Algerian boxer Imane Khelif is at the center of a bitter controversy due to gender eligibility issues at the 2024 Paris Olympics. Khelif won the African and Mediterranean Championships in 2022 and reached the IBA Women’s World Championships. Due to XY chromosomes in her stream, she was disqualified from the World Championships. However, Derek Brunson is all in on endorsing her strength.
Imane Khelif, a welterweight ( — 69kg), made the walk (quarterfinals) two days back against Angela Carini. The female boxer with XY chromosomes has shown signs of Differences Of Sexual Development (DSD). Hence, she has more strength than typical females. Italy’s Carini sought out in just under 46 seconds when a second shot teed off her nose too painfully. Khelif came under heavy scrutiny for Carini’s withdrawal. However, PFL star Derek Brunson gives his take on it.
I support strong females. I don’t want to see twerking. I want to see KOs.
Derek Brunson via X (@DerekBrunson)
Now, there’s no telling how much stock to put in this. By his own version, ‘Blonde Brunson’ is a “God with a sense of humor.” He did put Khelif along with versions of all-time combat sports G.O.A.Ts like Amanda Nunes. Joke or not, the matter has gained traction. A second Olympic boxer at the center of gender eligibility controversies, Lin Yu-Ting won against Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova. Tempers are roaring right now.
IOC spokesperson Mark Adams has said that these boxers were victims of arbitrary decisions that discriminated against them. Despite some peculiar chromosomal imbalance, they were born as and identify as women, not trans. Outrage flared Thursday when Khelif won her bout; U.S. Olympic boxing team honorary celeb coach and boxer Jake Paul spoke out against it. As did others like Riley Gaines, Elon Musk, and JK. Rowling, and so on. Brunson’s take, quippy or not, has immensely supported Khelif.
Fight fans react to Derek Brunson’s take on Imane Khelif
20-fight UFC vet and current PFL star Derek Brunson is otherwise infamous for his dry humor. His sense of humor, intended or not, has, however, helped. It brought some positive attention to Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, who has landed in the middle of a gender divide in sports.
Imane Khelif; at Paris Olympics 2024 (Source: npr.org/X/nbcnewyork.com)Khelif, a 25-year-old light welterweight, landed some heavy shots at her Paris 2024 Olympics opponent, Carini, which dislodged her chinstrap. Another go at her, and Carini considered her power to be too strong and quit. Moreover, the viral moment has gone against Khelif who identifies as a woman under the IOC ad-hoc Boxing Unit rules.
With someone as pronounced as Team Kill Cliff FC’s Brunson throwing his support, here’s how many fans have reacted:
You’re the hero some need right now! It’s amazing how people will spread propaganda without doing the slightest bit of research
-Advertisement-— Nicholas Cormier (@nickseao) August 2, 2024
their gonna start calling all of them biological men lmaoo.
— Enty 🐸🇵🇸 (@sad_salvi) August 2, 2024
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#Imen_Khelif was born female in a poor family and in a country where gender reassignment is religiously and politically prohibited. Indeed, reaching the top requires fighting against the world pic.twitter.com/WbM1yssHGC
— Les Zommes🇩🇿 (@lesZommeDz) August 2, 2024
If they don’t show proof most of the right wing brain rots will demand to check their genitals
-Advertisement-— Ace Strategist (@StrategistAce) August 2, 2024
Literally like 😭 how was Imane’s opponent so shocked that she was punched during….. Olympic boxing.
— v (@orchialmus) August 2, 2024
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honestly i wonder how many other female born fighters have male chromosomes since that’s not really a common thing to test for across all organizations right?
— Secret Agent 69 (@freeafternine) August 2, 2024
Remember when Dana White didn’t want to promote Cyborg and called her a roided out Wanderlai Silva in a dress and heels? These guys are all fucking stupid.
-Advertisement-— 🥥🌴 Douggie Jones 🥥🌴 (@GramsciGordon) August 2, 2024
Broooo Derek Thx for Imane Khelif 👍👍❤️❤️👏👏
— Mohandson🔻 (@Mohandouldhadj) August 2, 2024
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The IOC, however, strongly supports her participation in the 2024 Games, as do some fans who did their research on this being not a transgender case at all. Even recently, fans took a dig at Andrey Rublev for being friends with Alexander Zverev, alleged for physical abuse, yet crying violence from Khelif.
Former US President Donald Trump, Musk, Logan Paul, and Italy’s Giorgia Meloni have joined in on the outcry. However, Irish boxer Amy Broadhurst – who fought and beat Khelif in the World Championships has supported her. 2024 Olympics star Ilona Maher has also urged to break the cycle of gender stereotypes and budding controversies. As such, there’s no telling what fans the flames in her support or against her.
