Could female gold at London...stimulate the Women Boxing scene ??

Or is it too far gone!!!

Women's Boxing especially in this Country is dying....due mainly I expect to principled types not agreeing with it..

However some of these girls who've qualified look attractive and seem talented enough...and I'm sure would like to make a living doing it after London!!

Can they change the perception and make Women's Boxing marketable and most importantly ACCEPTABLE by winning Olympic gold??

Or is female Boxing doomed...

I can't bring myself to watch it.

But mud wrestling is another matter!

I must admit I'm one of the principle brigade......

However I can see why in these days of equality some of these female fighters think they are being discriminated against...

I can't see how they feel discriminated against. Market forces distate how much people get paid and who is willing to watch what. If there is no great audience for women boxing then they shouldn't complain.

But didn't Christy Martin and Leila Ali make a small fortune fighting and some Dutch woman look good fighting?

Seems there's been a change in attitudes towards our female athletes over the years. We've got the likes of Jessica Ennis (a very attractive young woman and let's make no bones about it) who is being touted for bigthings at the Games but the media seems to want to portray her as a sexy young woman first and an athlete second. Gone are the days of the less than feminine women of GB athletics many years ago (Whitbread, Sanderson, Gunnell and Holmes). Now we've got media friendly young things who can endorse all manner of products and THAT'S the issue.

They seem more concerned with having a media career as opposed to being fully committed athletes. How long are they spending in front of cameras shooting commercials when surely they should be at the track or gym training? What are their priorities?

I don't think a female Gold medal in Boxing will enhance the sport as we've seen the likes of Audley and DeGale produce very little despite huge amounts of money thrown at them. Do the public at large care about femal eboxing? How many actually know that female boxing will be in the Olympics? No-one is going to thrown a million pounds at female boxing let alone at a single boxer.

Not suggesting it will ever be big...However maybe success can de-toxify the brand somewhat....

As long as your "forgetful" 400m chick doesn't win... I wish the rest great success and silver medals all round!!!

DAVE667 wrote:Seems there's been a change in attitudes towards our female athletes over the years. We've got the likes of Jessica Ennis (a very attractive young woman and let's make no bones about it) who is being touted for bigthings at the Games but the media seems to want to portray her as a sexy young woman first and an athlete second. Gone are the days of the less than feminine women of GB athletics many years ago (Whitbread, Sanderson, Gunnell and Holmes). Now we've got media friendly young things who can endorse all manner of products and THAT'S the issue.

They seem more concerned with having a media career as opposed to being fully committed athletes. How long are they spending in front of cameras shooting commercials when surely they should be at the track or gym training? What are their priorities?

I don't think a female Gold medal in Boxing will enhance the sport as we've seen the likes of Audley and DeGale produce very little despite huge amounts of money thrown at them. Do the public at large care about femal eboxing? How many actually know that female boxing will be in the Olympics? No-one is going to thrown a million pounds at female boxing let alone at a single boxer.

Ennis is a full time athlete who recently set a personal best and broke Denise Lewis's British record. Yes she is attractive and getting all manner of endorsements. It pays her bills. She doesn't get paid for competing in the heptathlon as there are very few Heptathlon meetings.

No place for females in men's sports. Can't stand the women getting coverage in cricket. They're rubbish as well.

What is wrong with them playing hockey and netball etc.

Now the pc brigade have been on.....I'd like to hear from the male chauvinist types!!!

IMHO women's boxing will be the real "surprise sport" of these Olympics. True as Trussman suggested women's boxing (professional) does seem to be dying out in this country but the amateur sport has never been more successful nor more popular.

There are some world class women boxers most of whom have never (or only rarely) appeared in UK so far. By far and away the best female boxer at this time is Ireland's 4 time world and 5 time European champion at 60 kg, Katie Taylor. I think we would all agree that Barry McGuigan is a good judge on boxing matters. Here is his view on Taylor in one of his Daily Mirror articles:

"Katie is phenomenal. She boxes at lightweight (60kilos), spars with men and is every bit as good, if not better.

When you watch young women like Katie perform it removes any doubts that old fuddy-duddies like me might have about women boxing.

My personal considerations were blown away the first time I saw Katie train.

I popped in to watch the elite male squad train last week. I was astonished by Katie. Her skill, power, speed, technique and attitude are all top class.

She is arguably the best pound for-pound woman boxer in the world. .

I watched her spar with the male Irish lightweight champion. Double left hooks, right hands over the top, just extraordinary.

Here is a girl who works incredibly hard, trains twice a day, spars with men to get better.

She deserves the chance to showcase her skill and dedication on the highest stage.

There are half a million women registered to amateur associations across the globe. It is absolutely right they should be given the chance to compete for Olympic gold.

It does not matter that women's boxing is not necessarily to my personal taste. I have seen how good women can be.

And if Katie wins gold at the London Olympics, no one will be cheering louder than me". That then the view of Barry McGuigan.

At this weight also the Russian, Sofya Ochigava and Team GB's Natasha Jonas are likely to gain medals. In addition to her boxing exploits Taylor has been capped for Ireland at football more than 40 times (at all grades) and is undoubtedly one of the world's leading sportswomen. Likely to be one of the stars of the Olympic Games. Just Google "Katie Taylor v Paddy Barnes" on You Tube to get a glimpse of her in action

India's Mary Kom is a 5 time world champion who may find it difficult to hold off the challenge of GB's Nikki Adams and/or China's Ren Cancan in London at 52kg whilst in the 75kg category, one of the Gold medal favourites will be GB's Savannah Marshall, the Hartlepool "silent assassin" (as she is dubbed by the media). I believe though that Canada's Mary Spencer may win the Gold but watch out also for the Russian and Bulgarian and for 17 years old American Claressa Shields.She has a great future too.

All in all some great amateur boxing in the weeks ahead, male and female, and irrespective of what the 'male chauvinists' -and indeed some females too - think women's boxing is here to stay. But in London 2012 watch out for Katie Taylor and the British trio..... and for some great bouts especially in the semi-finals and finals......just a shame that there are only three weights for women in London but it is a start...... Enjoy!

I don't have too much interest in women's boxing. I don't have a problem with women boxing in general just its usually not very good and I don't want to watch it. Same way I don't particularly want to watch women's football. Sure women boxers and footballers can be very talented but the standard just isn't what I'm used to watching. Same way I find it hard to watch my own country's league (Ireland) when I can watch the premiership or La Liga instead. Its about the quality and not the gender for me but good luck to anyone that is good enough to play sport at a high level and represent their country.

With men's boxing somewhat in the doldrums I don't see how women's boxing can really take off. In saying that Katie Taylor is pure class.

just watched that clip of katie taylor v paddy barnes... damn she's good... hope he learned a thing a too

Women's boxing is a freak show. Certainly not for me.

TRUSSMAN66 wrote:Now the pc brigade have been on.....I'd like to hear from the male chauvinist types!!!

Phwoar! Ennis and Pendleton as the bread in a superfly sandwich. Chauvinistic enough?

P.S. Victoria Pendleton - not Freddie.

Pendleton's thighs.