REMOVE THE WORD “FEMALE” FROM BOXING'S CHAMPIONSHIP BELTS 

Hey WBC and WBO. Change the belts! Call a Champion a Champion.

From the moment I stepped into the ring for my first fight, I knew boxing was my sport. I was a fighter my whole life, and for me, this was no different.

You see women and boxing go way back. In the 1700s -- the days of bare-knuckle brawls --people used to go see ladies mix it up in petticoats and stockings. Yet as a female boxer, I was told I could never make this my career. In 2018, I proved them wrong and earned my first belt. “Female World Champion” was engraved across the front.

After decades of boxing and advancements for women in our society, I thought I could earn a belt that signified I was a champion. Not a Female Champion, a Champion! The WBO and WBC belts still read “Female World Champion” and the IBF uses baby blue for women, saving its signature red belt for men.

Countless women have proven themselves both in and out of the ring. We are moms, sisters, activists, friends, and Champions. We are paving the way for other female athletes as we continue our fight toward equality. If the Olympics and MMA call a champion a champion, regardless of gender, why is boxing still lagging behind?

So, what do you say WBO and WBC? It’s no longer the 1700s and we ditched the petticoats and stockings. It’s time to bring boxing into the 21st century.

#ChangeTheBelts

Signed,

Heather “The Heat” Hardy    

(on behalf of young girls who deserve to grow up and be “World Champions”)