15 Rounds of Boxing? Nah, Let’s Implement Overtime Instead!

The debate over 15-round fights in professional boxing has resurfaced, thanks to recent comments from WBA President Gilberto Mendoza, who proposed reintroducing 15-round bouts for undisputed championship fights. On the surface, the idea may seem like a return to boxing’s golden era—a time when legendary fighters endured grueling battles of skill, strategy, and stamina over 15 rounds.

However, before we start celebrating the return of longer fights, we need to remember why the 15-round format was abolished in the first place. And more importantly, if the goal is to make championship fights more decisive and eliminate controversial decisions, is bringing back 15 rounds really the answer? Or is there a better solution—overtime rounds for fights that end in a draw?

Let’s break it down.

🥊 The History: Why Was 15 Rounds Abolished?

For decades, championship boxing matches were fought over 15 rounds, producing some of the most legendary fights in the sport’s history. Think of Muhammad Ali vs. Joe Frazier in the "Thrilla in Manila", or Sugar Ray Leonard vs. Roberto Durán—these were true wars of endurance, where fighters had to dig deep in the championship rounds.

However, everything changed on November 13, 1982, when Duk Koo Kim suffered fatal injuries in his fight against Ray Mancini. The South Korean fighter was stopped in the 14th round but later collapsed in his corner and fell into a coma. Tragically, he died four days later.

The incident sent shockwaves through the boxing world, leading to increased scrutiny over fighter safety. Soon after, the WBC, WBA, IBF, and WBO all agreed to reduce fights from 15 rounds to 12, citing the increased risks of brain injuries and fatalities from prolonged punishment in the ring.

Since then, 12 rounds have been the global standard for world title fights.

💬 The 15-Round Debate: Why Are We Discussing This Again?

Fast forward to 2025, and suddenly, the WBA is pushing for a return to 15 rounds. According to Mendoza, this would bring back the true essence of boxing, reduce the number of controversial decisions, and ensure that the better-conditioned fighter prevails in undisputed championship fights.

However, not everyone is on board. One of the most vocal critics of this idea is Turki Alalshikh, a major figure in Saudi boxing, who immediately shut down the proposal. He argued that fighter safety should be the top priority and that the additional three rounds would increase the risk of long-term brain damage and severe injuries.

His point is valid—modern fighters are faster, stronger, and more explosive than in the past. With advanced sports science and training methods, fights today are fought at a much higher pace, meaning an extra three rounds would likely result in more fatigue-based knockouts, unnecessary damage, and even potential fatalities.

So, while the WBA sees 15 rounds as a way to add drama and authenticity to the sport, many in the boxing community believe it's a step backward for fighter safety.

✅ Why Overtime Rounds Make More Sense Than 15 Rounds

If the real goal is to make championship fights more decisive and eliminate controversial draws, then forcing all fights to be 15 rounds isn’t the best solution. Instead, overtime rounds should be introduced in certain situations—particularly in fights for vacant championships or when a title bout ends in a draw.

How Would Overtime Work?

If a fight is ruled a draw after 12 rounds, instead of immediately going to the judges’ scorecards, an extra round (or two) is added.
This would force fighters to leave no doubt and ensure that there is a clear winner in every championship fight.
The overtime rule would only apply to fights that end in a draw—so it wouldn’t change most fights, but it would fix situations where neither fighter deserves to walk away without the belt.

This solution maintains fighter safety while also giving the fans and the sport a definitive winner.

Imagine if Manny Pacquiao vs. Juan Manuel Marquez III had gone to an overtime round—there would have been no debate over who won! Or if Lennox Lewis vs. Evander Holyfield I had an extra round, we might not have needed a rematch.

🛑 The Problem With Vacant Title Draws

One of the biggest frustrations in boxing is when a fight for a vacant championship ends in a draw—leaving the belt unclaimed.

This happened in 2018, when Jermell Charlo and Brian Castaño fought to a draw for the undisputed junior middleweight title. Instead of determining a champion that night, the belt remained vacant until a rematch months later.

With an overtime round rule, there would have been no need for a rematch—fans would have gotten a decisive champion on the same night.

A draw should never be an option in a title fight for a vacant belt—someone needs to walk away as the champion.

🚨 Final Thoughts: Keep 12 Rounds, Add Overtime!

At the end of the day, the sport of boxing should evolve forward, not backward. While 15-round fights may bring nostalgia, they also bring greater risks to fighter safety—risks that the sport worked hard to eliminate.

Instead of forcing every fight to go longer, an overtime system would achieve the same goal of reducing controversial decisions while ensuring that fighters’ health isn’t compromised.

With boxing already facing criticism over bad judging, it’s time for the sport to adapt and introduce extra rounds only when needed—not put every fighter through unnecessary punishment.

What do you think? Would you rather see 15-round fights return, or is an overtime system the better solution? Let us know in the comments!