This Monday, September 14, marks the premiere of the documentary ¨Derecho a Boxear¨ (Right to Fight), which explores the obstacles and conflicts regarding gender and societal attitudes toward women’s boxing in the United States.
Drawing on valuable archival footage and charismatic personal accounts, the film rescues from obscurity the athletes who defied the sexism, racism, and homophobia of the 1970s.
The documentary profiles boxers Cathy “Cat” Davis (Louisiana), Pat “Liberation” Pineda, and Marian “Lady Tyger” Trimiar (New York)—women with diverse backgrounds shaped by family circumstances, discrimination, childhood abuse, and a lack of opportunities. Despite these hardships, they found a path in boxing—both as a sport and a way of life—while confronting the restrictions and prejudices imposed by the system and society.
*Derecho a Boxear* aims to highlight the difficult and negative obstacles that the system and society placed in the path of aspiring female boxers during the 1960s. At a time when many states prohibited women from participating even in amateur competitions or events, these women were left adrift with no options; this drove them to seek support and organize legal challenges, eventually paving the way for women to gain acceptance and, ultimately, become professionals in the boxing world.
*Derecho a Boxear* addresses the systemic blows these fighters had to dodge. Denied the chance to train in amateur divisions—which were banned for women in most states—they risked their lives and freedom, waging a fierce legal and institutional battle to become the first women licensed to fight professionally in the United States. The documentary *Derecho a Boxear* (Right to Fight) premieres on Movistar Plus this Monday, September 14. It aims to reclaim the true story of the obstacles faced by women’s boxing in the United States—a history long ignored and forgotten by male chroniclers who allowed these women’s names to fade into obscurity. The film seeks to vindicate their legacy for future generations, highlighting the struggles and sacrifices of the first women to hold professional boxing licenses in the U.S.
