Controversial boxing rule could be reinstated | Boxing News

The head of the World Boxing Association, Gilberto Jesus Mendoza, has hinted that the organisation might take into account bringing back the 15-round format for undisputed title fights, a rule that was common within the final century earlier than being decreased to 12 rounds within the Nineteen Eighties over issues about fighters’ health.

Studies had indicated an elevated risk of hurt to boxers past the twelfth spherical and the push for change gained momentum after the tragic death of Korean boxer Kim Duk-koo from accidents sustained within the 14th spherical during a combat with WBC light-weight champion Ray Mancini in 1982; Duk-koo had by no means beforehand fought to the restrict. Consequently, the WBC shortened its title fights to 12 rounds, adopted by the WBA 5 years later and the IBF quickly after.

Despite the intention to guard boxers, some within the sport, like WBO super-lightweight champion Teofimo Lopez, have expressed curiosity in a return to the longer bouts. Speaking with The Ring podcast, Lopez recommended: “I have a question. Can we bring back 15-round fights? I don’t know, maybe it’s just something I’m curious about. When you’re fighting for undisputed status, how about making those fights 15 rounds? Let’s add three more rounds, and then we’ll find out who the real champion is.

“I believe it might be symbolic, as a result of it actually reveals the importance of what we’re preventing for. Plus, you are not taking a 3 per cent sanctioning price, proper? No price, so why not add three more rounds for undisputed fights? ” This was the suggestion made in a recent post on X – formerly known as Twitter – by Mendoza, who wrote: “WBA might take into consideration approving it in a trial mode, for sure high caliber opposition between the boxers.”

Despite these calls for change, Saudi boxing chief Turki Alalshikh has firmly opposed the idea, telling talkSPORT: “No, I do not help this concept in any method. This is dangerous for a fighter’s health, and I might by no means be in favour of fights going back to fifteen rounds. In my opinion, even a 12-round combat could be an excessive amount of for a fighter’s health. But 15 rounds is out of the query. A 15-round combat ought to by no means be allowed to occur.”

Approval from all 4 governing our bodies would be required for any undisputed combat, making it extremely unlikely that they’d comply with a potential 15-round bout. The final undisputed title combat befell in October between Artur Beterbiev and Dmitry Bivol, with a rematch set for Saturday after Beterbiev’s slim victory final 12 months. The subsequent undisputed title combat is anticipated on May 3 between Canelo Alvarez and William Scull, the place ‘Saul’ could develop into a two-time undisputed champion on the weight if he takes Scull’s IBF belt.