Amanda Serrano is in a sexism based standoff with the WBC.
In short the WBC will not sanction women to fight 3 minute rounds. They claim this is based in science. Serrano asks for the choice to fight under the same rules as men. Her post below speaks for itself. The WBC will not back down. Neither will Serrano. So the champion vacated her title. A strong stand.
Let’s start with the WBC’s own words. “The WBC is determined women’s fights will remain at two minutes per round, and ten championship rounds, because safety is the number one priority.”
Now let’s talk science.
Boxing is dangerous. Less boxing is safer than more boxing. This holds true for women and men. But where is the data to show that women boxers are exposed to greater health risks by competing in 3 minute rounds relative to men doing the same? Absent valid science the rule is sexist. And the WBC has been unable to point to any compelling boxing specific scientific data behind their views.
In fairness to the WBC, there is data speaking to women suffering sport concussion rates greater than men with more prolonged symptoms as well. The WBC use this to justify their position.
When it comes to boxing specific data, however, one study concludes that “Male boxers were significantly more likely than female boxers to receive injuries (3.6 versus 1.2 per 100 boxer-rounds, P = 0.01). Male boxing matches also ended in knockouts and technical knockouts more often than did female matches“
Last month a new boxing specific research was published. And it showed that men, not women, face KO’s and TKO’s at far higher rates than women. Men were KO/TKO’d at a rate of 50%. Women at 31%. A stark difference.
But maybe women will be the one’s with higher rates if they compete under the same rules? Probably not. Data shows that generally weight class is tied to KO/TKO rates. The heavier the fighters the more likely bouts are stopped.
And turning to MMA, a sport where men and women compete under identical rules, men still experience KO/TKO stoppages at higher rates on a weight class by weight class comparison.
If “safety” is the number one priority of the WBC the data shows they may have picked the wrong sex to limit.
Combat Sports Law 