You’ve enjoyed following the top contenders like Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Anthony Joshua, and other superstars. Still, you’re a boxing fan who doesn’t fully understand the seemingly random rules behind a match.
How many rounds are there?
One match lasts three rounds, the other four rounds, ten or 12 rounds. What it depends on?
Why does it vary?
Let’s delve into the boxing round system and answer your questions about one of the oldest and most exciting sports.
Quick Summary
- The number of rounds in boxing is determined by the skill level, country, caliber of the match, gender, and age group of the participants.
- For amateur boxing, men have three rounds of three minutes, whereas women have two rounds of two minutes each.
- For professional boxing, the world boxing federation stipulates a maximum of 12 rounds for men and a maximum of 10 rounds for women.
- The number of rounds in boxing was introduced after the famous fight between Ray Mancini and Duk-Koo Kim in 1982.
What Determines How Many Rounds Are in Boxing?
What determines the number of rounds and duration of each round in boxing include various factors, including:
- Fighter experience and skill level
- Their age group
- Gender
- The caliber or class of the match (Olympic, amateur, professional, non-world title fights, world title fights, championship fights, etc.)
- Boxing club or organization
- Country
Official rules allow for no more than 12 rounds of 3 minutes each.
Let’s break down the length of matches according to some generally accepted regulations from the USA Boxing National Rulebook.
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Youth Boxing
Although it’s quite popular in the boxing world, some people think of kids and teens in the ring when they hear about youth boxing.
However, these title fights are not only for such young people but also for fighters in their thirties or forties.
The term refers to championship bouts where unofficial boxers box for clubs and fight camps for fun and not to compete (inter)nationally.
Boxing round length varies based on the boxers’ age for participants 8-18 years old, whereas in “elite boxing” for fighters aged 19-40, it also depends on the fighters’ weight and skill level.
The total boxing match duration ranges between five and eleven minutes, and here’s how long youth boxing bouts may last for prep, junior, youth, and elite boxing in the US [1]:
- Pee-Wee (8-10 years old) and Bantam (11-12 years old) - 3 rounds of one minute
- Intermediate (13-14 years old) - 3 ninety-second rounds
- Junior (15-16 years old) - 3 two-minute rounds
- Youth (17-18 years old) - 3 three-minute rounds
- Elite (19- 40 years old) - 3 three-minute rounds
- Masters (35+ years) – 3 three-minute rounds
The terminology and some other details of international rules might differ a bit:
- Bantam (8-10 years old) – three rounds of 1 minute
- Junior (11-12 years old) – three rounds of 1 minute
- Intermediate (13-14 years old) – three rounds of 1.5 minutes
- Senior Junior Olympic (15-16 years old) – three rounds of two minutes
- Sub Novice (17-34 years old) – three rounds of two minutes
- Novice (17-34 years old) – 10 rounds of two minutes
- Open (17-34 years old) – min. ten, up to twelve rounds of two minutes
- Master Class (35+ years) – min. ten, up to twelve rounds of three minutes
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Amateur Boxing
The term amateur boxing might be misleading because it has nothing to do with amateur, inexperienced, or unprofessional boxers.
Instead, amateur boxing refers to boxing in official tournaments such as the Olympics, Pan American Games, the Commonwealth Games, and other similar competitions where groups of boxers fight for points awarded for clean punches of the opponent, not for knockouts or power.
Also, there’s no prize money for amateur boxers.
They compete out of pride for their country and pure love of boxing.
Since 2009, amateur bouts for men may last for three rounds of three minutes each.
The standard for women is four rounds of two minutes each. That’s a total ring time of no more than 10 and 11 minutes, including the intervals.
Professional Boxing
Prizefighting is the longest, most intense, violent, and demanding.
According to the World Boxing Federation, professional boxing matches go for four, six, eight, ten, to maximally 12 rounds for men and up to 10 rounds for women in most world title fights.
International flights usually held by boxing organizations within one continent differ from intercontinental bouts and may last for 10-12 rounds for men and 8-10 rounds for women.
Each regional title fight is typically ten rounds long.
In other words, professional male boxers may spend no more than 47 minutes fighting, including intervals. For females, the maximum allowed time spent in the ring is around 35 minutes.
Why Is Boxing No Longer than 15 Rounds?
Boxing is no longer than 15 rounds because of the fatal outcome of a WBA title fight between Ray Mancini and Duk-Koo Kim that took place in 1982.
The 23-year-old South Korean boxer Duk-Koo Kim was knocked out in the 14th boxing round. It resulted in a severe brain injury and his tragic death in hospital a few days after the knockout.
The death of the prominent boxing figure in this brutal world title bout triggered the rule change.
So the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), and International Boxing Federation (IBF) reduced championship fights from 15 to 12 rounds in the 1980s to protect the health, safety, wellbeing, and life of each fighter.
Some studies indicated that 15-round title fights increased the risk of exhaustion, dehydration, serious brain damage, and other life-threatening injuries with fatal consequences.
Still, there was some controversy around this reduction of championship bouts, and some boxing legends and critics like Frank Lotierzo didn’t agree with the change.
“It will cut down on injuries for a lot of fighters but it will take away from the true champions. A true champion can go 15 rounds.”
- Larry Holmes, Former US Pro Heavyweight Boxer
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FAQs
How Long Are Boxing Rounds?
Boxing rounds are three minutes long for men and two minutes for women and amateur fights. Youth boxing rounds vary based on the fighters’ age groups and may last one, one and a half, two, or three minutes.
How Long Is Break in Boxing?
A break between two boxing rounds is one minute long.
How Many Rounds Were There in Boxing Back in the Day?
The number of boxing rounds wasn’t limited back in the day, so history remembers boxing matches that lasted 110 rounds.
One of the most brutal and longest recorded prizefights [2] was between James Burke and Simon Byrne and in 1833 believed to have lasted for three hours and six minutes and 99 rounds. [3] Byrne was so severely injured that he died three days after the fight.
Later on, in the early 1900s, the standard limit of 15 rounds was introduced as the norm in most boxing matches.
When Was the Round System Implemented?
The round system that became a standard in professional boxing was implemented in US boxing in the 1880s. However, a Welsh sportsman John Chambers drafted the original Marquess of Queensberry rules in 1867. [4]
References:
- https://www.teamusa.org/usa-boxing/usa-boxing-national-rule-book
- http://www.mkheritage.org.uk/the-fight-at-salcey-green/
- https://books.google.rs/books?id=tPD0iUdQ_rwC&pg=PA129&source=gbs_toc_r&cad=4#v=onepage&q&f=false
- https://www.thoughtco.com/bare-knuckles-boxing-1773995
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