Alycia Baumgardner Will Fight For Equality in the Ring Under Men's Boxing Ruleset

Now, in a bold move for equality, undisputed super featherweight champion Alycia Baumgardner is breaking from this tradition for her next title defense. 

Baumgardner will defend her WBA, WBO, and IBF titles against Canada's Leila Beaudoin for the co-main event to the Jake Paul vs. Gervonta "Tank" Davis exhibition at the Kaseya Center in Miami, streamed live globally on Netflix.

In a significant departure from the norm, Baumgardner and Beaudoin will compete under the same rules as men's championship fights of 12 rounds, each round lasting three minutes.

This decision for equality, however, came with a cost. 

The World Boxing Council (WBC), one of the major sanctioning bodies of the sport, refuses to sanction women's fights for three-minute rounds, citing research that suggests women are at a greater risk of concussion than men. 

In protest, Baumgardner chose to vacate her WBC title rather than adhere to what she views as an unequal ruleset. The news was announced by WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman in a post on X (formerly Twitter) last Friday on Sept. 19. 

“Come November 14, you will see what women have always been able to do, and that’s fight,” she said during Tuesday's press conference.

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She told ESPN, "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, 12 rounds, three minutes per round.” 

Despite vacating the WBC belt, “The Bomb” let it be known that she still would like to maintain a professional relationship with the promotion, saying, “I respect the WBC and want to thank the WBC for all the support they've given me throughout my career. Becoming their champion was a career-defining honor, and I look forward to and plan to one day fight for a WBC belt again."

The challenger, Leila Beaudoin, enters this fight riding a four-fight win streak and views it as the ultimate opportunity. 

The Quebec native suffered her only professional loss in 2023 but has rebounded with decisive victories, including a win over former world champion Elhem Mekhaled.

Beaudoin has declared in a statement, “She had a good run, but Alycia Baumgardner’s reign ends Friday, November 14. Every great story needs a turning point – this is mine.”

By choosing to fight under men's championship rules, both Baumgardner and Beaudoin are making a stand that transcends their individual bout. Their fight symbolizes a broader push for equal opportunities, respect, and compensation in women's boxing. Both women, like all women athletes who came before them, are challenging long-standing norms and advocating for a future where they are judged by the same standards as their male counterparts.