Deadly ring

The death of a female boxer during a sanctioned event comes at a time when women's boxing has taken off in popularity | John Dawson

Even those in the inherently dangerous and violent boxing world weren’t ready for this. Becky Zerlentes had made it to the third round of an April 2 amateur women’s bout. But when her opponent’s right cross caught her cleanly above the left eye, Zerlentes slumped to the ground. Somehow the punch found its way through Zerlentes’s head protection. And though paramedics were swiftly called into the ring, she never woke up.

Zerlentes’s death, the first of a female boxer during a sanctioned event, certainly harms boxing’s reputation and comes at a time when women’s boxing has taken off in popularity. Muhammad Ali’s daughter, Laila, has become one of the world’s best-known boxers. The sport also has received a boost from the Hollywood film Million Dollar Baby.