Bashir’s world title dreams suffer setback
Celebrated female boxer Anisha Bashir’s dreams of becoming a world champion have suffered a setback as her World Boxing Council (WBC) lightweight silver title fight against current champion Chantelle Cameron has been called off.
The two were supposed to face off in March this year with the victor qualifying for the world lightweight gold title bout against reigning champion Belgian Delfine Persoon.
The cancellation, according to the WBC, is to give a chance to Cameron to resolve her dispute with her stable McGuigans which she dumped a week ago to sign for MTK Global.
In a letter to Bashir’s stable No Pain No Gain, the world boxing body said it could not sanction the fight because it fears there will be a protracted legal battle between Cameron and the former promoter.
The letter dated February 26, 2019 reads in part: “It seems that there will be litigation between Cameron and her old promoter, so at the moment, our order cannot be enforced.”
WBC ruled out declaring the silver lightweight belt vacant arguing that the period Cameron is supposed to be stripped of the title for failure to defend it has not expired.
“We cannot just take the title away from Cameron. She won it last October and still has time to defend the title,” the letter signed by WBC Women’s Championship chairman Malte Mueller–Michaelis, further states.
In the meantime, WBC has asked Bashir’s team to choose one of the top 15 boxers whom she can fight.
“We can approve that fight as final eliminator so the winner will be named the mandatory challenger for Delfine Persoon (world lightweight gold title holder). This way Anisha is not blocked and Cameron can still defend her silver title once her problems are resolved,” Mueller–Michaelis writes.
Meanwhile, No Pain No Gain Boxing Promotions managing director Craig Rousseau says they have no reservations over the new arrangement though it means Bashir missing out on a chance to win the WBC silver belt.
He expressed optimism that her boxer, ranked fourth on WBC ladder, will beat the opponent they will choose from the top 15.
“We will choose a weak opponent so that Bashir doesn’t struggle to win. Thereafter, we will prepare for the tough task of vying for gold,” he said.
Bashir qualified for the world titles after winning the Africa Boxing Union (ABU) and Commonwealth Lightweight Championship belt last year, a feat that earned her the Malawi Sports Awards best athlete last Friday. n
