The History of Women’s Boxing, Part 1 of 2. The Amateur Side.
Back for the 2012 London Olympic Games
Written by Richard Allan McRae
Records were not well kept in the 1700’ and 1800’s and the very early 1900’s of any professional boxing. I did come across an a interesting article, describing the Marquess of Quessberry rules, which clearly stated “Each fighter has an assigned corner of the ring, where his or her coach, as well as one or more or more “seconds” may administer to the fighter at the beginning of the fight or and between rounds.”, the Marquess of Quessberry rules were written in 1867 by were written by Welshman John Graham Chambers, but were named the Marquess of Quessberry rules because John Douglas, 9th Marquess of Quessberry publicly endorsed the code. Quessberry rules replaced the revised London Prize Ring rules written in 1853, these rules were a revised version of the original London Prize Ring rules written in 1743 by John “Jack” Broughton, an English bare-knuckle fighter. His seven rules of how boxing would be conducted later evolved into the London Prize Ring rules, which are considered the foundation stone of the sport that would become Boxing.
The Marquess of Quessberry rules were intended for either an amateur or professional boxing match. They were far more popular than the American Fair Play Rules, which were strictly used for amateur boxing match. By 1889 the Quessberry rules came into use in both the United States and Canada.
Very little has been recorded or known about the true history of Women’s boxing amateur or professional!
In 1892 boxing classes were offered to women in Brisbane, Australia. Classes might have been offered but serious training was not permitted by 1900 and at that time women were even banned from pursuing the sport in a competitive manner. To worsen the matter women were banned from attending boxing events.
During the 1902 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece, this was considered unofficial. But remains listed in the I.O.C. database. Women’s boxing appeared with a demonstration bout. It did not go over well with the public and was banned by most nations around the globe for most of the twentieth century. It appears the sport of amateur boxing laid dormant for close to 80 years. Till 1988 when the Swedish Amateur Boxing Associacotion pioneered a revival for women’s amateur boxing, they sanctioned events for women that year. It took another 9 years till the British Amateur Boxing Associacotion to sanction its first boxing event for women, unfortunately the first event was spoiled, and it was to be a bout between two 13 year olds. Due to hostile media attention one of the boxers dropped out. 4 weeks latter a sanctioned event was held between two 16 year olds and women’s amateur boxing was well on its way back. The A.I.B.A. approved the first European Cup in 1999 and the first World Championship for women in 2001.
Women’s amateur boxing has grown at a rapid rate since then; you can enter any Boxing Club and find many female boxers training hard for amateur and professional bouts!
Women’s Boxing will make its debut on center stage at the 2012 Olympics in London; things are already heating up with such bitter rivalries like Cuba and the United States, all the European countries will be at each other’s throats. But don’t overlook the flyweight legend from India; MC Mary Kom A.K.A. Magnificent Mary has high hopes to bring home the Gold. I’ll closely be watching Ireland’s outstanding lightweight Katie Taylor who is fresh off winning her 4th consecutive world title earlier this year in China. When it sunk in that she was going to the 2012 Olympic game’s she burst into tears! Male or female and whatever sport it maybe it takes years of hard work to become an Olympic athlete. My heart goes out to each and every one of these women, win or lose no one will ever be able to take away what they earned an opportunity to box from their homeland in the highest of all levels in sports The Olympic Games!
I recently had the pleasure of meeting a young Swedish amateur female boxer named Rosie Faal, she currently has a recorded of 3 -1 -0. Miss Faal granted me a short straightforward interview via email;
R.A.M. (Ringnews24.com); Miss. Faal where did you grow up? And when did you move to Sweden?
R.F.; I was born in Denmark and moved to Malmoe, Sweden when I was 2. And I’ve lived in Malmoe since then.
R.A.M. (Ringnews24.com); How do find your training as a young boxer is going.
R.F.; When it comes to my training I’m happy with the boxing club I’m attending, but it would be nice if I have sparring partners in lower weight classes. My trainers are really having a hard time finding suitable opponents because there are few female boxers in Sweden and that makes matchmaking in my boxing weight class even harder.
R.A.M. (Ringnews24.com); every boxer I’ve ever interviewed has a defining moment where they fell in love with boxing. When did that moment happen for you and how old were you?
R.F.; the first time I tried boxing was during P.E. when we visited the local boxing club. I way fourteen by then. I was amazed by the hard training and I just felt so cool punching, or more like petting, the punch mitts. At that time I took jiu jitsu classes, so I finished my last grading and started boxing. After a year or so, my trainer asked me to move up to the competition group. And that was probably when I really fell in love with the sport. I loved the way my coach pushed me, and how I could let off steam in the ring, and I love it just as much today!
R.A.M. (Ringnews24.com); many female boxers I’ve spoke with had to stay in the amateur ranks longer than they would have had like to, because it was hard to find an opponent in the professional ranks.
R.F.; I can’t really address this problem, but I’ve heard that it is harder for women to become professional fighters. And since I’m hoping and aiming to be a top fighter it is a bit frightening to know that the lack of opponents will be a holdback.
R.A.M. (Ringnews24.com); since you’ve been boxing have you encountered a prejudice because you’re a female. And who would you really like to face in the ring one day?
R.F.; about the prejudice, this far no. Most people are just fascinated about it, and shocked that little me is boxing. It’s more like people respect me for being a female fighter. Hopefully I’m heading in the right direction! I want to give a hundred in my upcoming fights, get a good record and get a good rank! I definitely think you will see me fighting in big events one beautiful day. I won’t quit boxing unless I lose my fists or something, ha-ha!
A dream opponent would be Yesica Boop! She’s a bit older than me but a great fighter and I love her style in the ring!
It’s because of young up and coming amateur boxers like Rosie Faal, Women’s Boxing should continue to be an Olympic sport! Women’s Boxing is exciting to watch, I feel sometimes the women get into the ring with more heart and determination to earn a win then the men do, with less politics!
In the 2nd part of this look at the History Women’s Boxing will take an in depth look at the world of Women’s Professional Boxing.
You can follow me on Twitter; @McRae67
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