The topic of transgender athletes competing against females has caused significant debate with boxing world champion Ebanie Bridges firmly against the idea in combat sports
Ebanie Bridges will never fight a transgender woman – as it would be like “facing a female Mike Tyson”.
The Blonde Bomber has addressed one of the hottest topics in sport which has dominated conversation in recent years. More and more trans women athletes, such as swimmer Lia Thomas, have hit the headlines for their achievements against biologically female competitors.
And following mass public backlash, a growing number of governing bodies have made the move to ban them, including World Athletics back in March.
Bridges was asked if she’d ever step into the ring with a trans women by Bitcoin Casinos, defiantly replying: “No, never – I think it’s wrong, especially in boxing and I think in all sport.
“Recently a lot of women in sports that are breaking records weren’t originally women. And it (boxing) is a sport where you’re trying to hurt each other, the goal is actually to hurt that person.
“You’re a born man, I don’t care what you say, how many hormones you’re taking, you’re still a born man.
“That’s like saying all of a sudden Mike Tyson is like ‘I want to be a girl now’ and then goes and fights you – no way.
“And how do you measure it? ‘They don’t look really masculine so that’s ok’. No, because I even spar boys or guys that are smaller than me and they are hell strong.”
The World Boxing Council (WBC) have become one of the first bodies to announce plans to create a separate transgender division later this year.
IBF bantamweight Bridges agrees that’s a fair solution which is best for all parties, adding: “Especially in combat sports but in all sports, women are losing.
“Think about a female growing up, wanting to be the best in her sport, and now she has to be compete against men who have transitioned.
“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.
“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.”