Ex-UFC middleweight backs "Queen" Imane Khelif to KO her next Olympic opponent: "Hopefully this opponent don't quit"
Imane Khelif has found herself an ally in a former UFC middleweight, who recently took to X/Twitter to voice his support for the Algerian women's boxer, who has quickly become the target of unjust attacks in the 2024 Paris Olympics. The aforementioned ex-UFC middleweight is none other than Derek Brunson.
Fans might remember Brunson as a powerful, but reckless finisher inside the octagon, who faced the who's who of the UFC middleweight elite before parting ways with the promotion in favor of the PFL. On X/Twitter, he spoke up in defense of the Algerian, who faces Hungary's Anna Luca Hamori next.
"In less than 12 hours Queen Imane Khelif knocking another chick out. Hopefully this opponent don't quit and start making excuses."
While Brunson has become a voice of goodwill regarding Khelif, the same cannot be said for many others, who are guilty of spreading falsehoods and unsubstantiated claims about her. In the wake of the Algerian's TKO win over Italy's Angela Carini, many were quick with their accusations.
After eating just two punches, Carini quit the bout, even throwing her headgear to the mat while proclaiming the matchup itself a perceived injustice, before refusing to shake Khelif's hand. Thereafter, many combat sports athletes, including former UFC middleweight champion Israel Adesanya, shared their thoughts on the matter.
Unfortunately, many chose to speak from a place of ignorance, citing reports and poorly-informed sources that incorrectly implied Khelif was a biological male. The rhetoric cast a shadow that now looms over the Algerian's pursuit of Olympic gold for her country.
Imane Khelif has been the target of an intense misinformation campaign
Over the past week, Imane Khelif has faced countless allegations of being a biological male, all of which stem from the IBA's disqualification of her from the 2023 Women's World Boxing Championships. Initial reports indicated that she had been axed from the competition due to medical reasons.
Specifically, she was reportedly tested for elevated levels of testosterone, which led to her alleged failure of a gender eligibility test. Thereafter, IBA president Umar Kremlev made the now infamous claim that the Algerian women's boxer had been subjected to a DNA test that identified XY chromosomes.
XY chromosomes are usually found in biological males. However, the specifics of Kremlin's alleged DNA test have never been disclosed, nor have the test results ever been published, rendering the claim baseless, as there is no evidence to support it. Moreover, there was no evidence of elevated testosterone levels either.
The entire ordeal that has unfairly damaged Khelif's reputation was worsened by the IBA's recent admission that Khelif never even underwent any testosterone examination, and that her disqualification was due to a confidential test.