Pioneer Boxer: JoAnn Hagen

JOANN HAGEN, a fighter in the fifties, was the only female to defeat Barbara Buttrick.    HAGEN was a tall, beautiful blond-haired woman.  She was very graceful in her movements when she boxed in the ring.

Some interesting tidbits on Hagan (from The Police Gazette-June 1950), Hagen had appeared on the Steve Allen Show in November 1956.  The show is viewable at the Museum of TV and Radio in NYC http://www.mtr.org.  According to Barry N., who sent in this information and had viewed the tape, said that the tape was “Pretty Wild.” and that Hagen appeared with Phyllis Kugler, and they were billed as “Champion Women Boxers”. The whole thing was played very tongue in cheek.    First they both come out in evening dresses (Hagan is gorgeous!).

Then they made them change into their boxing duds on stage, behind a screen! All the while Allen continued to interview them , coyly shielding his eyes with one hand.  After they came out, Hagan sparred a little with Allen, who quickly gave up, then with Kugler. Hagan announced that she and Kugler were having a title match.” (A special thanks to Barry for sending in this information.

Permission granted, all credit and property of photos are from Amazons in Action magazine, article:  eight-part series, Lady is a Boxer, Copyright©1979, Swish Publications LTD, 47 Great Guildford St.London SE1

WBAN received some fight info in April 2010, from a relative of Pat Emerick, a female boxer who fought Hagen in 1949. They stated the following:   The boxing match was held November of 1949 in Council Bluff, Iowa. Mom won this fight and the Ladies Championship In the 3rd round by a TKO. Miss Hagen couldn’t come out in the 4th round.  The only thing she has left of her boxing career is the Golden Glove that was on top of her Championship Trophy. The rest was destroyed by fire that was accidently set by children playing with matches. “