Women’s big chance to get rankings right
WOMEN’S world professional boxing organisations have a unique opportunity to come together to establish a universal ranking system that sets an example.
The men’s game is too long established, too entrenched in its attitudes, and too politicised to have a universally accepted ranking system at this stage of the game. What we have instead are the internal rankings of the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, IBO, etc.
Because the women’s professional organisations are in the embryonic stage, they have a chance to avoid the obvious flaws that have afflicted the men.
I hope they take advantage of the opportunity history presents to show the sport in a good light. I mention this in relation to IBO lightweight champion Chantelle Cameron.
We are on the verge of announcing her opponent on the undercard of the Josh Taylor/Viktor Postol bill in Glasgow next week. Ideally, this would have happened weeks ago but, despite the generous offers we have made, every opponent we have approached has turned us down.
The only fighter we have not contacted directly is Katie Taylor. That is a fight we would take tomorrow, but one we had hoped to build towards later in the piece.
Taylor (in action against Anahi Sanchez, above) is a great fighter. Five times a world amateur champion, Olympic champion, and now a double world champion as a pro. She has earned the right to call the shots.
Chantelle is getting better. She has just turned 27, has an incredible engine, great chin, can dig, and is improving technically.
I believe she beats everyone in the lightweight division, including Taylor.
And that’s why getting her properly matched is difficult, without a universal ranking system in place to force the hands of sanctioning bodies and their champions. Women’s boxing has a real opportunity to show the men the way by becoming a true meritocracy.
I implore all the stakeholders to come together to make that happen, while there is still a chance.