USA Boxing Women’s Championship takes place in Toledo, July 22-29

USA Boxing will hold the first ever USA Boxing Women’s Championships, July 22-29, in Toledo, Ohio at the Glass City Center.

The week-long inaugural event will be open to all age groups, as well as to novice and open female boxers, including non-citizens and boxers from International Federations that are currently in good standing.

“We are incredibly excited and honored to host the USA Boxing Women’s Championships. We have a rich history in amateur boxing and we look forward to welcoming these world-class athletes from around the world and to show them all the great things our community has to offer,” Lucas County Commissioner Pete Gerken said. “More than 7,000 visitors from around the country are expected to attend this premier event, generating $2 million in economic impact for Lucas County and the region and further bolstering our national recognition as a sports city.”

By hosting an annual event focused on all-female participate of boxers, coaches, officials and administrators, USA Boxing is positioning themselves to become a worldwide leader in Olympic style boxing. USA Boxing is dedicated to see boxing grow in the Unites States and provide females the same benefits as their male counterparts, in and out of the ring through empowerment, self-confidence, educational opportunities, work ethic and respect for others.

“Toledo is a place of prosperity and growth,” stated Vanice Williams, Toledo District 4 Councilwoman. “Welcoming young women to Toledo will for sure bring one thing to mind, you’ll do better in Toledo. I am happy to welcome USA Boxing to my home where the possibilities are endless. And in the great Queen Bee’s words, ‘We run the World,’ so why not the sport of boxing as well?”, said Williams.

The event will also feature opportunities for boxers and coaches to attend lectures on a variety of topics related to female boxers. There will also be an all-female bronze and silver coaching clinic. The Women’s Championships will also serve as a ranking points tournament. More information on the lectures and coaching clinics will be released in the coming weeks.

“This is an event that has been in the making for many years, and we are excited to bring our first ever Women’s Championships to Toledo,” stated Mike McAtee, USA Boxing Executive Director. “With the continued growth of women’s boxing, we know this event will be a great opportunity to give our female USA Boxing members the chance to grow their passion for the sport and make an impact.”

The state of Ohio has a rich history of boxing, with Toledo’s own Oshae Jones being the first female boxer to represent Team USA at an Olympic Games from Ohio at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. Jones earned a bronze in the welterweight division, which was contested for the first time in female boxing at those Games.

Team USA fielded a full women’s team of five at the 2020 Olympic Games, with Jones leading the way with her bronze medal performance. The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will feature six women’s weight classes for the first time since joining the Olympic program in 2012, which saw only three women’s weight classes be contested before adding two more weight classes in 2020.

Women’s boxing has been on the rise over the recent years, with many of today’s top female professional boxers coming through the ranks of USA Boxing, including two-time Olympic Gold Medalist Claressa Shields (Flint, Mich.), 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Marlen Esparza (Houston, Texas) and 2016 Olympian Mikaela Mayer (Los Angeles, Calif.).