I think the WBC started theirs around January 1, 1983, if I'm right, because in late '82, both Holmes-Cobb, and Chacon-Limon were 15 rounders.
But the IBF was created in '83 when Bob Lee failed in his attempt to become President of the WBA. He split off and created the IBF. The IBF used 15 rounds as their Championship distance into 1988. Buddy Mcgirt vs Howard Davis was scheduled for 15 in the late summer of '88. I'm not sure if it was the last 15 round fight, but it was close. I seem to recall a lighter weight fight held in Asia somewhere was 15 rounds after McGirt-Davis. The IBF using the 15 round distance for a handful of years, in my opinion, helped them gain acceptance as a sanctioning body. Some of their first champions were not at the level of the established WBA/WBC. But pretty quickly it became apparent that they were just as corrupt as the other two bodies
jorge paez and calvin grove was the last 15 round title fight i believe (for the IBF anyway) and that was in August 88. Of course if im mistaken there are plenty on here who will correct me.
I think it was knee jerk move made after Ray Mancini and that Korean fought, the guy died after bout, so idiots in charge tried to placate public by cutting rounds, saying it would prevent such things from happening. If Duk Koo KIm (sp?) had died in 11 th round, instead of after 12th, we might have 10 round title bouts by that way of reasoning. I am pretty sure all fights were cut on account of that incident.
That was the major fight that did it, but Pryor-Arguello, and Holmes-Cobb somewhat helped with their outcomes, the latter running out the legendary Howard Cosell from the boxing annoucing ranks.
Can older posters tell me please; When the rounds were cut, was the move applauded or dismissed by the media and the public?
Heavyweight began to grow wide and fight real slow,undertrained other than the Klitschko's, not many were even in shape to fight 12 rounds...even Lennox Lewis never KO'd a man after the 8th round and Tyson only once and that was trial horse Jose Ribalta
I think Wlad has the best late rounds KO % of all hws. But boxers never seemed to have trained for late KOs. Of all 2600+ fights of Muhammad Ali his opponents... only 6! got knocked out in the 13th 14th or 15th round. Those late three rounds were nobody ever seems to get knocked out just seem to have moved to 10,11,12.
The general boxing fan hated it. Although spun as an 'improvement in safety', it was easy to see why it went forward: It fit into the 'TV hour' unlike the 15 rounders. Remember back then as well as HBO and cable, boxing was shown on Network TV, and thus there was sometimes the need for a fight to fit into an hour slot.
