The 2008 Beijing Olympics boxing program was the last Summer Games to feature only male events, before women's boxing was added in 2012.
Key Facts
- Venue
- Workers Indoor Arena, Beijing
- Number of events
- 11 (all male weight divisions)
- Total medals available
- 44
- Bronze medals awarded
- 22 (both losing semi-finalists)
- Last all-male Olympic boxing
- Women's boxing added for 2012 London Olympics
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
The International Olympic Committee had not yet approved women's boxing for Olympic competition prior to 2008, meaning the Beijing Games retained the traditional all-male format across eleven recognized weight divisions, continuing a long-standing exclusion of female boxers from the Olympic program.
Boxing at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held at the Workers Indoor Arena in Beijing, China. Eleven medal events were contested, each corresponding to a male weight division. Following Olympic combat sports convention, both losing semi-finalists received bronze medals, yielding a total of 44 medals across the competition.
Shortly after the 2008 Games, the IOC approved the inclusion of women's boxing for the 2012 London Olympics, making Beijing the final Summer Olympics to exclude female boxers. This decision marked a significant shift in the Olympic boxing program and broadened participation in the sport at the highest level of international competition.