Sunday, 17 April 2016

Acceptance of Women's Boxing

I am a huge boxing fan and I'm all for competitive women's boxing - both amateur and professional.  I love to see women breaking down barriers and achieving great things in the sport.   Hopefully this blog and the companion Women's Boxing Now Facebook page make this very clear and help increase opportunities for women who love boxing to participate in the sport and benefit from it professionally.




Not everyone agrees that women belong in the boxing ring.  This is due to prejudice and ignorance.

Let's look at some extreme statements:

Women shouldn't be allowed to box.
No Women Allowed



There are physical differences between genders, but when it comes to rights and freedoms, there is no difference.  The above statement is unjust.


How does it look when we change just one word?




Women shouldn't be allowed to vote.

Today virtually everyone would think, WTF, seriously?  What is the difference between this attitude and the attitude that women shouldn't box?  NOTHING.

Here's another one:

No one should be allowed to box.

This may unjustly limit a person's rights, but at least it is a more fair opinion.

In some sense, the whole idea of gender is a false dichotomy.  We are really talking about people or very specifically, the human species.

Boxing fitness classes for women have become extremely popular 

Opinions are fine, but they should never take the place of facts.  The facts are that boxing has excellent health benefits and the pursuit of competitive boxing has benefitted and empowered many people.  Most fundamentally, the choice to box competitively comes solely from the person.  It has nothing to do with what anyone else thinks.  If a woman wants to box competitively there should be no barriers and they should be able to make a good living doing it just like the men.

The inclusion of women's boxing at the 2012 Olympics was an important milestone for the growth of the sport but more weight divisions are required

All the people I have met online and in person who make boxing their passion and/or vocation are absolutely great people.  The fact that a growing number of these people are women definitely points to future growth of the sport for everyone.  Some attitudes still need adjusting and more people need to be exposed to women's boxing through promotion of women's matches on television and PPV events.
Popular fighters like Heather "The Heat" Hardy are increasing the number of followers of female boxing.

There is no doubt that the sport of boxing is enjoying growth through the participation of women.  As a result, I think that we will see a lot more boxing on TV in coming years with many of those fights being exciting women's matches.  This will definitely turn a lot more people into fans of women's boxing!

Female boxers exhibiting incredible toughness and determination




Friday, 8 April 2016

The Young Boxing Woman Project

Keep you eyes on this and give these women your support! The Young Boxing Woman Project is the brainchild of Stacy Ward.  Stacy is a Co-Founder and the CEO of YBW and a competitive novice boxer.



The YBW aims to change the lives of women for the better by building strength and agility.   Boxing training will enable  participants to be stronger, fitter and prouder.



"We arm our young women with confidence, resilience and self wroth preparing them for the best possible outcomes throughout their incredible lives."



YBW is seeking corporate sponsorship for their very important cause!



It is great to see this sort of program and I with these women all the best!

For more information see the YBW web site



Sunday, 3 April 2016

Deirdre Gogarty Fights Christy Martin, March 16 1996

Deirdre Gogarty

Christy Martin























One of the greatest women's boxing matches of all time took place on March 16, 1996.  Two women fought for six two minute rounds in an exciting boxing match that was by far the best of the night.  The fight opened many people's eyes to women's boxing and inspired other women to study the sweet science.




The fight featured tough and talented Deirdre Gogarty from Ireland against equally tough and talented Christy Martin from West Virginia.  Both women showed incredible amounts of courage as each were capable of taking and delivering a great deal of punishment and ending fights with knockouts.There are resources on the internet that chronicle this classic fight.  Here are some highlights on YouTube.



I have a great deal of admiration for the spirit and toughness of these serious female boxers.  Becoming a boxer was initially a struggle for Dierdre.  Women's boxing was not legal in her home country of Ireland at the time and she had a great desire to pursue the sport.  "It was an instinct in me to fight, it was just something I had to do”.  Here is a brief history of Dierdre's boxing career.


Deirdre's passion for pugilism is well illustrated in this article.  It is shocking today to think that back then women were not even allowed to box in most countries.  Fortunately things have changed for the better!


Friday, 25 March 2016

Female Boxing Now - FaceBook Page and Beyond

Women's boxing is very compelling as a spectator sport.  It shows us all the strength, toughness and determination of women who make the sweet science their passion.

Canadian Amateur Boxing Star Mandy Bujold

These women are opening doors  for more women to participate in both amateur and professional boxing.

Rising Female Boxing Star Heather "The Heat" Hardy

I think boxing is the ultimate sport  For participants it empowers both the mind and body.  For fans it is without doubt one of the most exciting and engrossing spectator sports.  Boxing fans have been treated to some tremendous fights between female fighters with great skills.

A demonstration of female punching power

My companion FaceBook Page Female Boxing Now celebrates women in boxing on a daily basis.  It is my hope that it encourages more women to take up boxing for fun, fitness and competition.  I also hope it gives more people an appreciation of the sport and of the women who make boxing their passion.  This goes hand in hand with increasing the growth of the fan base for women's boxing.  Last, but not least, I sincerely hope that it brings female boxers the respect they deserve in the form of television exposure and monetary recognition.

Female Boxing Now on FaceBook
If you have any suggestions for items to cover either in this blog or on the FaceBook page,  there are several ways to get in touch with me.  Feel free to add a comment to a blog post or express your views on Female Boxing Now.  You can also press the Send Email button on the Female Boxing Now FaceBook PageIf you or someone you know is making a difference in women's boxing I would love to cover your story!


Sunday, 21 February 2016

The Empowerment of Women Through Boxing

Boxing is empowering.  It builds the body and the mind.  In addition to building physical strength and endurance it builds confidence and mental toughness.  Women who box competitively impress with their skill and clearly show the sweet science is no longer expertly practiced only by men.

Women in boxing have come a long way.  It is hard to believe now but there was a time when women’s boxing was banned in most parts of the world and women only stepped into the ring to display round cards in between rounds at men’s fights...


...or to participate in "Foxy Boxing" matches in bars...


Now women are welcomed at most boxing clubs, women’s amateur boxing is an established olympic sport and female professional boxers are gaining a large following and starting to headline some boxing events.  Boxing has become just another sport women can freely participate in regardless of size.
Heavyweight Boxer Sonya Lamonakis
All this works wonders in changing the view of women - both in sport and in society.  No longer relegated to token visibility, women are now fighters who are skilled at the noble art of self defence.  It is okay for women to have muscle, be strong and to be able to fight.  This sends a message to other women and the next generation that women are able to fight for themselves and there is beauty in strength and toughness that goes beyond the cosmetic.

Amanda Serrano (left)
Like boys, girls can be the victims of bullying.

There are many examples now of girls who have turned to the boxing gym.   Sixteen year old High School student Annalicia Sustaita was overweight and had been bullied for years.

But she was determined not to let the bullies win.  In her quest to increase her physical activity she discovered boxing.  Now as the Welterweight National Boxing Champion, no one bullies her!



There are too many inspiring stores like this to list here.  Without a doubt, boxing has changed the lives of many women for the better!

Wednesday, 17 February 2016

Female Boxer Channels on YouTube - Part 1

There are many channels on YouTube for individual female boxers.  This is just a small sampling of YouTube channels that fans of female boxing will want to check out.  Many of these channels have fight highlights and complete fights featuring these talented pugilists.

The boxer descriptions come from the YouTube channels and may be a bit out of date. 

#AliciaAshley
Alicia Ashley (right)
Alicia Ashley is a women's boxing participant who is the current WBC female world super bantamweight champion.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdvG2VJiDmqlmPZUZI9-j0g/about

#AnaMaríaTorres
Ana Maria Torres
Ana María Torres Ramírez, also known as La Guerrera is a Mexican female boxer who held the WBC Super flyweight title from 7 October 2006 to 19 October 2007 and from 30 August 2008 to 17 May 2012.
#AnneSophieMathis
Anne Sophie Mathis

Anne Sophie Mathis is a French female boxer who is best known for defeating Holly Holm for a boxing world title.
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCPf8UP4bUbysn6G5jh9eemg

#AnnWolfe
Ann Wolfe

Ann Wolfe is an American female boxer who held world titles in four different weight classes simultaneously. Wolfe is regarded by many within the sport as the hardest puncher and best fighter in the history of women's boxing

#EricaFarias
Erica Anabella Farias
Erica Anabella Farias is an Argentine boxer. She is the current WBC female super lightweight champion and former WBC female lightweight champion.

#NataschaRagosina
Natascha Ragosina
Natalia Yurievna Ragozina, better known as Natascha Ragosina, is an undefeated retired professional boxer who spent much of her career ranked as the top female super middleweight in the world.

#ReginaHalmich
Regina Halmich
Regina Halmich is a female boxer from Germany. Halmich is among the most successful female boxers of all time, and helped popularize female boxing in Europe.

#LuciaRijker
Lucia Rijker 
Lucia Frederica Rijker is a Dutch professional female boxer, kickboxer, and actress.

#MarcelaAcuña
Marcela Acuña 
Marcela Eliana Acuña is an Argentine female boxer, who is nicknamed La Tigresa. Her mother wished for Acuña to become a ballerina, but that was never Acuña's dream.

#SusiannaKentikian
"Susi" Levonovna Kentikian
Susianna "Susi" Levonovna Kentikian is a German-Armenian professional boxer now residing in Germany. She was born in Yerevan, Armenian SSR, but she left the country with her family at the age of five because of the Nagorno-Karabakh War. Kentikian has lived in Hamburg since 1996 and began boxing when she was twelve years old.

#VondaWard
Vonda Ward
Vonda Ward is an American female boxer who was also a well known NCAA basketball player.

#YesicaBopp
Yesica Yolanda Bopp
Yesica Yolanda Bopp is an Argentine women's boxing champion in the light flyweight division. Nicknamed "Tuti," Bopp stands 5'0" tall and has a professional record of 27-1.

Vaia Zaganas
Vaia Zaganas
3 time World Champion female boxer Vaia Zaganas turned fall girl and started her Stunt career back in 2009.

There are many more great female boxers I would love to feature.  Let me know your favourites!

Monday, 15 February 2016

Women's Boxing on YouTube - Part 2


Continued from Part 1. Here are few more of the female boxing channels that I subscribe to on YouTube.

WOMEN BOXING
WOMEN BOXING has a large archive of women's boxing and kickboxing matches.

Int. Female Boxers Association
YouTube channel for the IFBA

BOXFEM
Excellent collection of female pro boxing matches from Argentina
Large collection of female boxing, kickboxing, mma and wrestling videos.
https://www.youtube.com/user/pto006

Christy Capp

Documenting the boxing learning process
https://www.youtube.com/user/christysfun


More to come!