California, Colorado likely bringing 3-minute rounds to women’s pro boxing
It looks like three-minute rounds for women in professional boxing are on the way.
Most jurisdictions limit pro women’s boxing to two-minute rounds, while men can have three. Contrast this to MMA, where women and men compete under the exact same ruleset, without any notable disparity in injury rates for women.
The old rule limitations seems to be based on sexism, not science – and two commissions appear ready to change this.
Andy Foster, the executive director of the California State Athletic Commission, and one the busiest regulator in North America, said he is looking to bring three-minute rounds for women.
Appearing on Ariel Helwani’s “The MMA Hour,” Foster noted, “I was against five-minute rounds back in 2008 for (women) in MMA, and I was wrong. … There is no reason why (female pro boxers) can’t do the three-minute rounds,” in explaining the change is likely coming.
Foster’s comments can be seen here:
https://twitter.com/MMAFighting/status/1529537872239501312
After sharing this clip on Twitter, Anthony Cummings, director of Colorado Combative Sports Commission, noted that the rule change will come to their jurisdiction next month:
https://twitter.com/tonytcummings/status/1529544997615218688
Sometimes regulatory changes come at a glacial pace. Sometimes they come a mile a minute. It is good to see progress coming to a rule likely rooted in historic sexism.