A 10-step guide to improving boxing

2) Overtime rounds
Picture this: two boxers go at each other for 12 rounds, each scoring a few knockdowns as the momentum sways from one man to the other across the fight. The judges tally up the scores, hand them to the ring announcer and, after letting the tension in the arena reach a nearly unbearable crescendo, he reveals a unanimous draw across all three cards. Everyone goes home aggressively unsatisfied.

Now picture this: the scorecards are read, a draw is announced and the ring clears out as both fighters return to their corners to put their mouthpieces back in for one more winner-takes-all round. Both guys are exhausted, bloody and starting to swell, but they are putting it all back on the line for 90 seconds to determine who will be rewarded for the 12 gruelling rounds that preceded it and the 10 weeks of agonising training before that. Is anyone in that arena sitting down when the bell for the 13th round rings?