8 Most Incredible Female Boxers Of All Time

Women entering the ring go back to the 18th century, and the first reported American bout occurred in 1876 in New York. Women's boxing first appeared in the Olympic Games at a demonstration bout in 1904. Its revival was pioneered by the Swedish Amateur Boxing Association, which sanctioned events for women in 1988

The International Boxing Association (amateur) accepted new rules for Women's Boxing at the end of the 20th century and approved the first European Cup for Women in 1999 and the first World Championship for women in 2001.

Today, female boxers are gaining momentum within the ring and are making a name for themselves around the world. Among the many outstanding female boxers throughout history, these are the eight best female boxers of all time.

8. Laila Ali

Laila Amaria Ali (born December 30, 1977) is a retired undefeated American professional boxer. She is the daughter of retired heavyweight boxing legend Muhammad Ali with his third wife, Veronica Porsche Ali. Laila is the eighth of her father's nine children and his youngest daughter.

Laila Ali, was born December 30, 1977, in Miami Beach, Florida, the daughter of boxer Muhammad Ali and his third wife, Veronica Porsche Ali. Ali was a manicurist at age 16. She graduated from California's Santa Monica College with a business degree. She owned her own nail salon before she began boxing.

Ali began boxing when she was 18 years old, after having first noticed women's boxing when watching a Christy Martin fight. She first publicized her decision to become a professional boxer in a Good Morning America interview with Diane Sawyer. When she first told her father, Muhammad Ali, that she was planning to box professionally, he was unhappy about her entering such a dangerous profession. However, Laila assured him she would be fighting women, not men, and she had his genetics.

7. Mia St. John

Mia Rosales St. John (born June 24, 1967) is a Mexican-American professional boxer and former World Boxing Council (WBC) champion in the super welterweight division. She is also the IBA and IFBA lightweight champion. She is also a model, businesswoman, and taekwondo champion.

At the age of 29, St. John decided to become a professional boxer. In her first bout on February 14, 1997, she knocked out Angelica Villain in 54 seconds of the first round and earning her the nickname "The Knockout."

During her career Mia St. John fought a record 60 matches. She won 47 matches, 18 by knockout.

6. Christy Martin

Martin was born in Mullens, West Virginia with the name Christy Salters.

Martin is said to be “the most successful and prominent female boxer in the United States” and the person who “legitimized” women’s participation in the sport of boxing. She began her career fighting in “Tough woman” contests and won three consecutive titles. She then began training with boxing coach, Jim Martin, who became her husband in 1991. On Tuesday, November 23, 2010, Martin was shot and stabbed by her husband.

Martin started her professional boxing career at the age of 21 with a six round loss to Angela Buchanan in 1989. With a full career of 57 fights, Martin won a total of 49. More impressive than her number of wins was the 31 of her 49 wins that came as a result of knockouts.

5. Ann Wolfe

Ann Wolfe (born January 17, 1971) is an American female boxer who held world titles in four different weight classes simultaneously. Wolfe is regarded by many within the sport as the hardest puncher and best fighter in the history of women's boxing. She's also a personal trainer and coach of several professional boxers, including currently high-ranking junior-middleweight contender James Kirkland.Wolfe made her professional debut by beating Brenda Lee Bell by a four round decision.

Her first and only career loss came four fights later, when she was knocked out in three rounds by veteran and future world champion Valerie Mahfood. Anne Wolfe is best known for her Tyson like fighting style and hard punching abilities. In fact, her victory over Vonda Ward is considered one of the greatest “one punch knockouts in the history of women’s boxing”. Wolfe’s historic Vonda Ward knockout wasn’t the only time Wolf won by KO. Of her 26 pro boxing fights, Wolfe knocked out 16 of her opponents.

4. Regina Halmich

Regina Halmich (born 22 November 1976) is a female boxer from Germany. Halmich is among the most successful female boxers of all time, and helped popularise female boxing in Europe.

Halmich was German champion in kickboxing as an amateur in 1992, 1993 and 1994, a year in which she also earned the European title.

As a professional, she has boxed in the Jr. Flyweight, Flyweight, Jr. Bantamweight, Bantamweight and Featherweight divisions. During her 13 years in the ring, she fought 56 times and won 54 fights.

3. Ronda Rousey

Ronda Jean Rousey born February 1, 1987) is an American mixed martial artist, judoka, and actress. She is the former UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion, as well as the last Strike force Women's Bantamweight Champion. She has won eleven of her fights in the first round, nine of them by arm bar. Rousey was the first U.S. woman to earn an Olympic medal in judo (Bronze) at the Summer Olympics in Beijing in 2008. Rousey trains under Gokor Chivichyan of the Hayastan MMA Academy, and Edmond Tarverdyan of the Glendale Fighting Club. In 2015, she was the third most searched person on Google.

In November 2012, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced that Rousey had become the first female fighter to sign with the UFC. UFC President Dana White officially announced at the UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Diaz pre-fight press conference that Rousey was the first UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion.

She is undefeated in her career winning 11 of her 11 matches.

2. Lucia Rijker

Lucia Frederica Rijker (born December 6, 1967) is a Dutch professional female boxer, kickboxer, andactress. Rijker has been dubbed by the press and opponents "The Most Dangerous Woman in the World". She win 36 six match out of 37 in which 25 by knockout.

In 2006 Rijker stated that although not retired as a professional boxer, she would only consider one more fight - a bout with Laila Ali.

1. Cecilia Braekhus

Cecilia Carmen Linda Brækhus (born 28 September 1981) is a Norwegian professional boxer and a former kick boxer. She is currently the undisputed world welterweight champion, and the first woman in the world to hold the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles simultaneously

In 2009, when the Norwegian boxer entered the professional boxing circuit she started claiming titles right from the start. First the WBC World Championship, the WBA female welterweight title, the WBO title in 2010, and the World Professional Boxing Federation title after knocking out Mikaela Lauren in the 7th round.

Braekhus has fought against some of the toughest female boxers in the world, including Mia St John in 2013, and won. Her continual boxing success has made her the first woman in the world to hold the WBA, WBC, IBF, and WBO titles simultaneously.

WBA, WBC, WBO and WPBF Champion Cecilia Brækhus is awarded as "Female Boxer of the Year 2010" by German boxing magazine Box Sport.