(JAN 5) The European boxing season begins in earnest in February when the 2017 Golden Girl tournament takes place in Boras, Sweden between 3 and 5 February.

As of early January, some 180 boxers have entered and plenty of time for more to join since the closing date is 1 February.

For ‘newbies’ the event’s location is:

Boråshallen, Bockasjögatan 2, 504 30 Borås, Sweden

Golden Girl organiser Ray Husac told WBAN: “We will have Team Russia here and they have promised to come with their best team, whilst current and reigning champion Tatiana Zrachevskaya will attend and try to defend her belt. Thus far we have 180 girls entered and many more to come before the closing date. Already in the first days of January we have had enquiries from Israel, China, Taiwan, Nigeria, Ukraine among others and we have one month left, so I think it will be a lot of boxers this time.”

Tournaments like Golden Girl also need top class officials so good to hear that in addition to the best that Sweden can offer – and they’ve always proved very reliable’ Husac is looking even further a field as he explained:

“We are also going for a more international roster of officials, less from Sweden and only the best, the rest coming from Norway, Denmark, Ireland, England, Switzerland whilst we are awaiting some from other countries as well that will come with their teams.

We have boxers from Canada and Hungary with us for the first time, that is something we look forward to and there will be top boxers from France and Italy as well as from England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.

The tagline for the tournament this year is:

“One ring to rule them all... One tournament to bring them all... One girl to beat them all... and in the end outshine them all! “

well, we might have borrowed a little from Tolkien’s “Lord of the Rings” here!

Among those early entries hoping to be that ‘GoldenGirl’ are defending champion Zrachevskaya, England’s Raven Chapman, Ireland’s Alanna Murphy (remember she made history when taking on Katie Taylor in the first ever legally sanctioned female bout in Ireland), a very strong England selection in all grades, champions also from Sweden,Norway,Denmark and inevitably from various Irish clubs. Among those sending powerful teams this year are St Brigid’s Kildare, Leinster Boxing, Team Dublin and St Michael’s New Ross. We’ll bring you more news of late entries plus news of the strong British and Irish contingents nearer the beginning of the tournament.

We know already that Malmo & Serbia’s Jelena Jelic will be there, so too Sweden’s national champion Alex Alexiusson, Denmark’s Yvonne Baek Rasmussen and Norway’s Madeleine Angelsen from Vestby whom you will remember recently fought in front of 10,000 on the Cecilia Brækhus-Anne Sophie Mathis undercard in Oslo.

Don’t forget if you need information you’ll find it all on the club’s social media sites or if still in doubt contact Ray Husac via Facebook or by email : rayhusac@telia.com

List of entries as at 2 January 2017 : Link

Golden Girl 2017 Promotional Trailer: Link