Gender Confusion Sparks Backlash In Combat Sports Pre-Fight Exchange
Controversy Arises Over Gender Identity in Upcoming Fight. Japanese kickboxer Panchan Rina ignited controversy days before her scheduled match against Thai microweight champion “Amp The Rocket” Suwanan Boonsorn by questioning her opponent’s gender identity.
Gender Confusion in Japanese MMA
Panchan, who boasts a professional record of 19 wins, one loss and one draw across kickboxing, posted a message on social media stating that she did not care whether Boonsorn’s “heart is male or female,” but requested that Boonsorn shave her beard for fight night.
The post provoked swift criticism from fans and fellow fighters. Commenters noted that Boonsorn, born June 14, 1996 in Bangkok, is registered as female with the United Arab Emirates Jiu-Jitsu Federation, which requires athletes to present passports at weigh-in. Thailand does not permit legal changes to gender markers on passports or civil registers, indicating that Boonsorn has been female since birth. Suwanan Boonsorn was born female and competes against females in MMA and jiu-jitsu.
Several critics characterized Panchan’s comments as more than typical pre-fight trash-talk. One observer wrote, “If you’re a fighter, show respect to your opponent. The opponent is a woman, you know? Delete it.” Another argued that posts implying Boonsorn is biologically male risk misleading fans and unfairly undermining her reputation.
Boonsorn, a former Full Metal Dojo microweight champion, has compiled a 5-6 mixed martial arts record since debuting in 2014 and holds the inaugural Jewels microweight title. She has twice competed in Rizin tournament bouts and earned multiple submissions in Deep Jewels events. Her grappling credentials include blue-belt status in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and participation in the Abu Dhabi World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Championship in 2018 and 2019.
Japanese and international fans condemned Panchan’s remarks as insensitive. “Even if you want to hype up the fight, you should know what is acceptable,” one comment read. Another noted that targeting personal characteristics unrelated to performance – such as a beard, which some consider a matter of individual expression – crosses the line from promotion into defamation.
Panchan Rina
In late 2022, she was arrested and briefly detained in Hyōgo Prefecture on suspicion of defrauding a fan by selling a poster purportedly signed by superstars Tenshin Nasukawa and Takeru for ¥99,900, though the signatures were forged. Panchan immediately admitted the act, attributing her actions to financial losses of some ¥15 million incurred through an alleged investment scam, and issued a public apology before resuming her fighting career in mid-2023.
Panchan, 31, began her combat sports career in Tokyo’s amateur Muay Thai circuit in 2017 before turning professional in 2019. She captured her first professional belt in August 2020 and later secured the Knockout Female Atomweight crown.
