How has the 15 to 12 RD rule change affected history?

I have wondered this off and on through the years the impact of this rule upon the sport. Not looking to debate which is safer or more fan friendly or preferable. Rather which greats of the 15 round era might not be remembered as such if they fought under 12 round rules? Or vice versa. Which greats of the 12 round era might not achieve that same status and which fringe greats might have been elevated to greatness by sheer endurance or superior conditioning? Or is it a non issue and the cream always rises to the top?

I think of Salvador Sanchez who won a couple of SD and MD and stopped Nelson in the 15th for example. I have Nelson tied after 12. Is Nelson remembered greater with a draw or victory in this fight? Does Sanchez pace himself differently and still win or stop Nelson late (I don't think so, but I am one of the biggest Nelson fans around). Does Jersey Joe take a 12 round decision over Rocky and change history? Is the 12 round stoppage of Meldrick by Chavez not even a debatable worthy stoppage if fought under 15 Rd rule set?

So in your opinion how does or has this rule change impacted boxing?

 

I like the Chavez situation, completely changes the idea that quick fighters were a problem for him. Taylor was being worn down and was more or less finished in rd 12, he could have got on his bike but that wouldn`t prove he was the better fighter, Chavez cut off the ring and countered Taylor`s jab in the early rounds proving Chavez was the better fighter on the outside so Taylor came inside with fast combos but stayed there after he threw them standing upright and getting caught with harder punches than he was landing, 3 more rounds would have shown the difference between a good fighter with great hand speed vs a great fighter. The Ray Leonard vs Hearns fight would have changed history not only would it have just been a fight where Leonard though fighting great defensively just couldn`t get past the jab of Hearns apart from round 6 when Leonard exposed a flaw in Hearns defense but there would have been a rematch and Leonard might not have caught Hearns, Tommy fought a tactically better fight vs Benitez at a weight where he wasn`t drained Leonard may have met Hearns at that weight and things could have been different, also nothing to do with the length of rounds but Ray wouldn`t have gone on to get the detatched retina and might have fought Curry, McCallum etc. over 15 rounds, no way could Curry fight 15 rounds with the weight problems he had. Sanchez had a flaw against Nelson he was open to counter rights, he was starting to fix this flaw in his last couple of fights before he died so if Nelson had of won it could have led to him being overrated.

 

Foreman would have lost more fights if they had been 15 rounders since he obviously suffered from serious stamina issues and a corresponding inability to properly pace himself in his previous career.

 

Other than the last 4 fights of his career which were decisions 3 of four he won that can be considered? Other than that he was not pushed the distance other than an 8 and 10 Rd decision. Not sure how or why it would impact his career? Other ones like Jimmy Young that went 12 he lost? So how would it change his career?

 

My first thought is that Jermain Taylor would've lost at least once to BHop.

 

Arguello was built for 15 rds at the lower weights. He just sliced and battered people in the so-called "Championship Rounds'. Also, Fighters out of the LA Forum stable battered each other into oblivion over the 15 round limit.

 

Arguello was one guy that I considered. I would need to look at how rounds 13-15 changed things in his fights to be sure but good call

 

Thanks compadre. LHhorn.

 

During George's first career all championship bouts were 15 rounds.

The original question is impossible to answer as each fighters strategy would be altered 15 vs 12 rounds and visa-versa.

 

Joe Luis Castillo could have benefit from a 15 round fight in the Mayweather first
fight. Castillo came on strong and clearly won the 12 round in their fight.
Another 3 rounds and it would have been interesting.

 

Hard to say obviously many fights were won in the championships rounds like Conn-Louis 1 the tempo of the fights may have changed and produced the same results......Marciano/Walcott, Mancini/ Duk Koo Kim, Robinson/Maxim, Holmes/Cooney, Robinson/Lamotte 6, Jeffries/Johnson, all would have been different without the 13,14,15th rds. As history sits now

 

Mayweather outlanded Castillo and had a far higher connect percentage in the 12th round. He also won the round on two scorecards.

 

Since fighters know it's 12 or 15 rounds I think a lot of the fights would just take place differently due to game plans. Others though, I don't think too much about the pace.

I don't think there would be much controversy if Chavez-Taylor 1, nor do I see much of a difference in pacing if it were scheduled for 15. Taylor got off to a great start and was winning largely by outworking Chavez with his insane speed and activity. It was less a "pure boxing" display of movement, angles, picking punches, etc...like Whitaker-Chavez and actually had more brawling throughout. Taylor was winning rounds by landing more, but was taking the harder punches. By the 9th round, Taylor's face was showing the effects of the fight. The 10th round was a classic round with great two-way action, but Taylor was pretty spent for the rest of the fight after that round. I doubt the nature and pace of the fight really changes in a 15 rounder.

The change in rounds worked against Hopkins IMO in Hopkins-Taylor 1. Taylor later said he was tired due to nervous energy. Seems reasonable, it definitely wasn't the pace of them throwing a punch every eon. Tired Taylor was getting beat in those last 3 rounds. Maybe Hopkins would waste away even more rounds in a 15 rounder, but it definitely looked like the 12 rounds worked in Taylor's favor.

I wouldn't pick Weaver to stop Tate in a 12 rounder. It didn't appear like Weaver suddenly picked up the pace at the end when he scored the come from behind KO. He just landed a body shot and that left hook bomb afterwards.

 

messed up more title fights, and screwed up the sport. Period.

 

I don't think anyone can really speculate what would have happened in previous 12 round fights that " if they went 15 " , although fun to do, there are just way to many things that can happen .. But I do think from a strategy and managing your stamina perspective, going from 15 to 12 rounds, completely changed the sport and drastically ..