Boxing (the sport) / sex divide in sport

[SWLondon40smum]

https://www.forbes.com/sites/brianmazique/2025/01/09/claressa-shields-latest-callout-will-break-the-internet-if-it-happens/

Following the uproar in the Olympics when two “women” fought for gold, it seems the Worlds No1 female boxer is determined to take things a stage further. What do people think of this? Where is line drawn on gender competition?

what about football?

if two adults consent to it, isn’t that enough ?

I see it like age categories.

A 10 year old can play in an under-12s match, but a 12 year old can't compete with under 10s.

However, I think any male boxer who wishes to fight a woman would be deeply unethical, and Shields will be completely destroyed, not even a contest.

Shields is claiming that Jake Paul doesn't have the skill to beat her.

She is delusional. He doesn't need that much skill, since all he needs to do is land one of his powerful punches. He's knocked out 7 of the 11 men he's fought.

if two adults consent to it, isn’t that enough ?

What about the female athletes who enter a compet, not knowing that they will be competing against male athletes until the match or bout or whatever actually begins? Where they give a chance to consent or dissent?

What about all the female boxers who were beaten by the male boxers? Did they have freedom to consent, or would they have simply been dropped from the competition had they refused to fight men?

What about all the people who do not consent to participating in a deception or a fetish? (Not saying that these particular boxers were fetishists, but plenty of TW are open about their fetish.)

if two adults consent to it, isn’t that enough ? So, as long as the men are happy, what's the problem?

It would be a terrible idea.

He might not just knock her out, he could well kill her.

It would be an exhibition match I suppose where they both just played for the cameras and no real boxing took place.

Jake Paul has never beaten a real, full-time, high-level opponent.

They say 'fight a boxer and box a fighter', so Shields would definitely have the skills and ability to box circles around him. But a lucky punch could hurt her badly.

She has a lot to win, it would be a great feather in her cap and proof that a strong, well-trained, experienced woman can defeat an average man in the ring. But she, and women boxers in general, have a lot to lose if she is defeated.

Of course, this is pro boxing so the bruised egos, and bodies, of both fighters would be salved with vast sums of money..

I hope it doesn't happen, it's all a bit Billie Jean King v Bobby Riggs but with added risk of serious injury.

It could turn out more 203rd-ranked male German player Karsten Braasch beating Serena Williams and Venus Williams back-to-back at the 1998 Australian Open.

So Jake Paul’s entire boxing career has primarily been with the aim of increasing his social media followers and taking on high profile fights with that intention. He seems to be an appalling person judging by the ‘controversies’ in his life and I’ve no doubt that he’d happily ensue he lost or drew with shields as it’s not about the result for him, it’s about the viewing figures.

If he's the sort of person I think he is, I doubt whether he could bring himself to be beaten by a woman, even for clicks and money.

No but some kind of fudged draw which satisfies everyone could be fine with him

shields
75kj
1.73 metre height

paul
103kg
1.85 height

theres no chance in a gazillion years she could beat him unless he threw the fight

Also
Paul, reach 76 inches (193 cm)
Shields, reach 68 inches (173 cm)

This is what Open and Womens categories mean... women can chose to compete in the Open category.

There would obviously be vast amounts of money in it, so my guess is it, or something similar will happen. Boxing seems ever more like a circus anyway

She might have a chance if it was only a few rounds ?

Shields' bouts are normally scheduled at 10 rounds of 2 minutes each, as far I can see, as is usual in women's professional boxing.

Would either of them agree to a shorter bout?

Probably; and I wouldn't be surprised if the fitter Shields agreed to 3 minute rounds, which many women boxers would prefer anyway.

Why did I write that, for heaven's sake?? I don't want it to happen at all, I must've temporarily taken over by the spirit of a boxing correspondent😨
It would be a bad thing, full stop.

Although i am curious, i think it's wrong to go ahead. If the woman wins, people will say women don't need safe spaces and if she gets raped then it's on her. If the man wins we would have witnessed a man beating up a woman.

I'm not against boxing but this doesn't sit right with me. It feels too much like the breakdown of society. Men need to learn to care for and protect women. Not beat them up in the name of "equality ".

If the heights and weights were reversed, I'd still say no. It's an appalling idea, she could very easily end up disabled permanently, or dead. No vaguely responsible body could possibly sanction such an event.

As some of you know, I've boxed and am a qualified ABA coach, although my ticket has lapsed.

I've sparred with women and boys as young as 8. It's not done to put much lighter 14 year old on with heavier adult women, the boys hit far harder and simply don't understand that they're not bairns v adults.

We had an 11.5 stone woman, who was very skilled and strong. I was happier doing 6 rounds of sparring with her, pushing her off and covering up, telling her to hit me as hard as she liked, than doing 3 rounds with an 8 stone 13 / year old boy.

I think Shields would agree to whatever. The $$$ is presumably much bigger for her. She makes
$1m odd per fight ? And this would be maybe $20m - $30m odd?