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.

[Kel]

Just this last 2 weeks or so I have been asking myself the same question.

Some great fights go the full 12 and you know both guys still have the stamina to go another three and you just don't want it to stop.

On the other hand many fighters would struggle, get too tired and take shots they are unable to react to(defensive wise) due to lack of stamina which highlights the possability of serious injury you mention, but that can happen in a 12 round fight anyway, some fighters have better stamina than others.

I personally can't decide which I favour.

[yvonne]

I was thinking of this a few months ago!I dont think the boxing board would ever change now!It does stand true that there is more of a chance a fighter could sustain more damage as the fight progresses.At the end of the day what the main aim is in the pro game of boxing is to cause maxium damage to your opponant.12rounds are spot on!Like you mention its a hour of pure action,thats enough time to enjoy a fight!!!

[CGM]

IMO the decision to go from 15-12 was somewhat of a kneejerk decision made to satisfy the general public that something was being done. I don't think a whole lot of thought went into the decision, for starters I really doubt they did research to determine the proportion of fatalities that resulted from injuries suffered in rounds 13-15 of title fights. And I rather doubt that this decision saved many lives. Probably there is proportionately more serious injuries and fatalities in non-title fights.

[SweetPea]

IMO the decision to go from 15-12 was somewhat of a kneejerk decision made to satisfy the general public that something was being done. I don't think a whole lot of thought went into the decision, for starters I really doubt they did research to determine the proportion of fatalities that resulted from injuries suffered in rounds 13-15 of title fights. And I rather doubt that this decision saved many lives. Probably there is proportionately more serious injuries and fatalities in non-title fights.

I agree.

I don't think 15 round fights are what led to serious injuries. What leads to injuries are fights that should be stopped but aren't, and that can happen in a 4 round fight or an 8 round fight or a 12 round fight too.

I waver back and forth on the 15 vs. 12 issue. When we think back to the era of 15-rounders, we tend to only think of the classic 15 round fights, and we forget that there were plenty of boring 15 rounders too. There were plenty of 15 rounders where Rounds 13-15 were just two exhausted guys clutching and grabbing each other.

Would I have liked to see Morales-Barrera or Pacquiao-Marquez for 15 rounds? Sure.

But how about Taylor-Spinks or Wlad-Ibragimov... does anyone wish those fights went 15 rounds? It would have just been 9 more minutes of boredom.

[Trainer Monkey]

IMO the decision to go from 15-12 was somewhat of a kneejerk decision made to satisfy the general public that something was being done. I don't think a whole lot of thought went into the decision, for starters I really doubt they did research to determine the proportion of fatalities that resulted from injuries suffered in rounds 13-15 of title fights. And I rather doubt that this decision saved many lives. Probably there is proportionately more serious injuries and fatalities in non-title fights.

I agree.

I don't think 15 round fights are what led to serious injuries. What leads to injuries are fights that should be stopped but aren't, and that can happen in a 4 round fight or an 8 round fight or a 12 round fight too.

I waver back and forth on the 15 vs. 12 issue. When we think back to the era of 15-rounders, we tend to only think of the classic 15 round fights, and we forget that there were plenty of boring 15 rounders too. There were plenty of 15 rounders where Rounds 13-15 were just two exhausted guys clutching and grabbing each other.

Would I have liked to see Morales-Barrera or Pacquiao-Marquez for 15 rounds? Sure.

But how about Taylor-Spinks or Wlad-Ibragimov... does anyone wish those fights went 15 rounds? It would have just been 9 more minutes of boredom.

Except with the Kim fight, there was no reason to stop the fight. He was fighting back and defending.
Quarry suffered from boxer dementia,Ali has Parkinsons,Frazier has slurred speach

[holmcall]

I was thinking of this a few months ago!I dont think the boxing board would ever change now!It does stand true that there is more of a chance a fighter could sustain more damage as the fight progresses.At the end of the day what the main aim is in the pro game of boxing is to cause maxium damage to your opponant.12rounds are spot on!Like you mention its a hour of pure action,thats enough time to enjoy a fight!!!

Well said!

[Andre]

I think it would be more interesting if like in the case of a draw like
Marquez /Pac if the ref goes to each corner and asks both sides if they want to go the fifteen.

[bikersk]

I've been wondering about this too just this year. 15 rounds brings another dimension to a fight i reckon. Fighters pacing themselves is far more important in the 15 i would think. However if there was a change certainly the medical boards etc would be up in arms and if there was an injury or god forbid a death in a 15 rounder then the organisation who sanctioned the fight is open to all sorts of trouble..

[Kel]

I think it would be more interesting if like in the case of a draw like
Marquez /Pac if the ref goes to each corner and asks both sides if they want to go the fifteen.

That would be great but would never happen

[ICB]

I think it would be more interesting if like in the case of a draw like
Marquez /Pac if the ref goes to each corner and asks both sides if they want to go the fifteen.

Well something did happen like that before but not quite like that, Tony Thorton went 12 rounds with Doug DeWitt. And they drawed then they were ordered to go 13 rounds to break the draw.

[Beanflicker]

NO. The added damage a fighter will take is not worth it just so we can feel "old school". Times change. Boxing is a tough sport as it is, and I'm glad fighters don't have to fight 300 pro fights to make a living anymore. I think asking the athletes to go another 9 minutes for no real good reason is stupid..

[Dark Lord Al]

yes id like to see fights go to 15 rounders.