History First for female boxers in Cuba!

(DEC 23)  On Saturday, December 17, 2023, history again was made for female boxers when for the first time in Cuba they held their first women’s boxing tournament.  On this date, Cuba made history when the officially sanctioned females to participate in the sport. According to news sources , the introduction of female boxers in the sport has benn enthusiastically welcomed.

Female boxers were literally banned for many years from competing in any competitive event.  On one news source they said, “The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced in 2009 that women could begin competing in boxing in the Games. Three years later the first female boxers competed in the London 2012 Games, and later in Rio de Janeiro in 2016 and Tokyo in 2020.”  But unfortunately this did not include female boxers from Cuba.

This did not stop females from training in the gyms, in community and basement gyms—they were just banned from any of the state-dominated sports system and competitions.

In Saturday’s competition there were 14 competitors in seven fights.  The history first female boxer who won the first match was Elianna Garcia Polledo, 27 years old.  A judge proudly announced over the Intercom that the result was a historic first for Cuban Boxing.