Just when you think you’ve heard it all, up pops something that has you shaking your head in amazement.
We’re all familiar with the sport of boxing. Mohamed Ali is the world’s most famous boxer. Yet he, like all boxers, fought fights that lasted no more than 15 rounds.
We have a story to tell you that will leave you breathless. The story of a boxing match that lasted over 100 rounds. Yes indeed.
The longest boxing match in history lasted 110 rounds and went on for over 7 hours.
The fight was between Andy Bowen and Jack Burke, two lightweights battling for a championship title. It took place on April 6, 1893, at the Olympic Club in New Orleans.
The match began late in the evening and stretched into the early hours of the next morning.
Each round was three minutes long with a one-minute rest in between. Over the course of 110 grueling rounds, both fighters endured punishing blows, fatigue, and dehydration. The bout ultimately lasted seven hours and 19 minutes. By the end, Burke had broken both of his hands and could no longer continue.
The fighters’ exhaustion was so extreme that some spectators actually fell asleep.
The referee called the fight a “no contest,” as neither man was able to claim victory. The event was so extreme that it contributed to reforms in boxing rules, including limits on the number of rounds and the total match time.
The $2,500 purse was split between the fighters. Adjusted for inflation, that sum would be worth roughly $80,000 today.
The bout is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records.
Everything else is just history
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