In this series' universe, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini
didn't kill Kim Duk-koo
Their fight was almost the same exact scenario that led to Joe's death, if he died. In Real Life it led to the WBC (that had sanctioned their match) reducing the maximum number of rounds from 15 to 12, later imitated by WBA and IBF and WBO doing it from its foundation. Nothing strange if this 'verse's WBC and WBA, that had sanctioned the match between Joe and Mendoza, would react exactly the same way, with WBO and IBF (founded in 1988 and 1983 respectively) starting out with 12-round matches as the maximum allowed. didn't kill Kim Duk-koo