How many rounds are in a boxing fight?

The sport of boxing is full of entertainment and action, and each fight has different number of rounds depending on what's at stake.

Boxing is one of the most dangerous sports in the world. Constant punishment to the head and body can be damaging for fighters in the future. However, the rules and regulations in the sport of boxing, help make the sport a little safer. While there are many rules and regulations for the safety of fighters, the inclusion of rounds is arguably the most important of them.

A round is the duration in which two boxers compete against each other without a break, until and unless there is an event where the fight is temporarily or permanently stopped. The start of the round is signaled by a bell and so is the end. Rounds in a fight help the fighters adjust their pace, and also take well-deserved breaks in between each round.

While MMA has three and five-round fights, boxing is different. In boxing, only the major title fights last for a duration of 12-rounds. Apart from that, boxers who are coming up the ranks usually climb the ladder by fighting four rounds, six rounds, eight rounds, and twelve rounds. This helps them pace up for 12-round championship opportunities later in their career.

Having rounds in a fight is beneficial for a fighter. However, it is also beneficial for a judge who is scoring the fight as he/she can score the bout as per the performance of each athlete in a round. While boxing today has 12-round title fights, back in the day, the sport saw a total of 15 rounds when it came to major championships. j

Title fights in boxing were limited from 15 rounds to 12 rounds

While there is no official reason behind limiting title fights in boxing from 15 rounds to 12, many believe it has to do with the death of Korean boxer Kim Duk-koo. In 1982, the Korean fought Ray Mancini for a WBA title and lost the bout along with his life. Severely beaten after the end of 12 rounds, Duk-koo showed courage to hand on till the fourteenth-round, after whiech he was knocked out.

Taken out of the ring on a stretcher, the Korean was later taken to a hospital where he was on life support, but eventually succumbed to his injuries. Many believe that if he hadn't fought after the 12th round, Kim Duk-koo would have survived. Following his death, the WBC became the first association to limit title fights in boxing to 12 rounds, after which other associations did the same.

While this is one reason, it certainly isn't the official one. As per others, boxing rounds were limited from 15 to 12 because they were better for TV scheduling. Well, whatever the reason may be, it is good to see that title fights in boxing were limited to 12 rounds, as fighters don't have to suffer the grueling 15 rounds, and fans get their dose of entertainment as well.