Championship Rounds

The only way I can envision 15 round bouts reappearing would be to use an example lets say we have two title holders in a given division with sizeable fanbases and with respectable resumes who were set to fight against each other to unify.

However they both ask that their unification bout be sceduled for 15 rounds like in the old days so that they can prove to others and themselves that they can also go 15 rounds if necessary and to show who is the real champion in the division.

So lets assume that they get their way due to backing by either the public or the network they are to fight on, and they the network can then really use the prefight buildup and focus attention on some of the great 15 round fights of the past and get the casual boxing fan clued in to what it was like.

If done well and correctly this could start the spark towards reinstituting the 15 round title fight at least for unification fights if nothing else. But this would depend a great deal on the fight between the two combatants who asked for it to be entertaining and for it to go into the championship rounds.

Once there, if the fight was entertaining going into the last few rounds and then there is some drama and excitement in those last few rounds of the fight before it ends either via decision or stoppage it could possibly spark the publics appetite for more such fights in the future.

But it has to start with the fighters themself, or more accurately one fighter who is respected and accomplished coming out and saying publicly that he is in favour of 15 round bouts being reinstated and having others agree and try and make the change happen.

But I have absolutely no faith in this ever happening as I simply do not foresee a fighter with that kind of mindset and attitude appearing on the horizon now or ever, it would take a rare and unique type of fighter and person to come out and advocate the return of 15 round title bouts in the manner in which I described.

 

No, not at the moment, there is no where near enough momentum. I suspect in due course the next step will be 10 round championship bouts. 45 rounders lasted until the First World War, 25 rounders were cooked in the 20s. The 20 rounder was done (with a few exceptions) by the Second World War and the 15 rounder was finished (again, with a few exceptions), by the 90s. Thus on that evidence, the next step will be end of the 12 rounder.