The distance (boxing) 19, 1987. While the International Boxing Federation, which had recently broken away from the WBA, continued to hold onto the position there was no documented medical evidence to show a 15-round fight is more dangerous than a 12-round fight, they eventually voted to shorten their championship distance to 12 rounds as well on June 3, 1988. The last heavyweight 15-rounder title fight was on October 16, 1987 between Mike Tyson and Tyrell Biggs. The last middleweight 15-rounder title fight was a World Boxing Board title match on June 7, 1997 in which Jose Alfredo Flores won a split decision over
Boxing on NBC (or technically, WNBT, which would eventually becoming NBC's flagship affiliate, WNBC) became the first American television network to broadcast a boxing match. Emanating from Yankee Stadium in New York City, Bill Stern provided the blow-by-blow commentary for the fight between Lou Nova and Max Baer. On the premiere episode of "Cavalcade of Sports" (airing on September 29, 1944), NBC broadcast a 15-round bout between Willie Pep and Chalky Wright. On June 19, 1946, at Yankee Stadium, Joe Louis defeated Billy Conn in the first televised World Heavyweight Championship bout ever. 146,000 people watched it on TV, also setting a record