World Boxing Council (WBC) did a good thing celebrating a young hero.
The council president presented a new weight division in honor of six-year-old Bridger Walker. He was viciously mauled by a dog while defending his sister.
The Wyoming native was bitten on his head and left cheek in July 2020. He had purposefully placed himself between his 4-year-old sister and the charging German Shepherd mix.
Bridger was badly wounded. However, he managed to grab his sister and carry her to safety. Due to his wounds, Bridger Walker needed 90 stitches on his face.
The 6-year-old earned a lot of praise from famous individuals such as Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Mark Ruffalo, and others, as the tale of Bridger Walker’s courage quickly went viral. The WBC also presented Bridger Walker with the “Honorary Champion” belt.
WBC stated that a “Bridger weight class” is created in his honor. The Bridger weight class is located between the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions. It has a 200- to 224-pound weight restriction.
According to Sulaiman of Boxing Scene,
“We have decided to create a new division called Bridger, as it is the bridge necessary to serve the large number of boxers who are between 200 and 224lbs.”
Tony Bellew, a former world champion in the cruiserweight weight class, and others reportedly asked for the WBC to create a new weight class. The new Bridger category would benefit cruiserweight competitors who had trouble making weight for the heavyweight division in the past.
Many boxers applauded Walker for his courage when the news of his incident went viral. The boxing star Mike Tyson referred to Bridger Walker as a “real champion.”
Mike said during his speech at the WBC Annual Convention:
“You are undoubtedly a champion, you have material in your blood to be a champion. When someone without hesitation defends his sister, he is a great person. You are the champion before your sister you are a champion for all of us.”