Maho Bah-Villemagne, the first transgender athlete to be granted a license by the French Boxing Federation (FFBoxe), returned to the ring on Saturday, November 1, for the Open Boxing 2025 event in Marseille. Exactly one year ago, he fought for the first time in his career in the men’s category. He had previously competed in 28 fights as a woman, winning the title at the French military championships in the under 52-kilogram category in 2022. A computer specialist for six years in the French army, which he left at the rank of lieutenant at the end of 2024, the 31-year-old member of Noble Art Boxing Marseille shared his story with The World.
This will be your second fight in the men’s category. What does this return to the ring mean to you?
It marks the anniversary of my first amateur fight as a boxer: a very emotional moment, with a packed venue. For the first time, I could fight in competition shirtless and without headgear. The match ended in a tie on points, but the referee gave the edge to my opponent. I have trained relentlessly and now it’s time to win! Even though my masculinity does not depend on a victory, I am regularly the target of transphobic remarks.
How did boxing come into your life?
Around the age of 20, my girlfriend and I were assaulted by a man in Nice while walking home from a night out. At the time, I was a butch lesbian [with an appearance considered masculine] and, in private, asked to be gendered as male. Since I was 10 or 12, despite having a girl’s body, I felt like a monster. During that incident, I wanted to defend us physically, but I didn’t know how to fight. Learning to box became an obsession, then a passion that saved me.
You have 71.69% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only.