Boxing

Éder Jofre, Maguila, and Popó: three names that helped make boxing one of the most popular sports in Brazil, but it wasn't always this way. The sport arrived in the country with German and Italian immigrants in the late 19th century and, as had already happened with capoeira, suffered from prejudice against fighters, who were always associated with marginality. The first competitions reinforced the elite's ill will, since the only participants were European sailors who had docked at the ports of Santos and Rio de Janeiro.

Image description: This is a black-and-white photograph of a boxing match. On the left side, we see a referee standing, watching the fight. In the center, two boxers are in action. The boxer on the left, wearing white shorts, is in a defensive position, while the boxer on the right, wearing tied shorts, is attacking. The background shows spectators seated in chairs, watching the fight.

Widely practiced in Europe, boxing was included as an Olympic sport at the Saint Louis Games in 1904. The first official fight on Brazilian soil took place in São Paulo, in 1913, and was won by the boxer Luís Sucupira, the “Apolo Brasileiro.” But it was in Rio de Janeiro in 1919 that, after watching a fight by the sailor Góes Neto, a nephew of president Rodrigues Alves fell in love with the sport. With the support of the President of the Republic, boxing began its path toward fame, and starting in 1920, the municipal boxing commissions of São Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, and Santos were created. In 1923, Rio opened the country's first academy dedicated to the sport, the Brasil Boxing Club.

The first state and national boxing federations emerged in the 1930s, and with this institutionalization, professional and amateur athletes began competing in international competitions. The Brazilian national team's debut was at the South American Amateur Boxing Championship in Argentina, in 1933, with one detail: every boxer in the delegation was a Rio native. This happened because, at the time, the country's only state boxing federation was Rio de Janeiro's.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a boxer in an indoor setting, likely a locker room or training facility. The boxer is facing the camera, fists clenched in a fighting stance. He wears a blue uniform with white and red details, which includes a white stripe with the "PEAK" logo and a blue stripe with the "BRASIL" logo. His hands are wrapped in red bandages. In the background, there is a light wood wall and two blue backpacks with the "BRASIL" logo visible. The spatial arrangement is linear, with the boxer at the center, the backpacks behind him, and the wooden wall in the background.

For the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the International Boxing Association (AIBA) approved a rule change that allowed, for the first time, professional fighters to participate in the Olympics. And it was precisely at the Olympics hosted by the carioca capital that Brazil's first-ever gold medal came, when Bahia-born Robson Conceição defeated Frenchman Sofiane Oumiha in the lightweight final (up to 60 kilograms).

Image description: The image is a black-and-white photograph of a boxer in action. In the foreground, we see the boxer wearing a headguard and boxing gloves, in a defensive stance. In the background, there are other individuals training, some standing and others seated. On the right, there is a backdrop with the "DELFIM" logo.

Rio de Janeiro is home to some great athletes in the sport, including young Douglas Andrade, Rebecca Lima and Wanderson de Oliveira. Born in the Nova Holanda favela, in Complexo da Maré, the trio competes in international tournaments. Douglas is a four-time Brazilian champion and current leader in the Flyweight category (52 kg) in the Brazilian Boxing Confederation ranking. Rebecca Lima won the silver medal at the 2018 Youth Continental Championship, in Hungary, in the Lightweight category (60 kg). As for Light Welterweight (63 kg) Wanderson "Sugar" de Oliveira, he is the best-ranked Brazilian by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), in 20th place.

Image description: The image is a photograph of a boxer in action. The person is wearing a blue uniform with the symbol of Brazil and the Olympic Games logo. The boxer is wearing blue boxing gloves and appears to be in a competition ring. The background is dark, suggesting the photo was taken indoors, possibly during a competition or training session.