Undisputed female middleweight champion Claressa Shields faces Ivana Habazin on Showtime October 5 from the Dort Federal Event Center, Flint, Michigan. The bout is scheduled for ten two-minute rounds for the vacant WBO junior middleweight world title, however if Shields had her way the fight would be longer.
“Me and my team have been going over, we’re just trying to figure out what’s the best way to go to the organizations about it,” Shields told reporters. “We don’t know if we want to go over and tell them, “Hey, maybe we could start off with 10 three-minute rounds, or maybe we can start off with 12 two-minute rounds.”
“We’re just still going to try to figure it out and try to go with the best way to where it’s safe for the other world champions and also see what they agree with. I’m going to have a talk with all the girls who are world champions to kind of like have a vote on what they want to do because this is not just about me, I want it to about the other women too what they’re comfortable with.
“I think the thing to understand is that women will always get paid less than the men unless we fight the same amount of time. So with that, one of the changes that got to be made is either 12 two-minute rounds or 10 three-minute rounds.”
I think that one of those has to change within this year to get us on the road to equal pay and equal opportunity as far as getting the big knockouts that we can get.
Maybe she can get the same going for women’s tennis. Best of 5 in grand slams.
I get the logic in women’s tennis because the points last longer, but not sure why the rounds are shorter in women’s boxing
I understand the battle for equality, but her being a woman has little to do with her pay. If she generated the interest of the men she could demand the money. Ronda Rousey was the only real example of a female fully capturing her (combat) sport’s attention and she cleaned up. Even Amanda Nunes has struggled to continue the buzz Rousey created
You’re right. If she could fill a 12k seat arena &/or sell 300k+ PPV @ $75 a pop, equal pay wouldn’t be much of an issue.
Oh this is absolutely AWESOME that Clarissa Shields is standing up and making a move toward 3 minute rounds. I can’t wait till the absolutely horrible chauvinistic 2 minute round stipulation gets completely done away with. It’s, again, the height of male chauvinism – and I say this as a male boxer. It’s a horrible rule.
I think make it 3 minute rounds at a minimum. The shorter rounds just do not make sense.
OMG Clarissa is right, The WNBA ladies are getting paid less than the NBA players because the balls they use are smaller. Its all about $$$ generation and women’s boxing does not generate anywhere near the amount that men’s boxing does.
Layla McCarter has already been there and done that with 3 minute rounds