Amanda Serrano’s Featherweight Dominance Fuels Fight for Equality in Women’s Boxing
In a historic night for women’s boxing, Amanda Serrano cemented her status as one of the sport’s true pound-for-pound greats with a decisive unanimous decision victory over Danila Ramos. The triumph saw Serrano earn multiple featherweight championship belts, further solidifying her place among the elite.
Serrano’s Historic Performance
Serrano’s performance was particularly noteworthy as it came in the first-ever unified women’s championship fight contested over 12 three-minute rounds – a significant departure from the previous standard of 10 (or fewer) rounds at two minutes each. “I really enjoyed the three minutes,” Serrano remarked after the bout in Florida. “I was able to set up my punches better, and I think I’m going to continue with the three minutes. This shows that we, as female boxers, are capable of competing at the same level as the men.”
The historic nature of Serrano’s win was not lost on the boxing community, as it paved the way for other women to follow in her footsteps and demand equal treatment. “There’s going to be a lot of women out there that are going to say, ‘Yes, they did it. Now I can do it,'” Serrano predicted.
Serrano’s Fight for Equality
However, Serrano’s journey to equality hit a roadblock last week when she announced she was vacating her WBC title. The sanctioning body had refused to endorse women fighting under the same rules as their male counterparts, a decision that Serrano publicly denounced on Instagram. “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,” she declared.
The WBC’s stance is rooted in concerns over the potential for increased long-term damage to female fighters, citing studies that suggest women may be more susceptible to concussions. Yet, as Serrano’s advisor Nakisa Bidarian pointed out, the research remains inconclusive, and the sport’s governing bodies should not arbitrarily impose disparate rules.
Serrano’s decision to relinquish her WBC title underscores her unwavering commitment to advancing the cause of women’s boxing. “She just doesn’t speak it; she does it,” Bidarian said. “Her next fight will be 12-3. And that’s the path she’s going to continue.”
With Serrano leading the charge, the future of women’s boxing promises to be one of greater opportunity, equality, and the chance for female athletes to showcase their full potential in the ring.
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