Essential Boxing Equipment
05/06/2024
BBC Radio Cornwall Interview with Jimmy
15/10/2025
Table Of Contents
- Introduction
- A Little Back Story
- Professional Boxing
- Jane Couch AKA The Fleetwood Assassin
- Amateur Boxing
- Professional and Amateur- What’s the difference?
- Why The Controversy?
- Women Boxing in the Olympics
- Katie Taylor
- Modern Day Differences Between Men’s & Women’s Boxing
- Equipment
- Benefits Of Boxing For Women
- My Story
Introduction
Men’s Boxing - we all know about that, but what about women in the boxing world?
Women in boxing are rewriting the narrative of what it means to be a fighter. Through their courage, determination, and passion they are breaking down barriers, challenging stereotypes, and inspiring women all over the world. Female boxers empower not only themselves but also countless others who dare to dream big.
A Little Back Story
The first woman’s boxing match was held in US in 1876. In this match Nell Saunders defeated Rose Harland. Her prize was a silver butter dish.
During 1920’s a Woman’s Boxing Club was formed in London by Professor Andrew Newton. However, this was a hugely controversial undertaking and Shoreditch borough council banned an arranged exhibition match. An attempt to hold the match nearby in Hackney was made but was again faced with controversy by the mayor of Hackney who said, "I regard the proposed exhibition of woman boxers as a gratification of the sensual ideals of a crowd of vulgar men."
The Home Secretary at the time, Sir William Joynson-Hicks, was among those opposing the match, claiming "The legislature never imagined that such a disgraceful exhibition would have been staged in this country."
Professional Boxing
In many countries women fought professionally. The BBBC (British Boxing Board of Control) refused to issue licences to women. The first sanctioned professional bout between women in the UK was in November 1998 at Streatham in London, between Jane Couch and Simona Lukic. Couch won. They refused to granted Couch a professional licence on the sole ground that she was woman and argued that PMS (pre-menstrual stress) made woman too unstable to box. Couch disputed this and claimed sexual discrimination and was supported by the Equal Opportunities Commission to get this decision overturned in March 1998. However, she continued to receive criticism by the British Medical Association called the result ‘’a demented extension of equal opportunities.’’
Jane Couch against Lucia Rijker, Los Angeles 2003
Jane Couch AKA The Fleetwood Assassin
Boxing Record
Total Fights - 39
Wins - 28
Wins by KO - 9
Losses - 11
Jane Couch competed from 1994 to 2007 and was the first licensed female boxer in the UK in 1998 and went on to win numerous world titles.
She was born in Lancashire, she attended a school in Blackpool where she was expelled and lived a life of ‘’Booze, drugs, and street fighting.’’ At the age of 26 she saw a television documentary about woman’s boxing and decided to give it a go. Her first official fight was in Muay Thai which is also referred to a Thai Boxing that uses stand up striking and clinching techniques. In this match she defeated a female police officer, about which she reported ‘’It was great to flatten one (Police Officer) and get paid for it.’’
Amateur Boxing
In 1997 the British Amateur Boxing Association sanctioned its first boxing competition for females. This was meant to be between two 13-year-olds, but one opponent dropped out due to hostile media attention.
In 1996 the Amateur Boxing Association of England voted in favour of lifting the 166-year-old ban against women boxing. Not everyone agrees with allowing girls as young as 10 to spar in gyms and take part in competitions. However, this is in line with the male rules and regulations.
In December 2018, the UK first female boxing tournament took place called The England Boxing Women’s Winter Box Cup. The Box Cup was picked up by the BBC as was aired on live TV.
Savannah Marshall defeating Ashleigh Curry, Newcastle 2019
Professional and Amateur- What’s the difference?
There are plenty of similarities when it comes to professional and amateur boxing but there are some major differences that make each sport unique.
The Count Rule
For amateurs this is set at an 8 count to be re-evaluated to continue in the bout. Whereas professionals have a 10 count to allow them to recover from hard blows.
The Scoring System
This is a contentious subject in the amateur game.
For amateurs they are scored on a 10-9-point system (10 for the winning boxer, 9 for the losing boxer) and are scored on many factors which include competitiveness, tactical superiority, as well as punches landed with the aim to accumulate the most points. Similarly, the pros are scored on a 10-9 system but, ultimately, the aim is to knock-out their opponent.
Number Of Rounds
In amateur boxing there are 3 rounds to a match which are designed for quicker movements; whereas there can be up to 12 rounds for the professionals which are more focused on a slower-pace, endurance, and stamina.
Equipment And Pay
Amateur boxers will wear headgear, larger gloves, and a mouthguard. They do not get paid for bouts. Professional boxers wear smaller sized gloves than the amateurs, they also get paid by various sponsors as well as having an agreed amount of money before entering the contest.
Why The Controversy?
In 1920’s when the Woman’s Boxing Club was formed woman were expected to be housewives, be feminine and were expected to be seen and not heard on the most part. Women had only just gained the right to vote, and they were not allowed to enlist or receive any benefit for military work. So, when women decided that they wanted to take up boxing as a past time this was unheard of and, quite frankly, not OK in the opinion of a lot of people (this was mainly men).
Nicola Adams at the 2012 London Olympics
Women Boxing in the Olympics
It was not until the 1992 Olympics that women could compete in Judo and the 2000 Olympics that females could enter in the weightlifting event.
Boxing in the Olympics is sanctioned under the Amateur International Boxing Association therefore, amateur boxing rules apply.
In a controversial turn of events, the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) suggested that female boxers should wear skirts whilst boxing. They stated that it would help spectators to distinguish them from the men. Even though women’s boxing was a separate event to men’s boxing. Male vs female matches are not sanctioned.
Katie Taylor commented ‘It’s a disgrace that they’re forcing some of the women to wear those miniskirts. We should be able to wear shorts, just like the men.’ ‘I won’t be wearing a miniskirt. I don’t even wear miniskirts on a night out, so I definitely won’t be wearing miniskirts in the ring.’’
The first ever female GB Boxing squad was selected in March 2010 and featured seven women: Nicola Adams, Lucy O’Connor, Nina Smith, Natasha Jones, Amanda Coulson, Ruth Raper and Savannah Marshall. The boxers trained alongside the men’s Podium squad at GB Boxing’s headquarters at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.
Women’s boxing became an official Olympic sport at the London 2012 games. Nicola Adams being the first woman to win an Olympic gold medal in the sport.
In 2016, both Nicola Adams and Savannah Marshall qualified for Rio 2016 with Adams becoming only the second boxer in history from Great Britain to win gold medals at consecutive Olympic Games – matching the achievement of Harry Mallin in 1920 and 1924.
Katie Taylor at the 2012 London Olympics
Katie Taylor
Boxing Record
Total Fights - 24
Wins - 23
Wins by KO - 6
Losses - 1
An Irish professional boxer, Katie Taylor is a two-weight world champion and is the current undisputed lightweight champion having held the WBA (World Boxing Association) title since 2017. She also holds the IBF (International Boxing Federation) title since 2018 and the WBC (World Boxing Council), WBO (World Boxing Organisation) and The Ring magazine titles since 2019. Katie became one of only eight boxers in history (male or female) to hold all four major world titles in boxing simultaneously.
Tyson Fury also holds all 4 major world titles which is widespread in the media. It just shows that there is a divide in media attention between male and female boxers. This could because women’s professional boxing is still in its infancy, or it could be because there is a stigma surrounding the sport and is still renowned as being a controversial movement.
Taylor went on to win a gold medal the 2012 Olympics in the lightweight division. In 2016 she turned professional. As of 2023, Taylor was ranted the world’s best active boxer, and she is known for her aggressive, fast-paced boxing style.
In 2022, she defended her undisputed lightweight title at Madison Square Garden. The fight was the first female boxing match to be held at Madison Square Garden and was described as the ‘biggest women’s fight of all time’ Despite being injured in the fifth round, Taylor rallied to retain for titles with the victory. The bout was named Fight of the Year the Event of the Year by Sports Illustrated magazine and The Ring magazine, respectively.
Modern Day Differences Between Men’s & Women’s Boxing
Female boxers must adhere to a separate set of rules to male boxers. One of these rules is that women must not wear any cosmetics in the ring as this could inflict damage to their faces including their eyes. Female boxers must make sure that their hair must be secured with soft non-abrasive materials to prevent it from getting in the way while they are boxing. Another important rule is that female boxers must also declare that they are not pregnant before stepping in the ring.
The number of rounds also differs between men and women. Male professional bouts commonly last anywhere from 4-12 rounds while female professional bouts are head for a maximum of 10 rounds. The reason for this difference as reported by the WBC (World Boxing Committee) is based psychological, physiological, and physical differences between female and male boxers. Other more controversial reports have said that the differences in the number of rounds between male and female boxers are to accommodate certain skill level and experience for the women in the sport compared to men.
Equipment
As it is currently, amateur women boxers are to wear headguards regardless of whether they are a novice, open class or at the Olympics. Men on the other hand must were headguards until they become a senior boxer (19 years and over).
Male and female boxers both wear groin guards however, female guards are called pelvic guards. These provide greater protection to the abdomen and pelvic area.
Female amateur boxers have the choice on whether they wear a breast guard. Some say that this effects performance and restricts movement in the ring.
Benefits Of Boxing For Women
As we have talked about before here on the St Austell Boxing Club website, boxing holds many different benefits to those who take part.
Stress Relief
Boxing has proven to decrease stress hormones and increase endorphins, helping to relieve stress and boost overall mood. Boxing also encourages a healthier lifestyle in terms of nutrition, mental well-being, and sleep.
Self Defence
Learning how to defend yourself is an empowering experience for women. As well as increasing self-confidence, boxing will help improve strength, teach you how to punch effectively and powerfully as well learnings key defensive moves.
Mental Health
Boxing like all exercise increases the level of the feel-good chemicals that can improve mood. Boxing can also reduce the symptoms of anxiety and depression by focusing on the mind and body in the present moment.
Improves Functional Strength
The difference techniques used in training help to build muscular endurance and longevity. These increase strength and physical ability that carries through to everyday life outside of the gym. Skipping, speed drills pad work and punching means that boxing is a full-on, full-body workout. Boxing is great for fat burning and a great cardiovascular workout.
According to a Sport England Active Lives survey, over 400,000 women took part in boxing activity between 2018 and 2019. The number of women actively boxing also grew by almost 70,000 compared to 2015 and 2016.
Since the success of women’s boxing at the 2012 Olympics, more engagement in the achievements of British female fighters followed. The likes of Savannah Marshall and Katie Taylor have become world boxing icons in the 2010’s and 2020’s. England Boxing now has 990 clubs across the country all of which allow female boxers to train and compete.
My Story
High pitched electronic beeps, heavy breathing, thwack of skipping ropes hitting the floor repeatedly, ‘Hiss! Hiss! Shh! Shh!! From gloves hitting bags. ‘I feel your pain!’ being shouted by our coach Jimmy. These are all the sounds that I hear every time I walk into the gym. The overwhelming amount of sweat, smiles and passion pouring out of the boxers are all the things I see when I walk into the gym (and sometimes a bit of blood). Elation, aching and pride and the feeling of I want to do that all over again are the things I feel when I walk out of the gym.
I am not from a boxing background, in fact the complete opposite (or so I thought). From an early age I was a ballet dancer and a gymnast. Gymnastics was my passion and arguably it still is. I competed through county level and was training more and was starting to take my career to a more serious level. Until one fateful day at the age of 15 I sustained an injury that meant I would never compete again, the training fizzled out.
Getting Involved
My partner, Connor, signed up to take part in a charity boxing show in March 2022. He used to box in his youth and returned to St Austell Boxing Club to train for the charity show and has gone on to be a licensed amateur boxer. Previously having not paid much attention to boxing I thought it was a good opportunity to have a go at a sport that was new to me. I walked into the gym and my first impression thought was ‘Oh, there is a lot of testosterone in here!’ Honestly, on first impressions it was quite intimidating. Fast forward maybe 20 minutes and how wrong I was, it was the best place to be with some of the best people I have ever met. The training that I took part in on that first session was closest I have come to since the gymnastics 15 years before. I was well and truly hooked!
After training for a while, I realised that my previous ballet and gymnastics training translated somewhat when it came to the footwork and the co-ordination that a boxer needs. It came to my attention that I didn’t want to get in the ring and get punched in the face, I wanted to teach others how to do that. I wanted to coach women and children at a grass roots level and from the beginning of their boxing journey.
Taking The Next Step
In June 2023 myself, Connor, Tasha, Dan, and Frank embarked on our Level One Boxing Coach course, and all passed with flying colours. Personally, I didn’t pass the course based on my knowledge of boxing, the footwork how to get in on the inside of the opponent or how to turn off the ropes - It was my competitive nature, my passion for sport in general and the knowledge that I can and will make a difference to young people’s lives.
It was after passing the course that I want to spread the message far and wide that boxing is not about just punching someone and breaking faces.
It is about Courage, Pride, Honour and Truth.
