Women have definitely made inroads into the Sweet Science Of Bruising.
They train at hardcore boxing gyms and get respect. They compete professionally.
This was bound to happen eventually.
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/more/04/04/boxer.death.ap/index.html?cnn=yes
DENVER (AP) – A female boxer who died from injuries sustained in a Colorado Golden Gloves boxing match this weekend is believed to be the first woman to die in an amateur boxing match in the United States.
Becky Zerlentes, 34, of Fort Collins died Sunday afternoon, said Howard Daniel of the Denver County coroner’s office. A preliminary cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. Results from an autopsy conducted Monday were not immediately available.
Zerlentes was hit by a punch by her opponent, Heather Schmitz, and despite wearing protective headgear, fell unconscious to the canvas during the third round of her match late Saturday, USA Boxing spokeswoman Julie Goldsticker said.
Ringside physicians jumped into the ring but Zerlentes never regained consciousness and died several hours later at a hospital.
Zerlentes, who had a 6-4 record, was married.
“The USA Boxing family’s thoughts and prayers go out to Becky’s family and husband; we are deeply saddened by this loss,” USA Boxing president Sandy Martinez-Pino said.
USA Boxing is the sanctioning body for amateur boxing. The organization lifted its ban on women in 1993 and currently has 2,200 registered participants.
Goldsticker said the last death at a USA Boxing sanctioned event happened in February 2001 when heavyweight Quinton Grier, 31, of Springfield, Ill., died after his match.