WBC chiefs put out a strong statement following a row with Amanda Serrano over women competing in three-minute rounds.
Serrano vacated her featherweight title after the WBC rejected a request to fight twelve longer sessions in her next defense.
The WBC remains stubborn despite calls to ‘evolve with the times’ and ‘follow equality’ measures embraced by the other three sanctioning bodies [IBF, WBA, and WBO].
Releasing a long list of reasons obtained by World Boxing News, the World Boxing Council will not consider any changes.
Why won’t the WBC consider three-minute rounds for women?
They said: “The WBC believes in choice, which is why we chose to support women’s boxing when no one else did since the late 90s.
“The WBC chose to initiate Women’s World Championships back in 2004. We chose to use our entire platform to bring women’s boxing to the level it is today with exciting fights, sold out arenas, and worldwide heroes.
“The WBC chose to spend money, time, and effort to have continuous medical and scientific research. To evaluate and create specific rules for women in boxing.
“The WBC chose to support women and not charge a single penny to them in sanction fees.
“The WBC chose to organize three World Conventions exclusively for women’s boxing in Cancun, Tijuana, and Manila.
“However, the sport itself is not about choice. Boxing, by its nature, demands safety guidelines, rules, and protection.
“Rules are not discriminatory, arbitrary, nor sexist. Rules are based on science, expertise, fairness, and, above all, safety.
“Our mission has always been and will always be to lower the risk of anyone going into the ring, man or woman, in this combat sport, which is not a game.
“The WBC has honored these rules, principles, and values. We will continue to research Women’s Boxing, support women’s boxing, and protect any women participating in this incredible sport.
“We believe that any woman has a choice. That’s whether to compete under the WBC rules or compete under untested waters with much uncertainty and higher risks for their own life, their opponents’ lives, and the quality of their lives after ring activity.
“Long live women’s boxing.”
