According to ESPN online, New Jersey, United States, is now providing the option for 3-minute rounds in women’s boxing. What has sparked such a decision? It’s all in the name of equality of the sexes in boxing.

The New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (NJSABC) is the governing entity that oversees combat sports, like boxing, in the state. They recently announced that they will provide female boxers the same 3-minute rounds option just like male boxers get in competitions.

Before this recent proclamation, women’s boxing matches were limited to 2-minute rounds. That’s not a hard-and-fast rule, but instead, a mere tradition instituted when women entered the ring. It was part of the natural evolution of women’s boxing across the globe, as is this new option for standard 3-minute rounds.

NJSACB’s commissioner, Larry Hazzard said, “It was tradition”, but there have never been any definitive reasons for the 2-minute limit. He doesn’t see why that limitation was instituted since that extra minute doesn’t affect female athletes. They are capable of 3-minutes just like their male counterparts.

There have been some high-profile professional female boxers advocating for change in the boxing ring. Female Olympians like Great Britain’s Nicola Adams (2016 gold medalist) and Ireland’s Katie Taylor (2012 and 2016 gold medalist) have questioned the reasoning for 2-minute rounds over the traditional 3 minutes for men. Both Olympic gold medalists have now gone pro in the boxing industry and are calling for their rounds to be the same length as men’s.

Hazzard believes it’s time to provide the option after consulting with female boxers and other combat sports contestants. There’s no reason, nor is there any medical evidence to prove that female boxers (combat sports contestants) must participate at a shorter round length than male boxers.

Women compete just like men in these combat sports, so they should be treated the same. It’s fair and just. Two-minute rounds will remain an option for female contestants for anyone who wants it. Some contestants or promoters may want to maintain the tradition, and that’s fine.

The NJSACB’s decision to offer the extended boxing rounds of three minutes for women isn’t something that just came up out of the blue. Hazzard said they have been looking into this issue for the last couple of months.

Hazzard said the administrative staff doesn’t make such decisions without the appropriate data at hand. They consulted with ringside physicians before they came to this decision and they agreed with the 3-minute option. The next female boxing bout will have the 3-minute option in place.

Boxing isn’t just for professional boxers anymore. Nowadays, people who are into fitness and want to engage in a full-body workout are choosing to box as their go-to exercise program. Boxing not only makes you physically stronger and more fit, it also provides you with stress relief and can help your mental well-being.

If you’re looking for a way to get fit, lose weight, or eliminate stress and anxiety, boxing is virtually the perfect exercise for that.