Boxing will never follow in the footsteps of Formula 1 and fire its ‘ring girls’ — here’s why

Ring girls have been a boxing tradition since the 1960s.Getty Images

• Three of the most powerful figures in boxing have rallied against the calls to ban the use of ‘ring girls’ in the fight game.
• One of the most famous ring girls in the country says she has suffered more personal attacks from “women/feminists” than from anything she’s experienced at a sporting event.
• Boxing promoter Frank Warren had one solution for anybody offended — change the channel or turn off your TV.

“Ring girls” will continue to exist in boxing despite calls to have them banned.

Formula 1 announced earlier this week that it will no longer employ promo models, commonly called “grid girls,” adding that the organisation doesn’t believe the practice resonates with its “brand values” and isn’t “appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans.”

The announcement came just days after the Professional Darts Corporation axed “walk-on girls” from its events.

The Women’s Sport Trust, a UK charity with the aim of raising the visibility and impact of women’s sport, praised the decision but called on other sports, like boxing, to follow suit.

However, some of the biggest powerbrokers in the fight game have rallied against the protests to fire the ring girls.

In fact, for boxing, it is a case of the show must go on.

Kalle Sauerland, the brains behind the groundbreaking $50 million World Boxing Super Series competition, regularly uses SBJ Model Management models to help promote his events.

SBJ Model Management business owner, Sara Beverley Jones, herself a ring girl, leaped to the defence of walk-on girls in darts earlier in the week. She said on Twitter: “I know the dart girls ban does not affect me directly, but I feel I have to defend our rights as promotional models to work in the industry! Otherwise where does it end? I’ve not come this far for [others] to dictate what what I/others should or should not do.”

She added: “It’s funny the women/feminists that are applauding the PDC dart girl ban, I’ve seen more offensive remarks made towards us (models) on here by them, than i’ve experienced from any guy attending these sporting events. So much for empowering women.”

Sauerland, meanwhile, tweeted: “[I] can guarantee you this will NOT happen with the World Boxing Super Series ring girls.”

Sauerland, Beverley Jones, and the rest of the SBJ Model Management ring girls are currently in Sochi, Russia, for a cruiserweight semi-final fight between Murat Gassiev and Yunier Dorticos in Sauerland’s lucrative boxing tournament.

You can watch them all at work for Friday’s weigh-in here:

Sauerland is not the only boxing promoter to take a stand against the protests to ban promotional models from sports events.

British fight promoter Frank Warren, who represents middleweight champion Billy Joe Saunders and returning heavyweight fighter Tyson Fury, published a blog post on his website in reaction to this issue, which has since been removed.

Warren said Formula 1 and darts were “playing to the politically correct gallery” and added that he, like Sauerland, has “no intention of handing the girls their cards.”

Warren said ring girls provide a service. They have a “clearly defined function” and are “rewarded for their work.”

Warren’s message was simple. If it offends you, “just don’t watch it. That is what the on-off button is for.”

“It has nothing to do with sexism or feminism”

Eddie Hearn (right) with star client Anthony Joshua.Getty Images

Matchroom Boxing boss Eddie Hearn, who represents world heavyweight champion Anthony Joshua, also had his say.

Hearn told the Daily Star: “The ring card girls are actually doing a job which they’ve done for many, many years which is letting people know what round is coming up… obviously that is in a glamorous way.

“Are we going to abolish ring card girls in boxing? No. They’re not seen on TV and also, they are doing a job.

“It’s tradition in boxing. I’m 38 but maybe I’m just a little bit old school. Unless we get told otherwise by a broadcaster then they will remain.”

Speaking to GQ magazine, Hearn added: “In my opinion it has nothing to do with sexism or feminism.”

As for the ring girls themselves, Beverley Jones hinted on Friday that they may have more support within their sport than ever. “Thank you for all that embraced us on stage,” she tweeted.