Amanda
Serrano remains steadfast in her demand for women to compete
under the same rules as men in the sport of boxing.
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Serrano, who is also signed to compete for Professional Fighters
League in its Super Fight Division, has now vacated her World
Boxing Council strap in protest against the organization not
allowing women to compete under the same rules as women.
While men typically compete for 12 three-minute rounds, women’s
bouts are for 10 two-minute rounds. Serrano is among a long list of
female boxers demanding the choice to compete under the same rules
as men.
The WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO, IBO and Ring Magazine title holder beat
Danila Ramos via a lopsided decision in October, which was the
first time a women’s title bout was stipulated for 12 three-minute
rounds since 2007. However, Serrano’s WBC title was not on the
line, as the organization refused to sanction the fight. WBC
president Mauricio Sulaiman compared the difference in stipulation
to other sports such as tennis and basketball while reiterating
that the council’s decision has been taken for the safety of
fighters.
Serrano has now vacated her 126-pound strap in protest while also
clarifying that she won’t hesitate to leave other sanctioning
bodies as well if her choice to fight under equal rules isn’t
respected.
“I am the only boxer, male or female, from Puerto Rico to become
undisputed champion,” Serrano wrote on
Instagram. “I am the only female boxer to have won titles in
[seven] divisions. I am the first female boxer, along with Katie to
headline Madison Square Garden. I am the first female boxer to make
[seven] figures from a fight and the same from sponsors. And I am
the first undisputed female champion to fight 12×3 minute
rounds.”
“Moving forward if a sanctioning body doesn’t want to give me and
my fellow fighters the choice to fight the same as the men, then I
will not be fighting for that sanctioning body.
“The WBC has refused to evolve the sport for equality. So, I am
relinquishing their title.”
Serrano’s team subsequently released a statement to
ESPN regarding the champ’s wishes to compete only in 12
three-minute round fights for the rest of her career.
“After an amazing fight [against Danila Ramos], we proved to the
world how incredible women’s boxing is and that we are just as
capable as any man in the ring, and we deserve the choice to be
treated equally,” the statement read.
“I’ve made my choice, one that I’ve worked many years to earn, and
my choice is to continue to only fight 12 three-minute rounds for
the rest of my career. Once you break down barriers, you don’t go
backwards.”