No Debate, Two-Minute Rounds Must Go and More News
By David A. Avila
Crazy as it sounds, women’s prizefighting has existed for nearly 100 years. It’s only now enjoying the fruits of exposure.
Despite the lengthy history, one major obstacle stands out: the two-minute round.
Last weekend Alycia Baumgardner and Christina Linardatou battled skillfully for 10 rounds for the undisputed super featherweight world championship. Though it’s an incredible honor to be undisputed, the speed of the contest flew by so quickly because of the shortness of the rounds.
When is the two-minute round going to stop?
Bring the three-minute round now.
Several top professional judges in California and Nevada have mentioned to this journalist that the rounds are too short and not enough time to truly measure the winners.
Two minutes is not nearly enough time to measure the winners of a round if both are landing and connecting.
The boxing judges we talked with informally, did not want to go on record because they still want to judge women’s fights. But they don’t want to be penalized for going on record of their complaints.
All the judges interviewed starkly abhor two-minute rounds.
So, who is to blame for making the women fights at two-minute rounds?
If you ask promoters, they point to the athletic commission or fighters. If you ask the commissions they point at the promoters. Only one promoter honestly came out and said he does not like three-minute rounds.
And, of course, there are the sanctioning bodies like the WBA, WBO, IBF, IBO and WBC.
Only the WBC prohibits three-minute rounds. They point to a so-called UCLA doctor that says the extra minute is dangerous to women because they have thinner skulls or something like that.
Yet MMA has five-minute rounds and allows kicks to the head. That’s far more dangerous.
And who is to say a female fighter cannot die within a minute or two minutes instead of three. It’s happened many times already. Boxing is a dangerous sport within a minute or three.
It seems only the fighters can demand three-minute rounds, but they seem afraid of the boogeyman. Champions like Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor, Amanda Serrano, Alycia Baumgardner, Savannah Marshall and Chantelle Cameron are undisputed champions. Yes, they all have the WBC belts, but why not force that organization to accept three-minute rounds?
Fighters have the power.
Sanctioning organizations make their money from the fighters, not the other way around.
Fighters also have the power to demand promoters to make three-minute round fights. If the sanctioning body takes the belt away, so what? It only devalues their worth if an undisputed champion has the belt taken away because of a sanctimonious person in charge.
Watching Baumgardner and Linardatou perform the sweet science would have been even better with an extra minute each round. Their skill level was top-notch, it could have been even better.
Get rid of the two-minute round champions. It’s time for women’s boxing to progress.
Thompson Boxing No More
This Friday July 21, the very last Thompson Boxing Promotions show will take place at Ontario, California where they staged fights since 2000.
Over the past two decades female prizefighters were allowed to perform including former world champion Sindy Amador. Others like Amaris Quintana, Anahi Torres, Maria Suarez, Jolene Blackshear, Adrienne Alegria, Carina Moreno, Gloria Salas, Blanca Raymundo, Cristina Fuentes, Karen Martin, Katarina De La Cruz, Carla Wilcox and Marilyn Salcido fought on Thompson shows held at Ontario, Corona and Orange.
Ken Thompson, the promoter and owner of Thompson Building Supplies passed away earlier this year. The boxing world will truly miss him.
More Fight News
Argentina
Anahi Sanchez (22-6) beat Yamila Reynoso (13-14-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday July 15. The South American lightweight title match was held in Parana.
Super flyweights Naila Peloso (0-1-1) and Carmen Bratschi (0-7-2) fought to a draw after four rounds on Friday July 14 in Villa Valle Maria.
Australia
On Saturday July 22, lightweights Pam McClelland (2-2-1) and Maureen Chand (2-2) meet six rounds for the Australian title at Newcastle.
Canada
Jordan Dobie (3-0) won by decision after five rounds versus Estefania Orozco (3-7) on Saturday July 15. The lightweight bout took place at Edmonton.
On Thursday July 20, super bantamweights River Tucker (1-1-1) and Deyra Correa (0-1) meet six rounds at Richmond.
On Saturday July 22, lightweights Jessica Camara (10-4) and Joana Chavarria (5-2) meet six rounds at Richibucto.
Colombia
Super lightweights Monica Henao (6-3-6) and Diana Ayala (22-14-5) fought to a draw after 10 rounds on Saturday July 15. The match was held in Bogota. Also, bantamweight Yohana Sarabia (9-0) won by technical knockout over Mirleydis Hoyos (1-13-1); light flyweight Yenifer Leon won by technical knockout in the seventh round versus Deysi Hernandez (2-10); and super flyweights Nataly Delgado (12-7-2) and Kimberlin Reina (3-8-1) fought to a majority draw after six rounds.
Jenny Tulcan (7-0) defeated Angi Romero (7-2) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday July 15. The lightweight bout took place at Carmen de Apicala. Also, flyweight Sasthy Ramirez (1-2) beat Luz Duarte (0-3) after four rounds.
Costa Rica
Naomy Valle (7-0) knocked out Maria Maldonado (0-2) in the first round on Tuesday July 11. The minimumweight fight was held at Hatillo. Naomy Valle is the sister of world champion Yokasta Valle.
Dominican Republic
Yafreisi Disla (3-0) defeated Maria Agustina (0-2) by decision after six rounds on Saturday July 15. The bantamweight bout was held at Santiago.
Germany
Lara Ochmann (10-2) won by six round decision over Gabriella Mezei (11-33-5) on Saturday July 15. The featherweight bout took place at Magdeburg. Also, featherweights Eda Essaoudi (6-0-2) and Eva Hubmayer (5-4-1) fought to a majority draw after six rounds.
Italy
Sara Novino (1-0-1) defeated Immacolata Mancusi (0-3-1) by decision after four rounds on Saturday July 15. The super lightweight bout was held at Lazio.
Japan
On Wednesday July 19, flyweights Chiaki Yasui (1-1) and Mamiko Kageyama (0-0) meet four rounds at Tokyo.
Kenya
On Saturday July 22, featherweights Consolata Musanga (9-6-4) and Valente Aciro (0-3) meet six rounds at Nairobi. Also, super bantamweights Nicholine Achieng (1-9-1) and Lydia Nantale (0-0) meet six rounds.
South Korea
Ryu Kyung Suh (6-0-1) defeated Chan Mi Lim (4-9-1) by decision after six rounds on Friday July 14. The South Korea light flyweight title match was held in Seoul.
Thailand
Usanakorn Thawilsuhannawang (19-4) knocked out Putchita Klahan (0-4) in the third round on Sunday July 16. The super featherweight fight was held in Pathum Thani. Also, featherweight Pornchita Seehaburan (9-2) beat Wilaiwan Naemkrathok (0-5); minimumweight Supa Fartorraneeseang (1-1) beat Rungnapha Charoensuk (0-3); featherweight Pattarawan Thaosuwan (10-3) beat Thanan Chochan (0-1); super flyweight Sawanya Srisawat (3-0) knocked out Benjarat Phattanawiboon (0-1); minimumweight Pimchanok Thepjanda (6-2) knocked out Aphinya Oakrtak (0-1); super flyweight Ketsara Jatpukdee (3-1) knocked out Kewalin Homhual (0-1); and atomweight Muthita Iamsaard (4-1) knocked out Janjira Yampakdee (0-1).
United Kingdom
Jasmina Zapotoczna (4-0) beat Inna Statkevych (4-5-1) after six rounds on Saturday July 15. The bantamweight match was held in Oldham, England. Also, bantamweight Sylwia Doligala (2-1-1) beat Kira Carter (0-2-1) by decision after six rounds.
Harli Whitwell (3-0) won by decision over Bec Connolly (3-19) after six rounds on Saturday July 15. The lightweight fight took place in London.
Chloe Watson (6-0) defeated Laura Belen (5-5-1) by decision after eight rounds on Saturday July 15. The flyweight fight took place at Newcastle, England.
On Saturday July 22, super featherweights Kalliopi Kourouni (12-3-1) and Halanna Dos Santos (14-12) meet six rounds at Llanelli, Wales.
Uruguay
On Saturday July 22, super featherweights Elizabeth Cabrera (2-1) and Laura Carabajal (4-1) meet six rounds at Montevideo. Also, super flyweights Adriana Pineiro (3-0) and Liz Kahrs (1-0) meet six rounds.
USA
Alycia Baumgardner (15-1) defeated Christina Linardatou (14-3) by unanimous decision after 10 rounds on Saturday July 15. The undisputed super featherweight championship match took place in Detroit, Michigan.
Citlali Ortiz (4-1) defeated Jordanne Garcia (4-3-3) by decision after six rounds on Saturday July 15. The super middleweight bout took place in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Also, light flyweight Katherine Lindenmuth (5-1) knocked out Theresa Day (0-1) in the first round.
Leesh Pike (3-0-1) beat Shawna Ormsby (0-1-1) by decision after six rounds on Friday July 14. The super bantamweight bout took place at Windham, New Hampshire.
On Saturday July 22, super flyweights Sulem Urbina (13-3-1) and Haley Pasion (2-3) meet six rounds at Long Beach, Calif.
On Saturday July 22, lightweights Sharahya Taina (0-0) and Janaisa Indira (0-1) meet four rounds at Atlantic City, New Jersey.
(Photo by Ed Mulholland/Matchroom Boxing)