Amanda Serrano says she needs to ‘prove women can fight 12 rounds’ ahead of historic title defence

For the first time since 2007, two female fighters will meet in the ring for a 12-round title fight.

Undisputed featherweight champion Amanda Serrano will defend her three world titles against WBO mandatory challenger Danila Ramos on October 27 in Orlando, Florida.

The two men will face off for 12 three-minute rounds instead of the official 10 two-minute rounds, making it the first unified women’s championship fight ever contested under the same rules as the men.

Addressed exclusively to Sky Sports NewsSerrano – the first ever Puerto Rican undisputed world champion – said: “It puts a lot of pressure on me, but I think for women’s boxing it will be important.

“I’m super excited to go out there and showcase the best of women’s boxing and see that women can do anything we want.

“It will show that we deserve it.”

Permanent change?

Serrano hopes the increase in the number and length of rounds is not a one-off.

“For me personally, I don’t want to go back two minutes,” she said.

“It makes no sense to go back, so I hope that other women will follow, that they love the idea, that they’ve been asking for this for many years now, and I hope that it’s the first step.”

The number and length of rounds for championship fights have been issues in women’s boxing for years.

Questions that have divided health professionals, promoters and boxers themselves.

In 2020, a study published in the Orthopedic Journal of Sports Medicine concluded that “female athletes appear to experience more severe concussions than male athletes, in part due to a lower biomechanical threshold of tolerance for impacts to the head “. However, a case study of 23 athletes later in 2021 found no such link.

A permanent change could increase the popularity of women’s boxing. Time reduction is a known factor that contributes to relatively fewer stoppage and knockout victories, which are a famous part of the sport and often used for advertising purposes.

“This fight is tough for me because I honestly want to show that I’m capable of going all 12 three-minute rounds. But then again, it’s an extra minute so it might not last 12 rounds,” Serrano said.

The impact of Jake Paul

This upcoming fight was organized by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), run by YouTube star turned boxer Jake Paul and his manager Nakisa Bidarian.

Serrano – who signed with MVP in 2021 – praised Paul and his team for turning his career around “hugely”, as well as bringing positive change to the sport of boxing.

“They put the spotlight on me. I was able to make a lot of money obviously in the ring, as well as outside the ring – I had a lot of support, sponsorships,” Serrano said.

“Thanks to them, there were a lot more viewers and a lot more people wanting to see women’s boxing.

“There was a time when boxing was getting a little boring, it wasn’t fun anymore, and he (Jake Paul) came in and spiced it up.

“Some people want to see him win, some people want to see him lose – he has these controversies. He just makes boxing a little more interesting and I guess that’s what we need.”

“It’s a fight for women all over the world”

Aside from running a little longer on the treadmill, pre-fight preparations haven’t changed for Serrano, despite the increased number of rounds.

“Everything is the same,” she said.

“Women have been saying for so many years we do it in the gym, we train three minutes, we train 12 rounds, whatever we have to do, we do it in the gym.

“I hope this changes people’s minds, their view of women’s boxing. It’s a fight for women around the world to be treated the same as their male counterparts.

“It’s going to be a great night, not just for me, but for women’s boxing.”