Women’s boxing is buzzing right now, what with the great fights warriors Mikaela Mayer, Katie Taylor, Savannah Marshall, Ebanie Bridges and others have been giving us – with plenty more to come. But the idea of women boxing is still not one everyone can handle. Case in point, former IBF bantamweight champ Joseph Agbeko. Agbeko of Ghana spoke with Class FM this week, and the former champ says he does not support women’s boxing, nor would he allow his daughters to box.
Agbeko may well receive some criticism for what he has said, yet everyone is of course entitled to their own opinion.
“I’ve two girls and I do not support female boxing,” Agbeko said. “People can disagree with me [but] I believe everything men can do, women can do even better, but when it comes to boxing, I feel men are born warriors. I don’t think it’s good for women to go out there and shed blood, so, I don’t support women boxing and I don’t think any of my kids will get into boxing.”
No doubt great female fighters like the ones listed above will strongly and passionately disagree with Agbeko and his sentiments. Still, it has taken some years for female boxing to be (almost) fully accepted. Even now, without wishing to come across as a male chauvinist pig, it can be hard watching a beautiful woman get punched in the face. So, for what it’s worth, I can kind of, sort of see where Agbeko is coming from.
Be totally honest, fight fan – would You be happy to let your daughter fight in a ring for a living?
Then again, these days women fighters are surpassing the men in terms of giving their sport thrilling fights, of displaying so much heart and guts. Women’s boxing is here to stay, let’s put it that way – whether you agree with Agbeko or not.
Now, who wins the female super fight between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano, set to be an instant classic as this fight is on April 30? It’s safe to say Joseph Agbeko will not be tuning in.