Female boxers are still carrying the unseen burden of building their sport from the ground up.
A new study by the University of South Wales, in partnership with the charity Boxing is Love, has found that women in boxing face a 'huge amount of hidden labour' - from organising their own training to covering travel costs - that is rarely acknowledged by the sport.
Dr Sarah Crews, associate professor of performance and physical culture, said: "When we talk about women’s boxing, we celebrate visibility – the breakthroughs, the headlines, the historic firsts.
"But behind every moment of progress is a huge amount of hidden labour.
"Women don’t just train, they organise their own sparring, travel long distances and pay out of pocket, just to compete.
"They build gym cultures, support networks and entire pathways that the sport itself doesn’t yet provide."
The research, funded by the Leverhulme Trust, draws on interviews and personal stories from boxers, coaches, and media professionals.
It highlights the logistical, emotional, and representational work that women do to sustain the sport, often without recognition or reward.
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Dr Crews also warned that the future of women’s boxing depends on making this labour visible.
She said: "Women’s boxing looks like progress, but that progress rests on labour that the sport still sometimes refuses to see.
"And until that labour is recognised, the future of the sport will continue to depend on women absorbing the cost of being included."
The study’s findings have been used to support curriculum development for Boxing is Love, a charity that aims to use boxing to create positive change in 14 countries.
Shelley Lee, director of programmes at Boxing is Love, said: "Women’s boxing has come a long way, but much of that progress has been built on work that still goes largely unrecognised and unrewarded."
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