The first staged women fights were in London England. Fighters could punch, knee and kick all parts of their opponents’ body. Mauling, scratching and throwing were not considered foul play. Serious injury to both fighters was not unusual.

Boxing was introduced at the Olympic Games in St. Louis. Women’s boxing was a displayed event at the third Olympic games.

First female fight on TV. One of the most famous women’s boxers of all-time, Barbara Buttrick, became the first female boxer to have her fight broadcast on national television.

First female judge to work a world heavyweight title bout. Eva Shain earned a place in the Guinness Book of Sports Records for being the first female judge of a world heavyweight fight. 1975 also marked the first time a female judge worked a professional fight at New York’s Madison Square Garden.

USA Boxing recognizes female boxers after losing a landmark court case. USA Boxing’s Board of Governors passes legislation to support female boxing. First amateur female bout held in Bellingham, Washington.

Four-day amateur tournament in Augusta, GA. Increase in the number of women boxers causes USA Boxing to conduct an amateur event. 340 registered amateur boxers in late 1996.

Christy Martin and Diedre Gogarty fought undercard at the Tyson-Frank Bruno fight. Fans were captivated by the female bout and it lent instant credibility to women’s boxing. It drew 1.1 million viewers—the second-most watched boxing card in pay-per-view history.

USA Boxing’s first ever Women’s National Championships.

There are approximately 3,500 competitive female boxers in the U.S. Worldwide, this number is close to 10,000, and growing rapidly. Apart from competitive boxers, many women train recreationally through fitness, executive boxing, and boxaerobics.