Woman boxer

“Woman in the ring in a grand pugilistic set-to between Miss Maud davenport and Jack goulding at the forth street opera house Kansas city, Mo.”

A correspondent of the day for the periodical The Day’s Doings describes the May 14th (1874) encounter between Miss Maud Davenport and the “pugilist” Jack Goulding: “The house was crowded, the chief attraction being the boxing match between a man and a woman…The lady is a blonde, of fine muscular development, about 25 years of age, 5 feet 5 inches in height, fair complexion, and nearly 170 pounds weight, and wore a dress similar to an acrobat, showing every muscle to perfection…Jack Goulding is the well-known trainer of Tom Allen, champion of America. He stands 5 feet 6 inches in height, of about 150 pounds in weight. He wore a tight-fitting undershirt and light pants, with short hair and moustache…They had four scientific rounds; each round being loudly cheered by the audience. The lady was presented with a gold medal by the citizens, at the close of the exhibition, a great many remarking that ‘It would not suit to insult that girl.’”