Women’s boxing is gaining in popularity. The inclusion of female boxing in the 2012 Olympics, was a landmark decision that will aid the growth of competitive female boxing, in no small measure, both at Olympic & Professional level.

The idea of female boxers / fighters is certainly not a modern phenomenon in fact women's boxing can trace it beginnings to London in the 1700's, were women would fight competitively, punching, using their feet and knees, hitting and kicking to all parts of their opponents body. They also could even maul, scratch and throw.

The restrictions of women participating in combative sport is a controversial issue, dating back many decades, social taboos made this sport forbidden to women in most countries for most of the 20th century, with legislators and sanctioning bodies, hiding behind health & safety issues to discriminate and avoid legalizing the sport for women.

Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration in 1904. However, it was banned in most nations for almost 90 years. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women’s boxing in 1988.

The British Amateur Boxing Association sanctioned its first boxing competition for women in 1997. The first event was to be between two thirteen-year-olds, but one of the boxers withdrew because of hostile media attention. Four weeks later, an event was held between two sixteen-year-olds. The A.I.B.A. accepted new rules for Women's Boxing at the end of the 20th century and approved the first European Cup for Women in 1999 and the first World Championship for women in 2001 in Scranton, PA.

On 14 August 2009, it was announced that the International Olympic Committee’s Executive Board (EB) had approved the inclusion of women’s boxing for the Games in London in the 2012 Olympic.

USA - Women’s Boxing

USA - In 1975, Caroline Svendsen receives the first documented boxing license in the United States in the state of Nevada, and has a sanctioned boxing match in a scheduled four-rounder in Virginia City, Nevada. In 1976, boxer Pat Pineda is the first woman to be licensed in the California; and in 1978, after an on-going lawsuit in the state of New York, three high-profile women boxers, Cathy "Cat" Davis, Jackie Tonawanda, and Marian "Lady Tyger" Trimiar, were amongst the first to receive their boxing licenses.

1992 - After eight-years in court in Massachusetts, Gail Grandchamp of North Adams, Massachusetts wins her battle to fight as in a ruling by a state Superior Court judge who rules it was illegal to deny someone a chance to box based on gender.

1993 - USA Boxing didn’t recognize female boxers until 1993, and only then after losing a landmark court case. USA Boxing’s Board of Governor, after a judge rules in favor of Dallas Malloy and passes legislation to implement and support the concept of female boxing.

Dallas Malloy & Heather Poyner became the first amateur sanctioned boxing match in the USA (Malloy won).

Today, women’s boxing is slowly getting the recognition it deserves, however there is still a lack of acknowledgment from many connected to the sport and compared to men's boxing, it lacks the exposure it deserves.

Read more about women’s boxing history & records @

Women's Boxing Records
www.womenboxingrecords.com
Provides boxing records, ratings both past and present, trivia and facts.

Women Boxing Archive Network
www.womenboxing.com
Provides latest coverage in women's boxing with history, results and gallery.

IFBA - Female Boxers Association
The International Female Boxers Association (IFBA)

IFBF International Women's Boxing Federation
The International Women's Boxing Federation