World Boxing Council shortens women’s bouts because of periods

  • WBC decides women should fight for only 10 two-minute rounds
  • Professional fights usually last for 12, three-minute rounds
  • 'Menstrual cycle has tremendous impact on the body of a woman' it says 

The curse: The World Boxing Council has decided to shorten women's bouts... because of periods

The curse: The World Boxing Council has decided to shorten women's bouts... because of periods

The World Boxing Council, one of the four major organisations which sanctions championship boxing bouts, has decided to shorten women's bouts... because of periods.

In a statement published on its website, the Mexico City-based non-profit said its first World Female Convention decided to shorten championship bouts from 12 rounds to just 10.

At the same time the WBC decided individual rounds should last no longer than two minutes, as opposed to the three-minute rounds of men's competition.

Menstruation was given as one of four key reasons why women's boxing matches should not last as long as men's, a list based on 'several facts ... reported during the convention which are of total concern.'

The change from three-minute rounds to two-minute rounds brings the professional women's game in line with amateur boxing, including Olympic boxing, where both men and women fight shorter rounds.

The WBC said that any promoter staging 12-round fights for women ran the risk of fighters suffering 'severe injuries' and that it would refuse to sanction any women's fight lasting more than 10 rounds.

'Several facts were reported during the convention which are of total concern regarding any changes of the 10 x 2 female boxing matches,' the WBC's statement said.

'Women are physically inclined to have concussions, much more than men.

'A female fighter used to fight 10 x 2 which is 20 minutes, would need tremendous effort to adjust to 12 x 3 which is 36 minutes.

'Menstrual cycle has tremendous impact on the body of a woman, including 12 hormones which act in the body system, creating radical changes in several areas.

'Women's endurance has been proven to be less than men. Marathon running time is much different between male and female.'

Cancan Ren of China takes a hard right from Nicola Adams of Great Britain during the women's boxing Flyweight final of the 2012 London Olympic Games at the ExCel Arena in London, England

Cancan Ren of China takes a hard right from Nicola Adams of Great Britain during the women's boxing Flyweight final of the 2012 London Olympic Games at the ExCel Arena in London, England

The organisation has come under fire online for failing to come up with any facts to back up its claims.

D'Arcy Maine, a blogger for ESPNW, wrote: 'Actual evidence is overrated, right? For the record, the women’s marathon record (2:15:25) is less than 13 minutes slower than the men’s record (2:03:23), so I’m not sure that’s much of a reason to take such a drastic measure.

'But what do I know? I’m just a woman, who probably lacks the thinking skills to understand this due to all those pesky hormones.'

London-based boxing trainer Winston Newton trains both men and women at his Gym London South. He called suggestions that women weren't capable of fighting as hard as men 'rubbish'.

'In my opinion, women train just as hard as men,' he said. 'They only getting punished by another female, they're not getting pummelled by a man.

'It's all relative if you are getting hit by another female that's jus t the same as you. Hopefully, at the end of the day, it just boils down to skill.'