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1923: Lamare Receives the
First Report Boxing License in the United States |
On July 17, 1923, it was reported in
the Lowell Sun that Jeanne Lamar received her Boxing License from
New Jersey. There is a photo of her with the story about the
license.
Photo of Lamare receiving her license
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History First: Claressa Shields
Wins the FIRST Gold Medal in Boxing for the USA! She goes on to win
a second Gold Medal in 2016 |
In the 2012 Summer Olympics, in London, the
Olympics included for the first time women's boxing. Claressa Shields,
of Clint, Michigan, only 17 years old is the first female boxer in the
United States to win a Gold medal. Marlen Esparza won a bronze
medal as a flyweight. [WBAN's
special coverage of the Olympics].
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1975: Caroline
Svendsen First Female Boxer to receive a Boxing License in
the state of Nevada |
Ted Walker, who is now deceased at the
age of 75, was a manager and promoter in Carson City, Nevada. Walker
had started in Montana. He is the one who told Bill Dickson
(promoter, and now deceased) that he had a girl that was
working out in a gym. Walker told him that her name was Caroline
Svendsen. Walker told Dickson that she was tending bar, and that
when he saw her, he liked what he saw. Walker had Svendsen apply for
a Nevada Boxing license with the Nevada Boxing Commission, but was
turned down. They threatened to sue the commission, and the second
time around, they issued Svendsen a boxing license. Walker thought
that it was something that Dickson could help her with, because They
were having regular shows at the Hyatt in Lake Tahoe. Svendsen
became the first woman to not only get her boxing license, but box
at the Hyatt.
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Like Father...Like
Daughter!
May 1, 2003 |
On May 1, 2003, at the Delaware
County Fairgrounds, in Muncie, Indiana, there was a "History
First" when father, Al Hughes, 54, and Daughter, Angela
Hughes, 18, fought on the same amateur event! Both Al and
Angela won their bouts...Angela who was making her debut stopped
Lynicia Hinson of Anderson in the second round by KO, and Al,
defeated 20-year-old Johnny Sparks of Indianapolis. In the
first round Sparks knocked "Dad" down to the canvass, but then Al
got the better of his opponent and KO'd him in the second round!
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1994: Diedre Yumi
Hamaguchi...a history first and fascinating story |
Hamaguchi was the first woman
Hamaguchi was the first woman
to enter the 1994 Daily
News Golden Gloves in New York, NY. To keep them from knowing that she was a female, Diedre mailed in her application using only a first initial "D" Hamaguchi, so as
to not give away her gender. to enter the 1994 Daily
News Golden Gloves in New York, NY. To keep them from knowing that she was a female,
Diedre mailed in her application using only a first initial "D"
Hamaguchi, so as
to not give away her gender. As the Daily News quoted in an
article called, "Ladies night with a punch," dated April 7, 1995, a year
after she made history, "Dee Hamaguchi, who is the reason why women were here at
the Daily News Golden Gloves in the first place. It had never happened in the 68 years of
the country's oldest and largest amateur boxing competition. Last year as
application was submitted with the name D. Hamaguchi. Nobody knew D. was Dee, and
that Dee was a woman from Harlem. Even though she didn't end up competing last year,
the seed was in the ground, and it started growing, so there we were last night looking at
Jill Matthews' mascara and at the Golden Gloves dangling from Christine Bruno SanGallo's
neck." Dee Hamaguchi would have had her chance to compete in 1994, except
that the Daily News sent her schedule to get her physical exam too late in the mail!
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Professional Female Fight in Canada - 1977 |
Referee Nick Nicholo signals it's
all over as Yvonne Barkley heads to her corner, a fourth-round
winner, and a beaten Smokey Robinson slumps in her corner clutching her midsection.
Barkley and Robinson competed in Canada's first professional female fight in Canada at
Pointe -aux -Trembles, Que. *This was an original History
First ---we now believe that there was boxing in Canada in the
1950s.
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February
1994 - First female boxing match sanctioned by USA Boxing |
These women finally got a chance to box in the
first female boxing match and were part of history in the making when they participated in
the first bout officially sanctioned by USA Boxing, the amateur sport's national governing
body. The female participates were Tracy Desmond, a 21-year-old senior at DePaul
majoring in international studies and Jacqueline Ta, an 18-year-old from the University of
Chicago. The fight ended in a TKO for Desmond.
 |
August
26, 1986 - Ohio Boxing Commissions Allows Female Bout |
The Ohio Boxing Commission had
finally allowed a female boxing match to be scheduled on a 7-bout card at the Lakeland
Community College. The female boxers who participated in that
"first-time" ever bout was Parma's Debra Kennedy and Cleveland's Sharon
Harrington.
 |
First
Women's Bantamweight World Championship - 15 rounds |
Darlina Valdez, of Santa Fe, was
in the women’s first bantamweight world championship before more than 1,000 screaming
fans in Albuquerque, New Mexico. She fought a 15-round battle and won a unanimous decision
over Holly McDaniel of Muncie, Indiana. Apparently the fight was
a crowd pleaser, and it was reported that the crown "roared with delight" at the
performance of the two women. McDaniel, a high school beauty contest winner and mother of
a three-year-old. She got her nose broken in the 11th round, but continued bravely
to the finish. The rules at the time in 1983 for fighting a championship fight, was
the same as men’s, 15 rounds for championship fights and eight-ounce gloves. Chest
and abdomen protectors were optional and at the time, only about 50 percent of the
women wore them.
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Historic Night at National Stadium
By Michael O’Neill
Credit: SportsNewsIreland.com
March 24, 2012 |
(MAR 24) A historic first
ever women’s boxing international in Ireland last night was
inevitably dominated by Katie Taylor whose 25-5 win over Dutch
champion Jessica Belder was watched by a few hundred spectators
in the Stadium and countless others at home and abroad via the
IABA’s welcome ‘Live streaming’ coverage of all eight bouts.
As another step on the Road to London (hopefully) via the
World’s in Qinhuangdao, China this was a good start to a busy
week which will also see her fight in Cavan (against the same
opponent tomorrow), in Cork on 30th against 2011 Golden Gloves
champion, Liz Leddy from Portland, Maine (USA) and in Dungarvan
on 31st March when she meets N'yteeyah Sherman, the highly
promising, 6ft tall, 19 yrs old from Barberton, Ohio who came
within a single point of defeating Queen Underwood at the recent U.S. Olympic Trials.
...Full
Story
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WBC
History
First - Diamond Belt to women
July 30, 2011 |
On July 30, 2011 in a "History First" for the WBC, with their
first Diamond Belt Championship for the females, Ana Maria Torres,
118, won by a 10-round unanimous decision over Jackie Nava, 118. The
venue for the fight was in Chiapas, Mexico.
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WBAN Makes History in Europe: Lamare Wins by Decision
October 9, 2009 |
In Marseilles,
France, In what was an exciting bout between Myriam Lamare vs. Ann
Marie Saccurato, Lamare won the 10-round title bout by a unanimous
decision. WBAN was told the fight had the fans out of the seats
cheering. Lamare not only won the WBFJunior Welterweight World
title, but also the WBAN Junior Welterweight Independent belt.
Lamare and Saccurato made history for WBAN by fighting for the first
WBAN Independent belt in Europe.
The judges were the
following: Ingo Barrabas Germany, Tonio Tiberi Luxemburg, Noel
Monnet France Donale Trella USA.
Full Story
 |
WBAN makes its own History! Holly Holm and Chevelle Hallback
become the first P4P WBAN Belt Holders in the sport
June 13, 2008 |
On June 13, 2008, at the Isleta Casino & Resort, in Albuquerque, New
Mexico, on the televised PPV event “FINALLY”---WBAN “Finally”
made its own history in the sport. WBAN celebrates its 10-year
anniversary of being live on the net as of June 2008---and WHAT
better way to celebrate those 10 years then to honor the women
boxers with a prestigious award belt for being the best of the best
in the sport. Never
before have women boxers received an independent World Title belt,
for being the “Best of the Best”, and having an opportunity to fight
for an elite independent belt. Ring Magazine does it for male
boxers-and it is time that WBAN does it for female boxers.
More
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Salandy Wins five world titles
December 9, 2006
Salandy is deceased after being tragically killed in a car
accident. |
Boxing world record history was made
today, in Trinidad and Tobago, when at the Jean Pierre Complex,
Port of Spain, in Trinidad West Indies, Gizelle Salandy of
Trinidad won five (Junior Middleweight) world title belts, that included
the WBA, WBC, NABC, WBE, and IWBF. Promoter Boxu Potts has already
applied for recognition for this fight to be inducted into the Guinness
Book of World Records. Salandy, 149 ¼, defeated her opponent,
Mariem Brakache, 151, with a 10-round unanimous decision.
 |
A father, son and
daughter fight on same boxing card
by Mike
Collins
News-Gazette Sports Writer
November 14, 2006 |
MUNCIE – It was another history making
evening Saturday night at the downtown Muncie Horizon Center as
Richard Crabtree Entertainment hosted yet another outstanding King
of the Ring boxing program. A large majority of the fine crowd
on hand came to witness boxing history. For the first time
anywhere in the history of boxing, the evening saw a father, son and
daughter all..Full
Story
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Dierdre Nelson:
Ireland's first women's professional contest
Photo credit: Courtesy
|
On October 20, 2000, in the Ulster Hall, in
Belfast, Ireland, Ireland's Dierdre Nelson (145 1/2) , 31,
defeated Bulgarian Tzanka Karova (147 lbs) with a four-round
unanimous decision. Deirdre fought a four rounder against Tzanka
Kurova from Bulgaria. The final judging was 40-36. . Nelson is now 1-1. The
Fleetwood Assassin Jane Couch said about Nelson: “Deirdre Nelson was
a legend in her own right. While I was fighting the authorities in
England, she was fighting them in Ireland. What Deirdre has
done for women’s boxing — and she started in the kickboxing way
before me as well — straight into a world title fight in her first
boxing match, absolute legend and doesn’t get enough credit if you
ask me.”
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First Daughter of a
Boxing Legend....J'Marie Moore
Photo credit: Courtesy
|
Female Boxer J'Marie Moore made a History's
First when she became the FIRST daughter of a famous boxing father,
Archie Moore. She had her pro debut in 1997, winning by a unanimous decision. Many have thought that
Laila Ali was the first---but WBAN set the record straight on the
daughters of male boxing legends. More on Moore on WBAN's
Historical Database.
wbanmember.com/moore
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Spain Features
First Women's Bout: July 1999...A
Boxing night event in Vigo |
Poli Diaz, the boxer from Madrid, had no rival in the Romanian
Gheorghe Dumitrescu, wining easily the fight by TKO in the first round.
This event also served to introduce female boxing in Spain with the bout
between the Californian Patricia Villanueva, ranked 3rd in the world,
and the Italian Champion Giovanna Neglia. The boxer from the USA, whose
parents are Mexicans, won by close decision, thanks to the points of the
main judge.
 |
First Swiss Woman took part in boxing match on April 20,
1996
Photo credit: Courtesy
|
On April 20, 1996, super
featherweight Christina Nigg, born on February 24, 1961, Thun
Switzerland, was the
first Swiss woman who took part in a boxing match. Close to
two years later, Nigg make her pro debut against Silke Weickenmeier,
on January 1, 1998, in a six-round bout, losing to Silke by points
in that bout. She went on to fight four more times professionally
earning a 3-2-0 (1KO) boxing record before having her last
professional fight on October 16, 1999, in a ten round bout, winning
against Nadia Debras by a split decision.
 |
Britain's First Female Pro Boxing Match - November 25, 1998
Photo credit:
Sue TL Fox |
Jane launched a legal fight with the British
Boxing Board of Control, who refused to issue her (or any other British
female boxer) a boxing license on flimsy medical grounds. Panos Eliades,
the promoter of WBC heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis, had promised to
promote Jane if the BBBC relents. The tribunal ruled in Jane's favor in
March 1998. Armed with her favorable ruling, Jane also sued the BBBC for
loss of past income! Jane (144 lbs) made a place for herself in
British boxing history at Caesar's Palace in Streatham, in London on
November 25, 1998, by posting a TKO at 1:04 of the second round over
18-year-old Simona Lukic (144 lbs) from Speyer, Germany. Lukic did not
put up much of a fight against Couch and the referee stopped the contest
when she failed to respond to a big flurry of punches from Jane.
Couch vs. Lukic had been the first women's professional contest under
the jurisdiction of the British Boxing Board of Control since the
Board's formation in 1929.
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Shannon Hall From
the TV Show "The American Gladiators Becomes the First Toughwoman World Champion - 1996!
More on Shannon Hall |
In 1996 Shannon DALLAS Hall from the
television show THE AMERICAN GLADIATORS became the first Toughwoman
World Champion in Detroit, Michigan, winning a $10,000.00 purse, then
signing a professional boxing contract under Adorable Promotions. She
went on to become the Platinum Division Champion under Jackie Kallan's
IFBA sanction and was featured in Sports Illustrated, USA Today, and
Boxing World magazine.
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Female competed in First-Ever New England Golden Gloves - February 13,
1996 |
Raphaelle Johnson, a
26-year-old Cambridge resident, made history when she became the
first-ever female New England Golden Gloves boxing champion. She won a
unanimous three-round decision over Tiffney Castalucci. Johnson won the
fight to a standing ovation at Lowell Auditorium. It was the first-ever
amateur female fight licensed by the Massachusetts Boxing Commission.
 |
Women
make history in first 1997 Women's National Boxing
Championships |
Dynamic 4'11" "Downtown"
Leona Brown was
born in Buffalo, New York on July 27, 1960 and fought out of Pawling,
New York. Leona quickly achieved prominence as a professional boxer
after getting into the ring at the age of 37. This relentless
infighter and body puncher took the women's 119 lb title at the 70th New
York Golden Gloves tournament with a win over Nancy Brody of the Julio
Rivera Boxing Club. Leona was in the
first ever
boxing tournament that included women boxers. Leona
Brown (with the blue gloves on) made her mark in 1997, before becoming a
World Champion in September of 1998
in Augusta, Georgia.
 |
History First: The First
reported Sanctioned Amateurs Bouts in the USA for Females
Story by Sue TL Fox |
In the Minneapolis
Tribune, dated Friday, April 7, 1978, the following was reported:
“In another first for women in boxing, Joan Marcolt, 24, St. Paul,
will meet Debbie Kaufman, 24, Minneapolis, Saturday in the
bantamweight division of the state AAU boxing tournament at Fred
Moore Junior High School in Anoka. It will be the first amateur bout
between women in Minnesota.” Little did these women boxers know that
the AAU would block this bout, and Kaufman and Marcolt were not
allowed to participate in the competition that following day. The
women’s boxing organization which at that time was called the
University of Minneapolis Women’s boxing club was furious, and they
let it be known to the media.
Full Story
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Pioneer Female Boxer: Sue
“KO” Carlson Makes First-Time History on January 23, 1978 |
It is Monday, January
23, 1978, and in the Minneapolis Auditorium in Minneapolis,
Minnesota, history was being made. Minnesota’s [reported] first
professional women’s boxing match was featured as a preliminary
event on an otherwise all male fight card. The purse for each of the
women is $125.00. “Ladies and gentlemen, in this corner, fighting in
the junior welter-weight class of the World Women’s Boxing
Association, Sue “KO” Carlson of Minneapolis, Minnesota.” The ring
announcer droned on. “and in this corner, Bonnie Prestwood of Muncie
Indiana, defending her 4-0 record.”
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First Ever Female Boxing
professional bout in the State of New York |
The First “official”
women’s match took place on July 16, 1979, in New York City, New
York, between Toni Tucker vs. Gladys Smith. Both of the weighed in
at about 155 lbs. As one reporter said, “The novelty brought a
packed house—three times the usual crowd—and reports with photos.”
This fight was published in the New York Post, and the Daily News.
In a not exciting bout over six 3-minute rounds. Smith won the bout
by a unanimous decision. This was confirmed in Jet Magazine,
that was documented in the August 23, 1979 issue. They said the
following: Lady Boxers Debut in New York, “Bam” Smith Wins Decision.
“By all accounts, it wasn’t much of a fight. But it was enought for
Gladys “Bam” Smith, a 21-year old mother of two, to get into the
history books. As a party to New York State’s first female boxing
match, she won a unanimous six-round decision over Toni
“Leatherneck” Tucker.”
Full Story
