Female bantamweight world champion Ebanie Bridges pulled no punches saying she will “never” fight a female transgender News About Nigeria reports.
Bridges disclosed this in an interview, alleging that most women breaking records in sports perhaps, are not women.
The IBF fighter noted that it is wrong and dangerous to compete with a female transgender in the ring and she would never go up against such boxer.
“No, never. I think it’s wrong, especially in boxing and really in all sports.
“I just think a lot of women in sports that are breaking records weren’t originally women and in boxing when you are trying to hurt the other person, it’s wrong,” she said
Painting the Mike Tyson analogy, Bridges stated that Tyson cannot suddenly say he is now a female transgender and then be allowed in the women fighting category.
She also recalled having tough times fighting men smaller and younger than her in training sessions.
“It’s like saying Mike Tyson suddenly wants to be a woman now and fights you – no way! I even spar with boys or guys smaller than me and they are hell-strong.
“And it never happens the other way round, where a woman will become a man and fight against the men – as they’d get blasted.”
She suggested that a transgender division should be set for such persons, so as not to water down efforts made by real ladies to create and break records in their category.
“Maybe they need their own space or competitions and fight in their own divisions.
“I think that’s fair as it’s dangerous and also it just takes it away from ‘women’s sport’ – ladies that have trained hard to be the best and could potentially fight a former man,” Bridges suggested.
In line with the thoughts of Bridges, there has been reports that the World Boxing Council (WBC) President Mauricio Sulaiman intends to create a new transgender category this year, to separate standard male or female boxing.
