I call them "the wrong guy won clauses." I think the answer to your question would be when Eddie Hearn realized that he could guarantee his fighters always came out ahead.
I don’t know but I think these are one of the many things killing the sport. They hold everything up, especially considering that top boxers fight so infrequently these days.
These would not be bad if they booked the rematch out 3-4 months after the original, not 9-12 months.
It has been the case for as long as I remember, certainly in voluntary defences. They just came more into play since the 90's, and HW seemed to be the frontrunner. Think Holyfield, Tyson, Lewis and such.
It's negotiated in the contract most of the time. To my knowledge, I can't think of a time the powers that be made fighters have a automatic rematch.
