World Boxing Council will introduce a transgender category to make the sport more inclusive

The head of the World Boxing Council (WBC) has revealed a major shake-up for the sport in 2023.

Transgender athletes will now have their own category to compete in, in a move that's designed to make boxing more inclusive.

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman called for trans athletes to sign up to the professional circuit during his announcement.

"In boxing, a man fighting a woman must never be accepted, regardless of gender change," he told The Telegraph.

"Woman to man or man to woman transgender change will never be allowed to fight a different gender by birth."

The WBC will now kick off consultations and form new protocols for the upcoming trans division.

They're also eager to set up a league and a tournament for the new athletes.

"We are creating a set of rules and structures so that transgender boxing can take place, as they fully deserve to, if they want to box," the WBC President told the publication.

Sulaiman added that the WBC prides itself on being 'the leaders in rules for women’s boxing', while also adding that women in the sport 'will never have to so the dangers of a man fighting a woman'.

He revealed the international boxing organization will go by an 'at birth rule' to ensure trans athletes who were born male do not face-off against female-born fighters.

"We will not allow – ever – a transgender born a man to fight a woman, who was born a woman," he stressed.

Fans took to social media to share rather mixed reactions to the news.

One user said: "I think everyone deserves a space to compete. Sounds like a pretty reasonable compromise."

Another commented: "I don't see the point of this at all."

A third added: "Have to say, I think this is the right call for once from the WBC."

There has been controversy around transgender athletes and if rules should be put in place to restrict or allow them to compete.

Lia Thomas, Laurel Hubbard, and Ebanie Bridges have been some athletes who have attracted a variety of headlines for taking part in sport in recent years.

Thomas, and all trans female athletes, were banned from swimming in elite women's competitions earlier this year, whilst the same happened to Bridges in cycling, with Hubbard retiring from weightlifting.