Expert: Lian Shoemake - 9/4/2004

Question
Hi Lian,
      Could you please tell me when World Championship fights change from 15 rounds to 12 rounds.
Hope you can help and thanks for your time.
               
                     Brendan.

Answer
Hi Brendan,

Thanks for the question.

World championship boxing matches wre rduced form 15 rounds to 12 rounds in 1984. This was adirect reaction to the 14th round fatal knockout of Du Ku Kim by then-WBA Lightweight Champion Ray Mancini. The WBA was the first to reduce the number of rounds, followed shortly threreafter by the WBC, and finally the IBF (the WBO was not around yet).

For trivia's sake, the last ever scheduled 15-round title fight was between Jorge Paez and Calvin Grove in Mexico. Ironically, Paez won a close decision in that fight on the strength of three knockdowns he scored in the 15th and final round!

I hope this helps, Brendan.

Thanks again for writing!

Regards,
Lian