Recently it was announced former undisputed but unified super featherweight world champion Alycia Baumgardner (16-1, 7KO) would be defending her crowns against Canadian Leila Beaudoin (13-1, 2KO). The ten- round fight will be featured on the undercard of the Jake Paul vs Gervonta Davis exhibition bout live on Netflix from Miami, Florida, on November 14th.
Before the fight was officially announced, the World Boxing Council released the news Baumgardner had relinquished the green and gold title. Dropping the WBC’s belt took Baumgardner from undisputed to unified as she still holds the WBA, WBO and IBF 130-pound straps.
Being the undisputed queen at super featherweight brought a certain shine to Baumgardner. Currently in the female ranks, there is four undisputed champions. Claressa Shields at heavyweight, Cherneka Johnson at bantamweight, Gabriela Fundora at flyweight and Christina Rupprecht at atomweight.
So why would Baumgardner voluntarily discard the title?
Baumgardner’s next scheduled fight is scheduled for men’s rules, 3-minute rounds for twelve rounds. Usually, a female world boxing fight is set for 2-minute rounds for ten rounds. The majority of world boxing organizations, the WBA, WBO and IBF, leave the round time and number of them when it comes to female fights to the local commission, the promoter and the fighters. The WBC is the sole holdout forcing any female fighter to only fight 2-minute rounds and a maximum of ten rounds even for world titles.
The difference has been a point of contention in female boxing ever since it was incepted.
The WBC stresses the shorter rounds helps to reduce fatigue-related injuries since it has been scientifically proven women’s bodies are different than men’s. Female fighters argue they train as much if not more than men so that argument does not make sense.
Another argument the Council uses is for consistency since as explained above it all depends on the commission, promoter and fighters to come to an agreement, the WBC contends they make it easier by removing the choice.
The Baumgardner vs Beaudoin is nowhere near the first female world title fight fought under men’s rules. There has been a number of them and in every era of female boxing.
What makes this instance a bit more interesting is it seems now the effort is directed more against the WBC. Amanda Serrano, the flagship female fighter for Most Valuable Promotions, also vacated her WBC featherweight world title back in December of 2023 when the organization refused to change her rule and sanction her fight against Danila Ramos for 12 three-minute rounds. At that point, Serrano stated, “The WBC has refused to evolve the sport for equality. I am relinquishing their title.”
Baumgardner also explained her decision along the same lines.
“Like Amanda Serrano and many other great champions before me, I believe women should have the choice to compete under the same rules as men,” she stated. “12 rounds, three minutes per round. I have chosen to move forward in my career under those terms.”
The question is if other MVP female world champions follow suit?
Currently among their ranks for 30+ female fighters the ones that hold WBC world titles, Chantelle Cameron who holds the super lightweight title, Ellie Scotney, the super bantamweight champion, the aforementioned Cherneka Johnson and Yokasta Valle, the minimumweight queen.
Other Musings
- This weekend after a parade celebrating not only his recent win over Saul “Canelo” Alvarez but his birthday as well, Terence “Bud” Crawford was not only pulled over, held at gunpoint and handcuffed by Omaha, Nebraska Police but also ticketed for reckless driving. The police contend they spotted a firearm on the driver’s floorboard. Later it was determined all the people in the vehicle held a permit to carry a firearm including Crawford.
- Longtime boxing writher Thomas Gerbasi, 57, passed away. Gerbasi wrote for all major boxing outlets including The Ring, BoxingScene.com and the gone MaxBoxing.com.
- Speaking about Jake Paul and Gervonta Davis, in one of the pressers to announce the fight, Davis declared boxing is dead and that he will be retire after their exhibition on November 14th. It is not the first time he threatens to retire.
