The World Boxing Council announced plans to introduce a new category for transgender boxers earlier this year.
This move is being hailed as a significant step towards inclusivity and diversity.
Unlike other sports, boxing believes even trans men competing against men would be unfair.
MMA allows for the possibility that a woman can compete against a trans woman, but some pushback exists.
Stars like Ronda Rousey and Joe Rogan have spoken up against transgender women competing in the women’s category. Rogan has since softened his stance and went on to say he’s fine with it as long as the opponents are aware of the other person’s biological status.
Jake Shields appreciated WBC’s gesture but also calls out the trans-women in order to make a point that biological advantages are undeniable.
There were several takers of this offer – among them the trans wrestler that made a fuss some years back – Mack Beggs.
But while Beggs made no caveats, Alana McLaughlin had a unique proposition for Shields.
He went on to clarify that he still stands by his initial challenge.
Meanwhile McLaughlin proposed a so called evening up of the playing field.
Shields competed at welterweight from much of his career (170lbs), so even that part of the equation seems like mission impossible. Furthermore, it’s surprising to see McLaughlin agree to face a man, even hypothetically because she has previously argued that it would be transphobic to have a trans woman face a man.
This isn’t the first time a professional wanted to take on McLaughlin.
Many active mixed martial artists think McLaughlin should not be allowed to compete with women.
Brazilian legend Demian Maia stated that it’s absurd to put a person who was born a man to compete against a woman, and the person who faces the trans athlete will get hurt.
Resident loudmouth Sean Strickland was way less polite, calling McLaughlin a coward and stating that she should get out of women’s MMA.
She shot down ideas of facing Strickland at the time with a caveat that seems to also apply to Shields. And while all these are hypothetical there’s a rumor that McLaughlin managed to find another woman willing to face her in a professional bout considering she’s currently in process of crowd funding a training camp. Training camps typically last 4 to 8 weeks.