“I want to tell girls, it’s not about make-up and how you look that’s important; you are so much more than how you look.” – Katie Taylor 

In a male dominated sport, it’s important to recognise the women punching through stereotypes (excuse the pun) and creating history with their hard work and skill in the ring. The biggest fight in women’s boxing has been for recognition in the sport itself.

Katie Taylor’s quote above is a perfect introduction into this piece. Boxing has the power to transform and elevate women, allowing them to become the best version of themselves. Women have proven all over the world that they can take hold of their power through boxing.

Confidence, grit and resilience are only the tip of the iceberg in terms of how a woman’s depth of character can be improved through this sport. It shows women that they can achieve great things.

Claressa Shields, Laila Ali, Cecilia Braekhus and Lucia Rijker are globally recognised as some of the very best female boxers in the world – and for good reason.

These women have each held multiple world titles, with Rijker being dubbed “The Most Dangerous Woman in the World”. She holds a record of 17-0 under her belt, 14 by way of knockout.

These achievements didn’t come lightly – they took years of hard work and dedication. Undisputed world champion, Alycia Baumgardner, started boxing when she was eight years old.

She continued to refine and perfect her craft consistently throughout her years saying, “Every detail counts, every small achievement leads to big change.”

She’s a great role model to show women that hard work and consistency pays off. Boxing itself is a great way to encourage women to strive for greatness and improve by 1% each day.

It teaches the importance of playing the long game, doing the work thoroughly and honestly without cutting corners.

In today’s modern society, where everyone wants results immediately, Alycia’s point is crucial in showing young girls that anything worthwhile takes time and effort. This mindset will set young female boxers apart from the rest.

A woman’s confidence will skyrocket once she travels down this path of self growth. It truly is a snowball effect, leading to improvement in other areas of life and promoting overall wellbeing.

Key women's boxing history events

Early Milestones

Barbara Buttrick and Jackie Tobin’s professional match in 1954 was the first female boxing match to be aired on American national television.

It helped bring attention to women’s boxing when it was still obscure in society.

Formation of Key Organisations

The Women’s Boxing Federation (WBF) was founded in 1999 and has played a crucial role in promoting women’s professional boxing and allowing women to compete at the highest level.

The World Boxing Association (WBA) and World Boxing Council (WBC) have also been key leaders in promoting women in the sport and began sanctioning women’s fights in 2004 and 2005 respectively.

International Recognition and Championships

The AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships went ahead in Pennsylvania in 2001.

It was the first women’s boxing championship organised by the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

This was a milestone for women in the sport, as historically the 'big four' (WBC, WBA, WBO and IBF) were all prominent sanctioning bodies only in men’s boxing.

Olympic Inclusion

In 2008, women’s boxing was included at the Beijing Olympics for the first time, in comparison to men’s boxing which had been a part of the Olympics since 1904.

This is a 104-year gap between men and women’s boxing being included and recognised in the Olympics.

It was a significant struggle for women to gain entry into boxing at the games, having to overcome hurdles such as societal and historical bias that perceived only men having a place in the sport.

They were met with resistance from the Olympic Committee and it took a long time for them to acknowledge the success and interest of female boxers to allow them to compete.

In Beijing, the first ever Olympic Gold medals were secured, by Micaela Laurenti from Argentina, Katie Taylor from Ireland, Ning Ding from China and Claudia Lopez from USA.

Katie Taylor’s win was particularly notable as she already had a strong reputation in the amateurs. Her Olympic success resulted in her being signed by Matchroom Boxing.

Such achievements at the Olympics increased visibility, media attention and public interest for women in the sport. These athletes served as role models and provided inspiration to other young women and as a result, we are seeing a growth of females participating in the sport.

We can see improved opportunities such as better funding, sponsorship and professional prospects. As such, there were 42 female boxers at the 2024 Paris Olympics and this number has increased over time.

Groundbreaking fights and events

In 2022, Katie Taylor fought Amanda Serrano at Maddison Square Garden. This event ended a 140-year history of which only men had competed at the prestigious location.

This moment has proven to advance opportunities for women in the sport, with most professional boxing undercards featuring at least one women’s fight.

Misfits Boxing is also a relatively new promotion company founded in 2022, and representing many female boxers including UK’s promising prospect, Carla Jade. Carla won her pro debut in September 2023 and is likely to continue competing.

Reshaping the landscape of boxing with their talent, determination and advocacy, these athletes mentioned above have inspired and continue to inspire women globally.

As of 2024, there are approximately 1,500 to 2,000 female professional boxers around the world, in comparison to an estimate of only 500 recorded back in the year 2000.

As of 2024, there are now 150 to 200 female professional boxing matches occurring each year.

The future of women’s boxing looks bright with more and more women taking the sport seriously and winning in the ring.