Chantelle Cameron relinquishes WBC title in stand against women’s boxing rules
The super-lightweight champion decided to vacate her world championship belt on recently as a form of protest against existing rules in female boxing, calling for the option to battle in longer rounds like male counterparts.
Stand against disparity
Her choice to vacate her championship belt stems from her clear disagreement with the WBC’s rule that women boxers fight in shorter rounds, which the experienced fighter views as unfair standards.
“Women’s boxing has advanced significantly, but there’s still work to be done,” Cameron stated. “I’ve always believed in equality and that includes the right to have identical rules, identical prospects, and equal respect.”
History of the title
Cameron was promoted to title holder when Katie Taylor was designated “temporary champion” as she stepped away from professional fighting. The boxing organization was preparing for a financial bid on Friday for a match between the champion and fellow British boxer her potential opponent.
Previous precedent
In the end of last year, Amanda Serrano also relinquished her championship after the governing body refused to allow her to participate in bouts under the same rule-set as men’s boxing, with 12 three-minute rounds.
Organization’s viewpoint
The organization’s leader, Sulaimán, had stated before that they would not sanction extended rounds in female matches. “Regarding tennis female players compete fewer sets, regarding basketball the hoop is lower and the size is reduced and those are not contact sports. We stand by the safety and wellbeing of the fighters,” he commented on X.
Existing norm
Most women’s title fights have 10 rounds of two minutes each each, and the fighter was among over twenty fighters – such as Serrano – who started a movement in recently to have the right to participate under the same rules as male boxers.
Professional record
Cameron, who holds a strong career statistics, stated clearly that her demonstration goes beyond her own wishes, presenting it as a fight for future generations of women fighters. “I’m proud of my achievement in earning a world champion, but it’s right to protest for justice and for the boxing’s progression,” she continued.
Future plans
The athlete is not stepping away from professional fighting altogether, however, with her management team her promotion company saying she intends to seek different title chances and prestigious matches while maintaining her insistence on competing in longer duration fights.
