Amanda Serrano vacates WBC title over 12 three-minute round dispute
- Seb Sternik
- 5 December 2023
Amanda Serrano has confirmed she will relinquish her WBC featherweight title after the governing body refused to sanction women’s boxing bouts over 12 three-minute rounds.
The Puerto Rican held all the gold in the featherweight division since beating Erika Cruz back in February.
Last October, the undisputed champion made history by beating Danila Ramos in the first female world title bout to be held over 12 three-minute rounds since 2007.
Women’s boxing fights are usually sanctioned over 10 two-minute rounds. Last year, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman was asked by Planet Sport about the possible transition to three-minute rounds.
He said: "It could happen, we're waiting for some medical studies to come through but that's a possibility that maybe in high profile fights would be acceptable.
"But going back to what I just said, when that tenth round ended (between Katie Taylor and Serrano), both were exhausted, and you can only raise the limit of risk so much.
"I would be hesitant but if the medical studies provide some information towards that then that can be one step. Three minutes, I see it very very far from being able to ever accept a WBC fight for three minutes."
With the WBC refusing to sanction 12 three-minute rounds, Serrano has taken the decision to vacate her title.
The 35-year-old said on Instagram: “I love boxing. I have given my life to this sport. No phone, no boyfriend, no parties. Just boxing.
“I am the only boxer, male or female, from Puerto Rico to become undisputed champion. I am the only female boxer to have won titles in 7 divisions. I am the first female boxer, along with Katie to headline Madison Sqaure Garden. I am the first female boxer to make 7 figures from a fight and the same from sponsors.
“And I am the first undisputed female champion to fight 12x3 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.
“Thank You to the sanctioning bodies who have evolved for Equality!”
As things stand, Australia’s Skye Nicolson and super-bantamweight champion Erika Cruz are the two likely contenders for the WBC title.
