As transgender athletes continue to champion for rights and access in the sporting world, the World Boxing Council is currently planning to create a category specifically for transgender boxers.
Speaking with The Telegraph about the decision, WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said, “We are going to put out a global call for those who are interested in 2023 and we will set up the protocols, start consultation and most likely create a league and a tournament.”
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“It is the time to do this, and we are doing this because of safety and inclusion. We have been the leaders in rules for women’s boxing – so the dangers of a man fighting a woman will never happen because of what we are going to put in place,” he continued.
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On the WBC’s plan to debut a transgender category, the official added, “We are creating a set of rules and structures so that transgender boxing can take place, as they fully deserve to if they want to box. We do not yet know the numbers that there are out there, but we’re opening a universal registration in 2023, so that we can understand the boxers that are out there – and we’ll start from there.”
Several transgender fighters have been making a name for themselves in recent years. According to ESPN, Patricio Manuel made history in 2018 when he became the first transgender man in the United States to professionally compete in boxing.
Fallon Fox has also found success in the professional fighting field, becoming the first openly transgender woman to face off in mixed martial arts.
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