Women’s boxing has justifiably been receiving a lot of attention recently, firstly with the announcement that it will be included in the London Olympics in 2012 and then the first live broadcast of an all female professional bout, between Big Brother star Angel ‘The Artist’ McKenzie and Lana Cooper, on British network television.

In some ways it shouldn’t come as any surprise that Boxing gyms up and down the country are suddenly beginning to take female participation in the sport seriously.

What may surprise some though is that there is a gym in London that not only has actively supported women’s boxing but has also been training female fighters for a number of years.

The gym in question, Rooney’s Boxing Gym, formerly Gleason’s London, has had many of the best known female boxers, including five time World Champion, the late, great Gisselle Salandy, Laura Saperstein, Angel ‘The Artist’ McKenzie, Marianne ‘Golden Girl’ Marston etc, train at their world class facility close to the famous London landmark, Tower Bridge. More...

Ahead of her much awaited pro-debut, British featherweight Marianne Marston has been sparring with veteran Angel McKenzie in London.

Marston, who has trained in America under the watchful eye of former heavyweight champion Joe Frazier, has been trying to get her career off the ground after numerous false starts. More...

I want to thank all of you for the comments and observations you sent in on last week’s column. I am sure this week’s column will spark some debate.

Also, I would love to get your opinion on the “mythical” fight that is highlighted on one of the video pieces below from The Al Bernstein Boxing Channel.

Take a look at the What If…feature on an Evander Holyfield-Joe Frazier fight and tell me if you agree or disagree with the experts who weigh in on who would win that match. More...

None other than legendary ex-heavyweight boxing champion of the world Smokin’ Joe Frazier has said of British featherweight Marianne "Golden Girl" Marston, “She’s going to be the Champ.”

Joe's son and former heavyweight contender Marvis Frazier has said of Marston, "Marianne is the hardest working, committed fighter I have seen in a long time. She's very hard for any fighter to deal with. She's strong, fast and accurate, has lots of combinations and punches hard, so hard it's like being hit by a heavyweight."

Ex-middleweight world champion Robert ‘Bam Bam’ Hines said of Marston, “Marianne’s an exciting fighter who’s got it all. One thing for sure she’s ging to be the Champ...soon.”

Former IBF Cruiserweight Champion Steve ‘USS’ Cunningham has been so impressed with Marston that he invited her to be part of his team. More...

Just under 27 years ago, two men stepped into the ring and created the most memorable 140lb bout to ever take place when former three division champion Alexis "El Flaco Explosivo" Arguello stepped up to challenge then reigning WBA light welterweight champion Aaron "The Hawk" Pryor in his quest for a fourth division championship.

Arguello, the crowd favorite by far, had not lost in five years and was widely considered one of boxing's pound for pound greats, while Pryor was undefeated and had developed an aura of invincibility, stopping 29 of his 31 previous opponents.

The bout did not disappoint onlookers in any way, shape or form as the two men went to war, giving it all they had until finally Arguello had enough and the bout was halted in the 14th round.

Until this day, no other 140lb bout has captured the heart of boxing fans the way Arguello vs. Pryor had, nor to this date has there been another light welterweight bout which produced the same amount of electricity that circulated through the air of Miami's Orange Bowl on November 11 1982. Not even when Julio Cesar Chavez faced off in the first of two meetings with Meldrick Taylor.

Some fans had even come to believe that we might not see another bout of that proportion in that division for another 50 years, if ever! This of course has little to do with the fact that talent has been scarce at that weight because the light welterweight division has been anything but lackluster in talent over these past 25 plus years. More...

© Richard T. Slone

Multi-award winning artist Richard T. Slone has unveiled his latest work of art; a massive pre-fight canvas of boxing champions Miguel Cotto fighting Antonio Margarito just days before their epic battle in Las Vegas, Nevada. More...

On April 24, Sotheby’s and SCP Auctions will offer a fine selection of sports memorabilia and cards for auction. The April sale includes an outstanding offering of material that comes directly from Smokin’ Joe Frazier.

Born in 1944, the 11th child of sharecroppers in South Carolina , Frazier took up boxing at the age of 17, and his raw talent was soon discovered and honed by trainer Yank Durham. Frazier won the Middle Atlantic Golden Gloves heavyweight championship for three straight years. More...

Former world heavyweight champion Joe Frazier will be on hand for the Sotheby’s/SCP Auctions reception at 72nd and York Sts in Manhattan on April 21, from 6-8 p.m., to celebrate the exhibition of the April 24 live auction of important sports memorabilia and cards. More...

7.30pm Monday, March 30 is a time that will go down in boxing history, as it was then that Joe and Marvis Frazier locked the doors of their famous Philadelphia gym for the final time.

It should have been a landmark year, as it is 40 years since the doors of the former dancehall were opened to herald in the start of a new era for boxing and Smokin’ Joe Frazier. More...