What constituted a round in the pre-Walker Law era?

[Abradolf Lincler]

Piggy-backing off another thread. In the era of 20+ rounds (pre-1920s), what were the conditions for a round ending? I know (or have been led to believe in the past) that they weren't simply timed for 3 minutes, as in modern boxing. So, what were some of the variables that called for an end to a round? How did it work back then?

[SenorPipino]

Piggy-backing off another thread. In the era of 20+ rounds (pre-1920s), what were the conditions for a round ending? I know (or have been led to believe in the past) that they weren't simply timed for 3 minutes, as in modern boxing. So, what were some of the variables that called for an end to a round? How did it work back then?

As I mentioned in that thread on 15 rounders, the Walker Law established a limit to the number of rounds (15) but had nothing to do with the length of rounds.

The 3 minute round was the work of the Marquess of Queensberry rules in the 19th century.

Incidentally, the Walker Law only applied to bouts in New York, so fights longer than 15 round still occurred elsewhere.