The New Olympic Ring

Men have boxed at the Games for more than a century. Now women are getting their turn

Peter Hapak for TIME

Queen Underwood. Age 27. Division: Lightweight (132 lb.) Height: 5 ft. 6 in. Record: 24-7-0

Boxing has always been an Olympic sport. The ancient Greeks wrapped their fists in leather strips in the 7th century B.C. In the modern Games, gold medals have launched the sport's greatest figures: Muhammad Ali, Joe Frazier, George Foreman and Oscar De La Hoya all made their first appearances on the world stage with a victory in the Olympics.

This summer in London, the Games of the XXX Olympiad will present a historic debut. For the first time, female boxers will compete. It's been 19 years since a teenage girl named Dallas Malloy went to U.S. federal court to win women...

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