Jake Paul MVP Holm Vs. Han WBA Female Title Bout Set for Three Minute Rounds on DAZN, While WBC Female Rules Set at Two Minute Rounds
By Robert Brizel, Head Real Combat Media Boxing Correspondent
San Juan, Puerto Rico (November 9th, 2025)– According to the World Boxing Council, regarding two-minute rounds for women’s boxing based on clinical study, the WBC remains committed to the safety and well-being of all fighters, while continuing to engage thoughtfully in the ongoing evolution of the sport of boxing. The World Boxing Council (WBC) reaffirms its leadership in upholding the highest standards of safety and competition within the sport of boxing. In keeping with that mission, the WBC stands by its policy establishing two-minutes rounds for (professional) women’s boxing, consistent with the ABC Unified Rules and regulations, and supported by findings from a comprehensive clinical study conducted by medical experts. The WBC strongly supports equality and opportunity for women, both inside and outside of the ring. However, that pursuit must never compromise the physical safety of any athlete.
WBC President Mauricio Sulaimán addressed this topic in his weekly op-ed published on the WBC website. He referenced examples from other major sports, such as women’s tennis adopting best-of-three sets in Grand Slam events, and cycling reducing race distances for female competitors-where differences (in biological birth gender) are designed to enhance safety, performance quality, and athletic longevity.
“The WBC was the first organization to implement the Women’s Boxing Championship,” Sulaimán wrote. “We have supported women’s boxing through many initiatives-but-most importantly-through our commitment to safety. This is not about equality, sexism, or discrimination. It is purely about protecting athletes.”
However, the World Boxing Association has taken a different stance, and is marching down a different road in regards to its female professional boxers. Holly Holm, age 44, will challenge WBA lightweight champion Stephanie Han in the DAZN co-main event of a televised boxing card featuring Amanda Serrano versus Erika Cruz on January 3, 2025, at Coliseo Roberto Clement San Juan, Puerto Rico, Most Valuable Promotions told ESPN. The fight will be contested under rules equal to male boxers, with the bouts set for 10, three-minute rounds, in contradiction to the WBC research and ruling
According to an independent clinical study by PINK Concussion cited by the WBC on its website, scientific research consistently demonstrates that female athletes experience greater susceptibility to concussion, higher symptom severity, and longer recovery durations compared to males. These differences are believed to result from multiple factors, including variations in cervical strength, hormonal influences, neuroanatomy, and symptom reporting behaviors.
PINK Concussion is a conglomerate of international and independent medical doctors and attorneys specializing in neurological studies pertaining to women in sports, both combat and otherwise, domestic violence, and accidents. PINK approached the WBC in 2017, the year when the first ever three-minutes, 12-rounds female fight took place, and the following decade has seen both entities striving to achieve a mutual understanding of this subject for the betterment of the sport and the safety of its participants.
Regarding the clinic research, the WBC’s current position is grounded in clinical science and evidence-based best practices by the PINK Concussion organization. Should new, credible research emerge which challenges or advances current understanding, the WBC will reassess its position accordingly. The Council’s commitment to both progress and safety is unwavering, a total commitment to protecting fighters while supporting the continued growth and recognition of women in the sport (of boxing).
Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, stated “Holly Holm is back challenging for a boxing world title, 12 years after leaving the sport, and doing it with MVP. She (Holm) is facing a multifaceted athlete in Stephanie Han who is a (world) champion, a mother, and a police officer, and they are doing it with three-minute rounds like the men (do in professional boxing).”
The southpaw Holm, 34-2-3 with nine knockouts, age, 44, Albuquerque, New Mexico, the former WBC, IBA and WIBA World Female Super Lightweight and Welterweight world champion, signed with Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions and won a 10 round decision over Yolanda Vega in June 2025 at Honda Center in Anaheim, winning all 10 rounds on all here judges’ scorecards. Han, 11-0 with three knockouts, El Paso, Texas, age 35, is the current World Boxing Association World Female Lightweight champion and a police officer. In fighting her first world title bout in 12 years since returning to the ring, Holm will be fighting at 135 pounds, a lower weight class than her 39 original ring bouts. Holm weighed a career low 136.5 pounds for the Vega bout.
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