LOS ANGELES (AP) — Many of the 40 men leaving Rio de Janeiro with Olympic boxing medals around their necks in three weeks will have their pick of professional promoters eager to reward them with riches and fame.
For the 12 women who claim medals in the second Olympic women's boxing tournament, the pro options still aren't glittery.
Several years after the International Boxing Association (AIBA) won its fight to get women's boxing into the Olympics, the games still represent the apex of the sport. While women's boxing has grown in prestige and popularity since the inaugural London tournament, female pros still languish behind their male counterparts in money, exposure and opportunities.