Women’s boxing continues to produce headline after headline, however recently it seems to be for different reasons. For so long now women have literally fought to ensure that their bouts are seen in the same light as the men, this time its about the length of each round. 3 minutes, not 2.
Why should a round in women’s boxing be cut a minute short? Why should there be only 10 rounds and not 12? According to one of the leading professional boxing bodies the WBC, this is due to the extensive damage that could be caused if a woman was to fight at the same length as a man. According to the World Boxing Council, fighting for this extra time increases the chance of concussion by 80% for women.
With this being said, the women are not going down without a fight. 2 time US Olympic medalist Claressa Shields and Flyweight Marlen Esparza remain, strong advocates, for women to compete over the same distance as the men. British champion Nicola Adams also supports this view. All are in agreement that a full 3 minutes is required for them to formalise a strategy and execute a plan to beat their opposition over each round.
It has been proven time and time again, if you give women a chance to prove themselves and align themselves with the male side of their respective sports, they will absolutely do so and more. However, it is not unusual for women to not have similar guidelines and rules, sports like tennis, golf, athletics, and gymnastics have all ensured women undertake a lesser distance or amount of time. The difference? You risk your life in a boxing ring.
With all of this being said, a wave of women’s fighting talent continues to flow through the sport and it’s not slowing down. Women are headlining main events and putting on a great show whilst doing so. Give the women what they want, give them the 3 minutes over 12 rounds. What’s the worst that could happen, a serious injury? Something that we see all too often in men’s boxing.