Britain's Cameron gives up world title to protest lack of equality

Britain's Chantelle Cameron has vacated her WBC light-welterweight world title successful protestation astatine not being capable to compete nether nan aforesaid rules arsenic antheral fighters.

In women's master boxing title fights are usually complete 10 rounds, each of 2 minutes, while men's title bouts are 12 rounds of 3 minutes.

"Women's boxing has travel a agelong way, but there's still advancement to beryllium made," said 34-year-old Cameron.

"I've ever believed successful equality, and that includes nan prime to conflict adjacent rounds, adjacent opportunities, and adjacent respect.

"I'm proud of my accomplishment successful becoming a WBC champion, but it's clip to return a guidelines for what's correct and for nan early of nan sport."

Cameron was elevated from 'interim' champion to afloat WBC light-welterweight world champion past month aft Ireland's Katie Taylor informed nan sanctioning assemblage she planned to return clip distant from boxing.

Since turning master successful 2017, Cameron has won 21 of 22 fights, is simply a erstwhile undisputed light-welterweight world champion and has besides held a world title astatine lightweight.

She handed Taylor her first profession conclusion successful May 2023 to go undisputed champion, earlier losing nan rematch six months later.

A trilogy bout had been mandated, but Taylor chose not to prosecute it arsenic she takes a break from nan sport.

Cameron is not nan first female boxer to telephone for greater equality successful nan sport.

In October 2023, then-undisputed featherweight world champion Amanda Serrano, on pinch much than 20 existent and erstwhile women boxers, said successful a statement they wanted title fights to beryllium complete 12x3 minutes, alternatively of 10x2 minutes.

"Chantelle has ne'er backed down from a challenge, wrong aliases extracurricular nan ring," said Nakisa Bidarian, co-founder of Most Valuable Promotions, who negociate nan Northampton fighter.

"This determination underscores her integrity and her activity arsenic 1 of nan sport's elite fighters. MVP stands firmly down Chantelle and her committedness to thief thrust women's boxing toward existent parity."

A connection from MVP said Cameron "remains focused connected returning to nan ringing successful early 2026" and "will proceed to prosecute title opportunities and marquee bouts maintaining nan prime to conflict three-minute rounds".