Unbelievable Media coverage for female boxers in the 1970’s

As you know, first to go on the running back are his legs and the pitcher’s arm departs and the goalie is betrayed by his nerves.  There may now be reason to dread the first thing to go on the sports columnist is his sense of humor.

You see, I quite frankly cannot find anything amusing about an upcoming fight at the Forum in Inglewood [California, USA], between two women.   At least, they arc alleged (to be honest-to-goodness, bona fide, authentic females.)

Patricia Pineda is apparently scheduled to go four rounds with Kim Maybee under the auspicies of promoter Don Fraser who should be ashamed of himself.   Fraser was once a reasonably respected promoter of boxing, a sport.   He was around when Bash Boulevard was inhabited by the likes of Rocky Marciano and Sugar Ray Robinson and Carmen Basilio and Archie Moore.

In those days men fought men and champions  defended against legitimate challengers and nobody fought  Japanese wrestlers or French foot fighters.

‘ Presumably, the thing between the two women is for laughs. Fraser may be playing off ladies’ wrestling  and roller derby a couple of pastimes with which he was once associated.

Actually  one wrestling broad grabbing another by the hair and swinging her around and throwing her out of the ring is funny.   One roller derby female kicking another in the fat fanny with a skate boot is also hilarious.

THEN TOO, this spectator has observed some hair-pulling, eye-scratching bouts in the neighborhood tavern which were worth the price of a double bourbon.

But the female boxing thing seems to fall somewhat short of good comedy. Funny, it doesn’t make it. Sad. it doesn’t even come off.

The word, perhaps, is gross.

Of course, to each its own. It is not out of the question there will be those  who will be awestruck by twogrotesque, lumpy females flopping around a ring punching each other in the…nose.

There is no accounting for tastes. Some people eat  frogs legs and some regard snails as a delicacy.

Then too, promoter Fraser knows better than most of us what the general public will pay to see.  He also knows whether Ihere is any dignity or personal pride left in his business.

The curious will ask why a woman would become a boxer. One does not have to be a male chauvinist pig to suggest that fist fighting is not generally regarded as becoming to a lady.

Creatures who enter the dodge not doubt figure they will find-it easier to  get info the newspapers by making such spectacles of themselves, I mean, women scrubbing floors and peeling potatoes get very little coverage by the media.

SECONDLY, there will be questions as to why the  athletic commission would hold still for such an unlikely state of affairs.   Even bears and kangaroos have to be licensed to box in California.

It is a legal matter and the state athletic commission has little or no choice.  But do not believe that the commission has not asserted itself in the matter. Ours is not a wishy-washy commission which would simply turn two broads loose and let the tiling and kicking and gouging begin.

Certain rules were established to cover lady fighters and the commission takes a solemn oath it will stand firm in the face of the most hysterical female screaming.  The rules governing the girls are too lengthy to examine here, but you get an idea of the firmness of the commission from two conditions under which ladies will not be permitted in the ring.

A female boxer will not be allowed to fight if she is  (a) menstruating or (b) pregnant. This tourist has nothing against women. I once went to such lengths as to marry one of them.  But lady box fighters? Frankly, I am underwhelmed.

Thankfully, it is not likely to spread. The Olympic Boxing Club, which is the other fistic operation in our town, has a lady promoter. We shall expect none of this nonsense from her.

Editorial section:  Independent Press – Telegram, , Long Beach CA – April 18, 1976