The appeal of boxing for women often stems from a commitment to get in the best physical condition ever. Muscle mass increases, fat percentages decrease, and the body transforms into a lean, yet powerful athletic build. Boxing is a comprehensive physical fitness program. The training helps to develop agility, power, and endurance and has a crossover effect that benefits involvement in other sports as well. It builds self-confidence, self-discipline, self-discovery, and is an ideal avenue to get rid of the frustrations of the day. Boxing training incorporates both physical and mental challenges. One has to develop an inner strength and determination to keep pushing. It’s more the actual training, rather than the physical contact that keeps many women involved in boxing today. You constantly learn something new and it doesn’t become boring because there is so much variety encompassed in the training.
Boxing offers empowerment to an individual and a sense of equality. Boxing as a form of fitness is highly respected and making it through a workout gives one an incredible feeling of accomplishment. Women have been drawn to this sport because of the skill and the excitement of an intense physical and mental discipline. It is the education and the perfecting of technique and knowing what to do with the body that will result in victory and they embrace this challenge of boxing.
Female fights move at a fast pace with two minute rounds, instead of three minute rounds. They are action-packed and filled with flurries of punches. As interest grows in the female matches, more money is invested into the fights. Female fights get good coverage on Pay-Per-View fight specials and all female cards are part of the entertainment scene today. Women have the focus and with commitment develop solid boxing skills.
Historically, female boxing became the phenomenon of the nineties, but it was in the seventy’s that women really became recognised in boxing. It was met with great resistance in the sport to allow women in the ring and most female fights were considered to be nothing more than a ‘novelty act’. It was assumed that women were simply not built for boxing, but the determined women trained hard, learned the skill, and unlocked many opportunities for the female boxers of today.
The first sanctioned fight in North America, (by The Canadian Amateur Boxing Association), was an Amateur fight, held in Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada in 1991, between Therese Robitaille and Jenny Reid. Canada became known as the place where women could fight in authorised fights and it was not long before The American boxing authorities also sanctioned female fights. This opened the door for a new era in boxing all over the world, Female Boxing.
The female boxer is dedicated, articulate, disciplined, and extremely motivated. These athletes are interested in learning the sport and realising the highest level of boxing ability and expertise. There is a high level of skill, commitment, and focus and female boxers fight with remarkable intensity.
As the amateur circles and clubs continue to grow, more women will have ambitions of experiencing the pro boxing world.
Welcome to the online space for African Ring. Here at African Ring, we are dedicated to covering all the latest news and events in the world of South African and international boxing. African Ring is solely owned and run by Jeff Ellis. Jeff Ellis’s participation and commitment to the sport of boxing is well documented as well.