Women’s boxing has been around for practically as long as the men’s version of the sport. Unfortunately, these athletes have only been given their due in the last couple of decades. Though the future looks brighter, it was a hard-fought road. 

How Did Women’s Boxing Get Its Start?

In the early days of boxing, women participated in the sport beside men. Elizabeth Wilkinson Stokes from London fought men and women and crowned herself the European Championess in the early 1700s. Women’s boxing also made its first appearance alongside men’s boxing at the 1904 Olympic Games, but only the men’s version was accepted as an event at the time. 

These setbacks didn’t stop women boxers from doing what they loved. They fought through decades of bans and license refusals. In 1954, Barbara Buttrick, a 98-pound flyweight at 4 feet 11 inches tall, became the first female boxer to have a nationally broadcasted fight. Then in 1975, Nevada issued the first female boxing license to Caroline Svedsen, but it would still be another decade before bans on amateur women’s boxing began to be lifted. Sweden led the world in 1988, followed by the United States in 1993 and England in 1996. 

The Rise of Women’s Boxing

When the Amateur International Boxing Association lifted its ban on women’s boxing in 1994, the sport took off. Only a year later, New York Golden Gloves included women for the first time and was shortly followed by the first women’s national championship in the United States. In 2001, the first Women’s World Amateur Boxing Championship was held in Scranton, PA. 

Finally, 108 years since holding its first Olympic demonstration, women’s boxing debuted at the 2012 Summer Olympics. Twelve women from all around the globe earned medals in flyweight, lightweight, and middleweight events. 

If you’re continuing the battle women boxers have fought for well over two centuries, contact TM Productions in Honolulu, HI. Tessa Moon is a skilled fighter trained by Paris Alexander, the former California bantamweight champion, and Joel Kim from Palolo Gym. At 5 feet 8 inches and 145 pounds, she has a stunning record and is ready to take on any challenge. Contact Tessa about your upcoming women’s boxing match or tournament by calling (808) 291-7817.