A female boxer withdrew from a Canadian tournament, expressing safety concerns after learning her opponent was transgender. Dr. Katia Bissonnette withdrew an hour before facing Mya Walmsley in the 2023 Provincial Golden Glove Championship in Quebec. Walmsley was declared the winner by default as a replacement couldn’t be found. Bissonnette advocates for separate categories based on biological sex and cited a study on punching strength differences. Walmsley criticized the public outing and expressed concerns about the potential impact on transgender athletes in women’s categories. Boxing Canada recommends not disclosing a trans fighter’s identity if they transitioned before puberty. She cited a study by the University of Utah which found that men can punch 163 per cent harder than women.