured at the hands of "Boom Boom" Mancini in 1982, and what followed was an outcry for reform. That fight is often cited as the reason for the reduction of fights from 15 rounds to 12. Medical officers and studies claimed that a boxer is more susceptable to damage in the later rounds, and that a reduction of the fight distance would make the sport safer.

Sure, a fatigued fighter is more vulnerable, but damage can also occur in rounds two, three, and four. The distance doesn't arbitrarily prevent fatalities. Each round is dangerous as the recent Matagwa-Villa fight showed and even the Haye-Barrett bout.

I have not been totally convinced that 15 round fights more dangerous; heck, all fights are potentially dangerous. But maybe capping 140 and under down to 12 rounds(because these smaller guys tend to last longer and take more accumulated punishment over the course of a fight. But above that, 15 rounds might not be more unsafe. Getting iced from a clean shot from Tyson in round one is less dangerous than being pummeled for nine rounds like Matagwas and Villa IMO.

Some say the REAL reason for the change to 12 round fights is that such bouts fit better into a one-hour slot on television. Interesting notion because they do fit perfectly into a one hour slot. Given the swarmy nature of the boxing busines, this is not a bad notion.

What do you think? I go back and forth on this one, but now lean towards 15.