| Professional boxing is a sport dominated by men, but | | | | boxers as anything more than a novelty until 1993. |
| a few women have earned the right to be in the | | | | This was done as the result of a lawsuit against |
| profession as well. Women boxers have been around | | | | them where the judge ruled it unconstitutional to |
| since the 1700's but they really haven't gotten the | | | | prevent women from boxing professionally because |
| recognition they deserve. The first real identification | | | | of their gender. As a result of the ruling though USA |
| with female boxing as an actual event took place in | | | | Boxing implements rules and regulations for female |
| 1904 when it became an event in the Olympics. Yet | | | | amateur boxing. |
| the concept of a female boxing match being aired on | | | | It wasn't until 1996 that women professional boxing |
| television didn't occur until 1954. | | | | was officially recognized. The landmark event that |
| From 1975 to 1978 many women applied for a boxing | | | | got women professional boxing in front of the |
| license in various states throughout the United States. | | | | cameras was a Pay per View fight offered by HBO. |
| By 1977 many states were allowing women to get | | | | Christy Martin and Deirdre Gogarty engaged in a wild |
| such licenses and have official professional boxing | | | | six round boxing match in March of 1996. The public |
| matches. The length of time for each round was | | | | loved it and the popular magazine Sports Illustrated |
| shorter than for men and there were fewer rounds | | | | ran with the concept. In July of 1997 the first |
| as well. They were limited to no more than four | | | | Women's National Championship took place. |
| rounds. In 1979 Shirley Tucker and other female | | | | Women's professional boxing set another first in 1999 |
| boxers contested the ruling and won with the | | | | when the first event where a man faced a woman in |
| assistance of the American Civil Liberties Union. | | | | the ring took place. This idea didn't settle well with |
| Yet the boxing regulations for women still were | | | | the USA Boxing regulations or with spectators. While |
| unfair when compared to those for men. After years | | | | a few male/female matches have taken place over |
| of not making very much headway a female | | | | the years it is not a mainstream type of event. |
| professional boxer decided to get media attention | | | | Many of the women in professional boxing today are |
| focused on the issue. In 1987 Marian Trimiar went on | | | | actually the daughters of former male professional |
| a hunger strike to advocate for female boxers to | | | | boxers. Laila Ali is the daughter of Muhammad Ali. |
| get recognized, earn better money for their matches, | | | | There was plenty of media coverage when she |
| and have good conditions for training and their | | | | faced the daughter of her father's stiff rival Joe |
| matches. | | | | Frazier. This particular fight drew a Pay per View |
| Still, USA Boxing didn't officially recognize female | | | | record of 100,000 sales for the fight. |