Boxing
Women’s Boxing and Y Chromosomes Matter
Published
5 months agoon
Women’s boxing is adjusting to the realization that a up-to-date dawn is inevitable one way or another. The coming storm will come with Imane Khelif’s Olympic gold medal win.
Khelif stood on the podium Friday after defeating Yang Liu in the welterweight division, a victory that will send shockwaves through the sport until the International Olympic Committee conducts official testing.
Khelif is currently believed to have an advantage over men due to DSD, a disorder of sexual development that causes females with the condition to have an XY chromosome, while having the Y chromosome reserved exclusively for males confers significant advantages.
Tests conducted by IBA [formerly AIBA] and ratified by a certified lab were sent to the IOC and ignored after Khelifa and featherweight Lin Yu-Ting were diagnosed with DSD in 2022 and 2023. Both were ultimately barred from the World Championships, which were not being held under the IOC banner at the time, because the IBA was suspended for misconduct.
This suspension is a significant factor in why there have been many attempts to discredit the testing procedures and why the IOC allowed Khelif and Yu-Ting to compete. The IOC also issued a statement confirming that it would not remove either athlete from Paris 2024 during the competition. However, now that Khelif has the gold medal, the IOC is facing a huge crisis due to DSD and the Y chromosome issue.
Fans, media and those involved in the sport will demand that the IOC conduct its own clear testing over the next four years. If the Y chromosome is present, who can qualify to fight in the women’s tournament in Los Angeles in 2028 will have to be reassessed.
The Y Chromosome Debate in Women’s Boxing
Mauricio Sulaiman, head of the World Boxing Council and one of those trying to save boxing’s inclusion in the 2028 Games, expressed his views on the debate before Khelif won gold. Sulaiman blames the bitter feud between the now-exiled IBA and the IOC.
“The news that has flooded the networks and tarnished the atmosphere of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games is deplorable and clearly exposes the crisis that amateur and Olympic boxing is going through,” Sulaiman said.
“Two female boxers were accused of being transgender, i.e. having XY chromosomes [male]or some other condition [DSD]which gives them an unfair competitive advantage in the fight against women.
“The attacks and posts continue. The enormous majority do not have the minimum elements to express an informed and expressive opinion. The central and most earnest factor that should matter is the integrity, safety and well-being of athletes.
“The main conflict was the media war between the IOC and the IBA, the International Federation recognized by the same entity. They took center stage, attacking each other in a clear power struggle that will not solve the heart of the problem.”
Regarding Khelif and Yu-Ting, Sulaiman added: “Imane Khelif and Lin Yu-ting are the warriors in question. Without definitive evidence, they were apparently born in the 20th century. [female]. They are not trans and were clearly not born with a Y chromosome, but they do have a genetic disorder [DSD] which gives them a significant physical advantage.
Future Testing and Transparency
“It is not the fault of Imane and Lin who suffer attacks, contempt and mockery. Everything is mixed, from science and medicine, homophobia, sexism, human rights, laws, principles and even abandonment of common sense to attack them.
“The truth is that their rivals are taking unacceptable risks when they enter the ring. Boxing is not a game. It’s a contact sport,” he added.
Like most people who care about the future of women’s boxing, Sulaiman is also in the murky about the whole situation. It’s up to the IOC to sort out the mess that continues to confuse and divide with the ongoing plague of social media.
World Boxing, a up-to-date organization that seeks to replace the IBA as the Olympic standard for amateur boxing, could play a key role in shaping the future of this debate.
The first thing the sport needs is transparency and honesty, which is why there has been mass hysteria on social media. If those involved, including boxers, had disclosed the test results — which have not been fully contested — much of the abuse caused by misinformation could have been avoided.
But knowing you have an advantage is one thing. Acting on it is another, and that is why the authorities must intervene for the good of Olympic boxing — if it can secure its future participation.
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Boxing
Ryan Rozicki is waiting for Badou Jack’s consent to mandatory cooperation with the WBC
Published
2 days agoon
January 13, 2025The World Boxing Council (WBC) ordered world cruiserweight champion Badou “The Ripper” Jack (20-1-1, 19 KO) to make a mandatory title defense against Ryan “The Bruiser” Rozicki (20-1), number 1 in the WBC ranking – 1, 19 KOs).
If both camps fail to successfully negotiate an agreement, the WBC will organize a tender on February 4, followed by the Jack vs. Rozicki. Rozicki’s promoter, Three Lions Promotions, immediately sent Team Jacek an offer to promote the fight in Canada last week.
“We are waiting for their counteroffer,” explained promoter Dan Otter of Three Lions Promotions. “Boxing has had a huge resurgence in Canada and Ryan is leading the way. He is one of the most electrifying and hardest-hitting fighters in boxing, definitely in the cruiserweight division. He wants the WBC green belt and ultimately the unification of the division. Ryan will fight Jack anywhere for the belt.”
29-year-old Rozicki, born in Sydney (Nova Scotia) and living in Hamilton (Ontario), fought 22 professional fights against 21 different opponents (twice against Yamil Alberto Peralta), stopping 19 of the 20 opponents he defeated. an eye-opening 95-KO percentage.
Jack, 41, was a 2008 Olympian representing his native Sweden. He is a three-division world champion, as well as the WBC super middleweight and World Boxing Association (WBA) lightweight heavyweight title holder. Jack has a record of 5-0-2 (2 KO) in world championship fights.
“We respect Jack and I don’t want to sound disrespectful,” Otter added, “but he’s over 40 years vintage and has been relatively inactive for two years (only one fight). He brings a lot of experience and respect to the ring, but he will fight a newborn defender with a lot of power. Jack is going to struggle and honestly, I don’t think he’ll make it past the first few rounds.”
Ryan Rozicki is on a mission to become the first Canadian cruiserweight world champion.
The next move is Badou Jack’s.
Boxing
Floyd Mayweather’s record is not normal, it can’t happen in 70 years
Published
3 days agoon
January 12, 2025Floyd Mayweather’s incredible 50-0 record is not normal and cannot be repeated in sports for another seventy years.
This is the view of Saudi Arabian president Turki Alalshikh, who wants to adopt the UFC model in which fighters lose many fights during their career.
In a speech as he hosted the Ring Magazine Awards after acquiring the long-running boxing publication from Oscar De La Hoya, Alalshikh was unequivocal in his opinion.
“Now losing some fights in boxing must be normal,” he explained. “All fighters want a career similar to Floyd Mayweather – no losses. This may happen once every 50, 60 or 70 years.
“We need it [to be] like currently in the UFC model, where champions lose and win,” added the matchmaker during the Riyad season.
Mayweather rose through the sport in the tardy 1990s to become one of its youngest superstars. Mayweather’s professional success came after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics after losing to Serafim Todorov.
Winning world titles in five weight classes, Mayweather was untouchable. The Grand Rapids native only came close to defeat a few times. He dominated Manny Pacquiao and overtook Canelo Alvarez and Oscar De La Hoya after heated debates, with decisions that should have been made unanimously.
Towards the end of his career, Mayweather chose to face Andre Berto and Conor McGregor, easily winning and ending his boxing career at the age of 50 without ever going out. Calling himself “the greatest of all time,” Mayweather earned first-ballot Hall of Fame honors and is widely considered one of, if not the greatest defensive fighter of all time.
However, Alalshikh says this type of career needs to end so that fans can get the most out of boxing, as is the case with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Boxing needs to become more attractive, and Alalshikh sees the failures of top stars as a way to keep interest at an all-time high.
In this sport, many boxers enjoy undefeated streaks, the most notable of which is Oleksandr Usyk. The Ukrainian Pound for Pound King is 23-0 and has beaten the best he has to offer in his division and cruiserweight classification.
It remains a mystery how Alalshikh plans to make Usyk suffer while he dominates everyone else. By the time his grand plan goes into action, Usyk will be long gone, and Gervonta Davis, Shakur Stevenson and Devin Haney may be more realistic targets.
Boxing
Manny Pacquiao remains the favorite to win the title against Mario Barrios
Published
1 week agoon
January 6, 2025WBN understands that despite alternative options emerging, it is more likely that Manny Pacquiao will face Mario Barrios next.
Bob Santos, coach of WBC welterweight champion Barrios, told World Boxing News that he is currently in contact with Pacquiao’s team. Asked by WBN if he had spoken to Pacquiao or representatives of any other challenger, Santos replied: “Yes, Pacquiao’s promoter, Sean Gibbons.” Pressed on whether Barrios vs Pacquiao might happen next, he added: “It’s challenging to say. We’ll have to see how this plays out.”
WBN contacted Santos after Conor Benn emerged as a potential alternative to Barrios. The British fighter, who recently returned from a suspension following two positive drug tests, is keen to return to competition.
Benn showed favor with the World Boxing Council at the recent WBC Convention, the WBC Evaluation Committee and during an interview with the sanctioning body over the weekend. “The Destroyer” is ranked second in the rankings at 147 pounds, despite less than solid opponents during his time in exile, during which Benn competed twice in the United States while his career in the United Kingdom was in doubt.
As he battled to clear his name and with the British Anti-Doping Authority finding no evidence that Benn had intentionally taken ostarine, the 28-year-old’s career took a pointed nosedive. Despite this, he remains highly rated and at least one step away from fighting for an eliminator or one of the remaining championship titles.
However, Pacquiao remains Barrios’ favorite. Now it’s up to the boxing legend and Hall of Famer who got the first votes to secure his shot. WBN believes a July date – most likely at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas – is the most realistic date for a Nevada swan song.
Pacquiao could extend his record as the oldest welterweight champion by six years if he can secure a huge victory over the 29-year-old world champion. At 46 years antique, such a scenario remains unlikely, but he can never be compared to one of the greatest players of this generation.
Unlike heavier boxers and his training regiment, Pacquiao looks in great shape despite his advanced age. Everything is set for a massive return to the boxing capital of the world, provided Pacquiao and his team can manage his political ambitions, which are expected to run from this month until May. After that time, Pacquiao could find himself in the summer finals and become the all-time champion, regardless of the result.
Barrios is based in the city, where he trained with Santos, and would be the perfect opponent to see out the career of one of the greatest fighters in history.
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