Up North: Minnesota’s only pro female boxer Amy "Hard Hands" Lemenager returning for third career fight

After winning her second pro fight in January of 2020, Amy "Hard Hands" Lemenager had to put her boxing career on pause due in-part to the Covid-19 pandemic, and working full-time with the Duluth Police Department.

She then started training for a fight this past December that once again had to be put on hold, not due to Covid-19, but a hand injury during her final sparing session before the third fight of her young career.

“I dislocated a bone kind of closer to my wrist. No break, thank goodness but I could not fight unfortunately. So it’s just kind of been like a maintaining of training since then. It’s almost like I’ve been getting ready for a couple of months now,” said Lemenager.

Back to the grind of training, the former Proctor/Hermantown Mirage girl’s hockey goaltender is currently the eighth ranked middleweight in the world by the WIBA (Women’s International Boxing Association).

“Not fighting for a while and still being ranked that high, I think is really exciting. It’s definitely a big responsibility to kind of try to maintain that and go higher, but it’s been fun for sure,” added Lemenager.

Currently undefeated at 2-0, her next bout will be this Saturday, April 23rd at the MECCA XVIII event in Canterbury Park against Kate Lavigne.

“It’s tough. Fighting is really, really hard as far as mentally preparing for fight goes. I would say almost more so females just because I don’t want to be mad at anybody. I tend to be like a happy person,” Lemenager continued.

Although she may be the only Northlander to enter that ring, she hopes to be in the corner of other girls and support them to do the same.

“Representing Minnesota as the only professional female boxer, it’s kind of nerve wracking. I hope it gets younger girls into the sport because it’s a great sport, teaches you a lot of things, and helps you stay in shape.”

“I’d love to see more females get involved, especially younger girls, whether that’s not even just boxing but like hockey or soccer, anything, just get involved and make yourself busy. If anyone wants to come here and try it (boxing), give me a call. They’re more than welcome to come by,” Lemenager said about Twin Ports Boxing.

Currently their gym is located in the basement of Duluth’s former Bethany Lutheran Church.