Before their historic unified title fight in Orlando on October 27, world featherweight champion Amanda Serrano and her upcoming challenger Danila Ramos have collaborated with multiple current-and-former female fighters to release a statement affirming their pursuit towards achieving equal pay, promotion and competitive opportunity in boxing going forward.
Serrano: Our choice, the right for parity with men
- The only female seven-division world champion in boxing history… 35-year-old Amanda Serrano makes yet another defence of her world titles, having scored UD10 wins over Erika Cruz and Heather Hardy this year
- Serrano: “I want to thank all the boxers supporting this message of CHOICE, we are advocating for the ability to choose. Female boxers compete in MMA with five minute rounds, the same as their male counterparts. Even in bare knuckle boxing, women and men compete with the same rules. Danila and I, are proud to make history and compete under the same as male boxers.”
- 25 female fighters, past and present, have co-signed this including undisputed light-welterweight world champion Chantelle Cameron and IBF welterweight titlist Natasha Jonas before Oct. 27 main event
Amanda Serrano (c) vs. Danila Ramos on Oct. 27 in Orlando, Florida
IBF, WBA, WBO world featherweight titles on the line
12 x 3-minute rounds, another historic first for women’s boxing
There will be no Katie Taylor rematch, at least for the foreseeable, as the legendary Irishwoman has a defeat to avenge next month against Chantelle Cameron.
Regardless, Amanda Serrano is making history herself this month when she defends three of her world titles against Brazil’s Danila Ramos (12-2, 1 KO) in a first for women’s boxing: a bout scheduled for three minute rounds, and 12 of them too.
The press release made a point in saying the unprecedented choice was supported by the Florida Athletic Commission, as well as three sanctioning bodies for which their titles will be up for grabs in two weeks’ time. WBC and IBO haven’t joined them.
There was a question about whether this change should’ve happened sooner, especially with several high-profile bouts taking place over the past few years – from Taylor-Serrano 1, Claressa Shields vs. Savannah Marshall and more besides.
Importantly though, there needs to be buy-in from both boxers in these instances and why change the rules before a bout had been agreed, to potentially give your opponent an advantage before a championship encounter?
Serrano’s abilities and never-ending conditioning make it easier for her to adjust to a three-minute round than some, and is part of the reason she’s been able to float between weight divisions rather seamlessly during an illustrious career to date.
Ramos won the WBO interim world title with a split decision win over former two-time championship challenger Brenda Karen Carabajal back in mid-August and has only lost to esteemed competition during her six-year pro career to date.
Elhem Mekhaled (Mar. 2019) and Katharina Thanderz (Nov. 2019) were both unbeaten at the time they bested the Brazilian, and she’ll look to spring a surprise against a heavy favourite keeping busy as bigger fights beckon in 2024 and beyond.
Picture source: Getty Images unless stated
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