Women’s boxing will finally make it’s Olympic debut at this year’s summer games in London. Since the bone-jarring sport is one of my favorite aspects of the event, adding even more matches featuring a bevy of talented scrappers isn’t going to bother me in the least. In fact, I’m surprised it’s take this long for women’s boxing to make an appearance at the Olympics. Although I’m sure you’re assuming my interest in the sport is entirely impure, I’m honestly just excited to see more people fighters into the ring. I don’t care if you believe me or not.
To celebrate the debut of women’s boxing, Vogue, a magazine one generally doesn’t associated with sports, decided to do a story on professional bralwer Marlen Esparza. The 23-year-old from Pasadena, Texas started smacking people around the ring when she was just eleven. Her experience, combined with her raw talent, could put her in a position to take home the gold for the United States. Just how talented is she, you ask? Her current record stands at 69 wins, 2 losses. It would seem she knows precisely how to knock someone out.
In fact, so accomplished is her career that sponsors such as Nike, Coca-Cola, and Cover Girl extended sponsorship deals to the boxer. As a result, Esparza was able to quit her job as a dental assistant to pursue her love of boxing without the restraints of a day job. As silly as it may sound, I kind of like the idea of professional scrapper who moonlights as a dental assistant. She’s knocking your teeth out one second, and helping you get them back into shape the next.
However, Esparza doesn’t look like your typical fighter, and she’s willing to admit her looks are deceiving. “A track-and-field athlete, perhaps, or a runner, but at five feet three and 112 pounds she is neither brawny nor particularly fierce-looking.”
To see Esparza and a host of other Olympic hopefuls square off against one another in the ring, be sure to tune into Olympic coverage during the dates listed on the official schedule. And congratulations to all the female fighters who are getting an opportunity to compete for the first time this year. I can’t imagine the excitement they must feel.