WBC WOMAN: Barbara Buttrick

Born on December 3, 1929, Barbara Buttrick is a retired British boxer and world champion in the 1940s and 1950s. She built a record of 30 wins, one loss and one draw.

“Battling Barbara”, considered a pioneer of women’s professional boxing, was flyweight and bantamweight champion between 1950 and 1960.
Buttrick began her boxing career in 1948, touring Europe at carnivals. She left for the United States in the mid-1950s, where she continued her career fighting in Chicago, South Florida and Canada.

In 1954 she was part of the first boxing match between two women on American national television.
In the mid-1990s, she founded and became president of the Women’s International Boxing Federation (WIBF), sanctioning boxing matches between women.
Barbara is undoubtedly an inspiration for all contemporary female fighters and champions in the world. At 95 years old she is an exemplary woman.