Amanda Serrano and the 12 Round Issue

Amanda Serrano’s battle for equality has taken a drastic turn for the worse. Mauricio Suleiman and the WBC have announced that her next contest on October 27th will not be sanctioned by them because it will be split across 12 3-minute rounds instead of the typical 10 2-minute rounds that women’s boxing has been relegated to. This is a horrible move because socially, the WBC is generally regarded as the premier championship. This is a horrible move for the sport because the WBC, despite being the premier championship and the oldest sanctioning body aside from the WBA, is showing that it does not support equal treatment between the two genders in combat. Amanda Serrano has been a key figure in bridging the gap between men’s and women’s championship boxing, alongside fellow undisputed champion Claressa Shields, and former undisputed champion Franchón Crews-Dezurn. All 3 women have protested heavily against the fact that they are stuck with lower pay and less time in the ring. Mauricio's decision is highly controversial and damaging to the credibility of women's boxing as well. How can female boxers hope to attain the same level of coverage and recognition as male boxers if they can't showcase their skills in longer rounds? It is impossible to reach an adequate level of clarity with a shorter performance time, to both the judges and the general public. It is clear from Serrano's match against Katie Taylor that two-minute rounds are not enough to be the deciding factor in which fighter is better as well. Outclassing your opponent can be done quickly, but sometimes it takes a bit more than a few punches and slips. A multitude of world champions and contenders under different promotions have supported this idea, with some even saying that they feel as restricted as amateurs, who are also put under heavy time constraints. This means that there is a larger gap ethically than it appears, leaving many women thrown to the wind. It is my hope that Mauricio rethinks this decision and supports Serrano and the thousands of women trying to make greater strides in the sport of boxing. I've been a heavy supporter of women's boxing since I began my boxing career as a youth and it is very disheartening to see the lack of support they get- there must be change, and this change must come quickly. Women's boxing deserves to be put on the big stage, but if honorable female world champions such as Mikaela Mayer, Claressa Shields, Caroline Dubois, Alycia Baumgardner, and Jessica McCaskill haven't convinced you of that, you need to do some self-reflection.