Female Boxers Call for 12-Round Title Fights Ahead of Amanda Serrano vs. Danila Ramos

Ahead of the historic showdown between Amanda Serrano and Danila Ramos, a group of female boxers have banded together in an attempt to get the same treatment as their male counterparts in championship fights.

In a statement released Tuesday (h/t ESPN's Michael Rothstein), more than two dozen fighters voiced their support for the option of having championship fights contested over 12 rounds and three minutes per round:

"As women, we have had to fight inch by inch to earn the same equity and respect freely awarded to men. In our sport, we have made progress, but there is still far to go. For too long, we have been underpromoted and undercompensated. This has finally started to change as all of us have proven that women's boxing captures the attention of sports fans and creates moments the world will never forget -- and we create these moments despite how rarely we are afforded the same time and opportunity to showcase our skill as our male counterparts.

"That is why today, we stand together with the desire and dedication to have the CHOICE to perform on the same stage, with the same rules, as men in professional boxing. We have earned the CHOICE of 3 minute rounds, with 12 rounds for championship fights to demonstrate our skill and greatness. We have earned the CHOICE to build a more equal future for fighters everywhere. We hope boxing stakeholders support us just as we have supported them throughout our careers. This is our time, our right and our CHOICE. We are boxing."

Rothstein noted Serrano, Ramos, undisputed junior welterweight champion Chantelle Cameron, WBA and WBC strawweight champion Seniesa Estrada, IBF welterweight champion Natasha Jonas, Mikaela Mayer, Laila Ali and Ramla Ali were among the women who supported the statement.

When the Serrano-Ramos bout for the unified featherweight championship was officially announced on Sept. 6, it was notable because they agreed to fight 12 three-minute rounds.

Per the official rules from the Association of Boxing Commissions and Combat Sports, championship rules for women's matches are no more than 10 rounds and two minutes per round.

In 2014, the World Boxing Council announced it was shortening women's championship bouts from 12 rounds to 10 based on "several factors" including the "tremendous impact on the body" caused by menstrual cycles and because "women's endurance has been proven to be less than men."

Speaking to Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix last month, WBC president Mauricio Sulaimán said Serrano's WBC title wouldn't be on the line against Ramos because the organization wouldn't sanction the bout with three-minute rounds.

Rothstein noted the WBO, IBF and WBA, as well as the California and Nevada state athletic commissions, said in 2021 they would support three-minute rounds for women's fights.

In a March 2021 interview with Shalise Manza Young of Yahoo Sports, two-time Olympic gold medalist Claressa Shields said it was "absolutely incorrect" to say women boxers don't have the ability to compete in three-minute rounds.

Serrano and Ramos will square off on Oct. 27 in Orlando, Florida. Serrano has a 45-2-1 career record and defeated Erika Cruz in February to become the undisputed featherweight champion.

Ramos has a 12-2 record in 14 career fights. She defeated Brenda Karen Carabajal on Aug. 18 for the interim WBO featherweight title.