The World Boxing Super Series has announced a third season of the warmly-received competition featuring leading women’s fighters from the super-featherweight division.
No participants have been announced as yet but the competition is set to draw from the rich pool of talent between the 126lbs and 135lbs divisions.
The winner will be the first woman to raise the Muhammad Ali Trophy, previously won by Callum Smith (168lbs) and Oleksandr Usyk (200lbs) in Season I and Naoya Inoue (118lbs), Josh Taylor (140lbs) and Mairis Briedis (200lbs) in Season II.
On the announcement of the new season, Kalle Sauerland, WBSS Chief Boxing Officer, said: “It’s been something we have talked about since our inauguration and it gives me great, great pleasure – and us great pleasure at the World Boxing Super Series – to announce Season III; the women, the super-featherweights.
“The sport is an amazing place. Competition is hotter than ever. The super-featherweights, we feel, is a division that has such depth and also allows those in the divisions around it to take part. We feel that this is the time, the right time, women’s boxing has never been this good. We are looking forward to a spectacular season.
“Women’s boxing goes back to a time where it was banned to times where it was non-existing is a male-dominated sport. It goes back to fighting for places on cards to get any sort of attention.
“I remember the first world title fight I promoted for Cecilia Brækhus two decades ago. It took place on an undercard. Cecilia went on to unify the sport and became a headliner in her own right, a national hero, a global ambassador for the sport.
“Many other greats have also held the flag of female boxing. Going back to Regina Halmich, Jane Couch, Nicola Adams, Holly Holm, Katie Taylor. There are so many. But the opportunity the World Boxing Super Series brings for female boxing is second to none.
“In short, the quest, another quest, for the Muhammad Ali Trophy has begun. The WBSS is back!”
The announcement of the Season III roster and schedule will be made in due course.
Past Muhammad Ali Trophy winners:
Season I (2018): Oleksandr Usyk (Cruiserweight), Callum Smith (Super-middleweight).
Season II (2019): Josh Taylor (Super-lightweight), Naoya Inoue (Bantamweight), Season II (2020): Mairis Briedis (Cruiserweight).
