washingtonpost.com > Photo

Teen Boxer Prepares for the Ring

Madison Marshall, 14, trains for an all-female amateur boxing event at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland.

Madison Marshall shadowboxes during a gym workout. Maddie was diagnosed with asthma in 2008 before she started boxing late last year, but the infrequent attacks have not stopped her from training for her first amateur match.

Madison Marshall shadowboxes during a gym workout. Maddie was diagnosed with asthma in 2008 before she started boxing late last year, but the infrequent attacks have not stopped her from training for her first amateur match.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Instructor Daniel Attah unwraps Marshall's hands after a workout. Most days this summer, Marshall woke up at 5 a.m. to train at one of her father's gyms in Virginia.

Instructor Daniel Attah unwraps Marshall's hands after a workout. Most days this summer, Marshall woke up at 5 a.m. to train at one of her father's gyms in Virginia.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Tape for Marshall's hands. Her routine is always the same: get her hands taped, slip on boxing gloves the size of her face and wait for Vaseline to be smeared on her cheek and lips. It prevents cuts, and helps punches slide off.

Tape for Marshall's hands. Her routine is always the same: get her hands taped, slip on boxing gloves the size of her face and wait for Vaseline to be smeared on her cheek and lips. It prevents cuts, and helps punches slide off.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Attah tapes up Marshall before a workout. Marshall is one of 36 women competing in the all-female amateur boxing matches Saturday at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland.

Attah tapes up Marshall before a workout. Marshall is one of 36 women competing in the all-female amateur boxing matches Saturday at Rosecroft Raceway in Maryland.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Marshall jogs around body bags to get her heart rate up at the start of a workout. In amateur boxing, the goal is to throw as many punches as possible. A fight is three rounds, 90 seconds each. The punches come fast.

Marshall jogs around body bags to get her heart rate up at the start of a workout. In amateur boxing, the goal is to throw as many punches as possible. A fight is three rounds, 90 seconds each. The punches come fast.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

You try not to get hit, but you always get hit, Marshall said. It does not really hurt. It just makes you want to hit back harder.

You try not to get hit, but you always get hit, Marshall said. It does not really hurt. It just makes you want to hit back harder.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Marshall, right, with instructor Jennifer Salinas. In the Washington region last year, there were about 941 amateur male boxers and fewer than 50 amateur female boxers.

Marshall, right, with instructor Jennifer Salinas. In the Washington region last year, there were about 941 amateur male boxers and fewer than 50 amateur female boxers.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Marshall, left, with Salinas. The rise in women's amateur boxing can be credited to the increasingly mainstream appeal of the sport, said Christy Halbert, a longtime boxing coach and the chair of USA Boxing Women's Task Force.

Marshall, left, with Salinas. The rise in women's amateur boxing can be credited to the increasingly mainstream appeal of the sport, said Christy Halbert, a longtime boxing coach and the chair of USA Boxing Women's Task Force.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Attah eyes Marshall as she trains. Until Thursday, when the International Olympic Committee decided to include the sport in the 2012 games in London, boxing had been the only summer Olympic sport without female representation.

Attah eyes Marshall as she trains. Until Thursday, when the International Olympic Committee decided to include the sport in the 2012 games in London, boxing had been the only summer Olympic sport without female representation.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Marshall, left, spars with Salinas. The decision to include women's boxing in the Olympics is like a dream come true, said one promoter.

Marshall, left, spars with Salinas. The decision to include women's boxing in the Olympics is like a dream come true, said one promoter.

Jonathan Newton-The Washington Post

Gallery Credits:

Note: Please upgrade your Flash plug-in to view our enhanced content.

This Story A Ring of One's Own Article \| Madison Marshall, boxed into a corner of the ring, was getting hit over and over again when her trainer, Jennifer Salinas, yelled, "Get back in the center, get back in the center!" Teen Boxer Prepares for the Ring		Network News X Profile View More Activity TOOLBOX E-Mail This Reprints		More on washingtonpost.com • More Photo News » washingtonpost.com
» This Story:Read +\|Watch +\| Comments

© 2009 www.washingtonpost.com