Sue Tibballs, CEO of Women’s Sport and Fitness Foundation, is quoted as saying

With women’s boxing dating back to the 1720s, it’s been a long, hard, fight to get to today’s decision, but we’re delighted that the sport will be on the Olympic programme for London 2012.

We hope however that this move by the IOC marks a wider step change towards gender equality at the Olympics as there’s still a long way to go. In Beijing 165 medals were available to men versus 127 to women. If we’re to achieve a fair playing field, the numbers should be equal.

A Hindustan Times report claims that Renu along with another upcoming boxer Monica were serving the media personnel at an event. The report apparently quotes her as saying that she has been forced to serve tea and wash cups at the Indian National Institute of Sports (NIS).

Congress MP Rajeev Shukla is quoted as having said:

The news of Renu Gora serving tea and cleaning dishes for visiting officials and media persons at NIS Patiala is disturbing. More than a case of gender bias against female boxers, this is a sorry tale of how female sportspersons fail to find any encouragement from authorities. These women have joined NIS for becoming a coach because they cannot make their ends meet through regular and dignified employment.

If we as a nation fail to provide a dignified living to even our illustrious female sportspersons, it paints an unfortunate picture of the future of female sportspersons in India.

According to Womenboxing.com, Angel McKenzie is also a female Bodybuilder – in September 2006 being the Runner Up in the U.K. B.F.F. North East Championship Fitness Division.

Her adopted father, former British and European boxing champion Clinton McKenzie, is quoted as having said:

“Angel wants a sex change. She wants to become a man and to fight men in the ring. She’s obsessed with boxing and will do absolutely anything to live her dream. She is really convinced that she could become a world champion as a male boxer.

When she told me, I was petrified. I told her she was mad and that I wanted nothing to do with it. She’s very stubborn though.”

Apparently the boxer, 36 year old Russian born Angel McKenzie has completed the initial stages of hormone therapy. She recently appeared on the reality show ‘Big Brother’ and was seen shaving her face on the show.

Angel’s career as a female boxer so far isn’t exactly award winning, she has won only 2 of her 17 professional fights; so I am not exactly sure how a switch to fighting men will help?

Click through to watch a couple of videos of Angel

She applied for a B1 visa in order to compete on the under card of Brian Cohen’s WBC Americas Light Heavyweight title fight on the 9th May at South Philadelphia High School.

After regularly traveling back and forth to America to train for over two years, on the visa waiver system, with no problems prior. Marianne is expecting further repercussions from her failure to secure a visa as her contract with sports clothing and equipment manufacturer, Pugilist Urban Garments, is reliant on her being in America as part of the promotion of their P.U.G. Athletic brand into the $50 Billion American Sporting goods market in 2009.

The technical reason she was refused on the basis of insufficient socioeconomic ties with the United Kingdom. The basis for this being Marianne only has two living relatives, even though both are UK resident, that she does not own or lease a property in the UK or that she does not have UK employment to return to.

If you happen to think that this is as dumb as I do, a Philadelphia newspaper has asked their readers to “help Marianne fulfill her dream to professionally fight in America please send an e.mail titled: “LetMarianne box” to Special Consular Services at SCSLondon@state.gov asking them to reconsider Marianne Marston’s visa application”

Image via, and read more at Mightygloves.com

From the Daily Mail: A model-turned-boxer has been banned from fighting – because of her breast implants. Sarah Blewden, 25, has been told that repeated blows to her false breasts could knock them out of shape and damage her breast tissue. She was stunned when she was told she wasn’t allowed to fight under Queensbury rules due to her implants.

A medical expert from the association said Sarah’s chest was at risk of ‘capsular contracture’ or distortion if they were repeatedly hit. Blood cells in the breast tissue pushed forward by the implants could also be harmed, it was ruled. Sarah, from Poole, Dorset, said: ‘I think it is just ridiculous. My surgeon said they make me no more vulnerable than any other woman. They are not enormous ones – they are in proportion.

image via the Mirror

This is a ridiculous ruling in my opinion, isn’t it obvious boxers can be injured in the ring? News reports range in exact numbers, but all say hundreds of people have died worldwide from boxing related injuries. So – it’s okay to get pummeled to death in the ring [literally] but maybe having a “boob pop” isn’t? Ludicrous.

Worst case scenario, she would have to get the implants redone same as wrestler Chyna did due to her wrestling.

I’m not too knowledgeable on old style clothing, but are these boxers wearing ‘petticoats’?

According to wikipedia women’s boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1904. For most of the 20th century it was banned in most nations.

She took up kickboxing at the age of 18, then brazilian jiu jitsu two years later. She had her first pro MMA match in 1999 and made her professional boxing debut in 2000 and also did a stint on American Gladiators. Erin says she “ believes I was born to be a fighter – it’s in my blood. I fight first and foremost because I love it and also because I believe women have a place in this sport and we have a lot to offer“. She’s 5′10″ and weighs around 150lbs. See her website for much more on her.

A compliation video of Erin:

Their identical twin status caused some confusion at one point – Cora had previously fought southpaw Toni Rodriguez and won by an unanimous decision. When Dora was set to fight Rodriguez later, Toni thought that Cora was pulling a scam, and Dora was required to produce proof that she was actually Cora’s twin, before the fight could go on…which ended up with Dora knocking Toni out.

Going back 20 years ago, there where very limited female sparring partners to box against, so the twins sparred with male partners including World Welterweight Champion Carlos Palomino.

The 27-year-old boxer is facing two charges of assault from two separate incidents – one almost 3 years ago and one in January of this year. One incident she is alleged to have repeatedly punched a woman in the face in the early hours of the morning.

She is an undefeated professional boxer, since having turning professional in 2007 she has won all six of her bouts – including five knockouts.

“I’ve boxed in Japan, Canada, California, Las Vegas – all over the world, really,” Hellback stated in today’s press release. “I’m so excited to finally be able to show everyone right here in my own backyard what Chevelle Hallback is all about. And what I’m about is world championships. If I can win five combined world titles in boxing and MMA, I’ll undeniably go down in history as the greatest female fighter of all time — and that’s a legacy worth spilling blood for. [Because] I absolutely guarantee you, the blood that’s spilled won’t be my own.”

You can read the full story here

image via mmajunkie.com

The annual event showcases the top athletes from North, Central and South America, provides an early prep for the United States boxing team before the Women’s World Championships in November in China.

A slight hitch already saw Trinidad and Tobago’s top boxer Wendy Alleyne unceremoniously ordered to leave the host hotel.

image via usaboxing

Since women’s wrestling was added in the 2004 Athens Olympics, boxing is the only summer Olympic sport without a female division.

The AIBA has approved and governed women’s boxing since 1994, and says the standard of women boxing has grown to a very high level and is ready for Olympic inclusion.

Kathy “Shake ‘em Down” Williams, a 5′5″ policewoman from Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada is a fine example of the new breed of women boxers who step into the professional boxing ring after first getting a thorough schooling in the fundamentals as amateurs. Kathy is a two-time Canadian national amateur champion who also represented her country in international tournaments in Sweden and Finland.

Kathy was born on 8 September 1967 and grew up in Montreal, Quebec. She attended Bishop’s University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts (double major in Business and Psychology and a minor in French).

She began her boxing training at age 11, at a sports camp, when she was living in Montreal. She discovered that she really enjoyed it and continued for three years, but she quit because “there wasn’t much women’s boxing happening at that time”. Her interest in competing was rekindled in 1993 while she was attending police college and saw a boxing and kickboxing show that included two women. “I was watching them thinking I could beat them” she says.

source: womenboxing.com

When she returned to Thunder Bay, she called up Tony Pimentel, the trainer she has been with ever since. At that time there was only one other female at his Doggs Gym, so she sparred mostly with men. Kathy says they were very supportive when she started, and were always giving her tips and pointers.

She had her first amateur bout in Cambridge, Minnesota in May 1994. She went on to win Ontario Provincial titles in 1994, 1995 and 1996 and Canadian national titles in 1995 and 1996. Her winning performance in the first women’s nationals in Canada got her into the Canadian edition of Sports Illustrated, and won her an award for best prospect at the tournament.

She fought as an amateur in Minnesota again in May 1996. In May 1997 she was on the Canadian national women’s team that competed in Sweden and Finland. The Canadian boxers won both of these dual meets and Kathy won both of her bouts. She defeated Erika Långström of Sweden 8-6, and also won an award for best Canadian boxer.

Kathy was joined at Doggs Gym in Thunder Bay by Tracey Stevens, who also competed as an amateur before turning to professional boxing. Kathy told me they were the only girls in the gym for three years but were joined in 1997 by Katie Burton and two other female amateurs. Kathy says the gym is a close knit club who do lots of activities together, which makes it easier in the gym where they all spar together. Trainer Tony Pimentel is also the Canadian national team coach.

source: eastsideboxing.com

This video is pretty funny and makes for good viewing as well. You just have to love the “fixing up” that happens between rounds! Is this social commentary? A spoof of the 1920’s? You decide…