(FEB 19) WBAN has received a complaint letter from a boxing fan who told us how disgusted they were when attending a recent fight and witnessing what was not only hurtful to women’s boxing, but leaves a long and lasting bad taste in boxing fans who have supported the women in the sport.

The letter stated the following: “I am writing this because I am a boxing fan, a New York boxing fan, more specifically; I am a women's boxing fan, here in New York City. Being born and raised in Brooklyn, I became a boxing fan---then a fan of fellow female fighters many years ago, when great champions like Jean Martin, Patricia Alcivar, and Elizabeth Rosado were fighting and winning Golden Gloves titles. They were, and continue to be an inspiration. They always competed with class, and when in the public eye, they were always great role models. The same can not be said about this younger generation of 'female' boxers here in the Big Apple.”

“The last straw was at a recent boxing event that took place in New York. I went to see a few local fighters ply their trade, and while not disappointed by the boxers in the ring, those outside of it, namely a few well known female fighters and their friends here in NY disappointed me.”

“Having knowledge of women's boxing I was appalled when I saw a certain "name" female pro yelling and denigrating one of the males in the ring. Comments like "knock his fat tit__s off!" aimed at a male heavyweight fighter do nothing to raise the bar on public perception of women's boxing. I also heard some harsh comments screamed about another fighter, like "this guy fights like a punk a___ bitch!", and yet another woman boxer, very well known, telling a fighter to, and I quote "kill this n____r!", was bad enough, but the fact that some fans actually echoed her, using the same exact words, just shows how acceptance can also make one an accomplice. Some of the non fighters-fans were clearly drunk, and harassed some of the fighters there as well, past champions included. I must also add that I did observe another female pro fighter, sitting quietly, rooting for a particular boxer, not saying anything like this.”

“Boxing is a rough sport, the harshest of games, however it is, I feel, the duty of those ‘fans’, but also particularly of those who know this reality all too well, the participants, not to feed negative stereotypes, nor expose the sport to unnecessary scrutiny and generally give the sport and its fans a bad name, painting them as bigoted, uneducated, intolerant thugs.” Signed --A disappointed fan of women's boxing

WBAN’s question is this…Do we really need this kind of publicity in an already uphill battle for legitimacy in this sport?