(JAN 9) I would first off like to
give a huge thanks to God and all of my friends, family, and fans
that have been by my side since day one, and continue to support me
down this rough road to glory! It is now 2009 which will hopefully
be good for female boxing; however, I have a chip on my shoulder
that has been on my mind for quite some time now.
I have always had the tendency to hold in, and keep my mouth closed
when it comes to fights, promoters, sponsors, opportunity, and
money. Why? I box because I love it, and nothing will stop me, I
never want to create enemies, and I have respect for all the women
who put the same kind of love into this sport!
I can see that women's boxing in the U.S. hasn't been progressing
like in other countries where female fighters are just as popular as
male fighters. Since I was at the age of 9, I would watch boxing
seeing Sugar Ray Leonard, and Oscar De La Hoya on TV and I promised
myself, that one day that will be me. I began a life of eating,
sleeping and breathing boxing. I'm an intelligent and honest person,
yet being an honor student I let go of a lot of other opportunities
such as a high school varsity track and cross country star, because
of my love and passion for boxing.
I had doors open to follow my grandmother’s steps who in the 1940's
was an Olympic Qualifier and AAU track runner.
The opportunity was there to pursue athletic and academic
scholarships to college, however, I instead choose to pour my time
and heart into boxing, losing most of those opportunities. I've
always felt that it will all pay off one day.
Here I am, 11 years down the road, and I've seen very little changes
for women in boxing. Well Obama is one drastic change for America
and RESPECT for women boxing is going to have to be the next drastic
change for America. Us women fight our hearts out, train our bodies
until they feel numb, and suffer in preparations for fights just as
men do; why? Because we're born with fighting in our blood too; my
father was a professional boxer and it's defiantly in my blood to
fight, not in my other two sisters blood, my blood.
I love the sport, and I believed for every hard worker, there awaits
a great reward right? Well I'm finding out not for women in boxing.
It's shameful that not one female has ever been a main event on HBO
Showtime or pay per view, not even showcased as the "co-main event"…
I look at society today, and think "when will a woman be looked upon
as equal in this world?"
I'm a fighter just like a male fighter; it takes the same will power
to step into the ring and begin fighting. We should all be treated
the same, not singled out as a "female fighter" or "male fighter." I
know several female fighters like me who can entertain and have the
skills just as equal to your top ten male fighters. Some of them can
put on a great show for all to see. Because of the stereo typical
“back in the day” mentality in society today and the fact that I am
a woman, it's almost impossible to ever become recognized as a great
fighter.
I deal with matchmakers, and promoters with the same mentality, and
when Team West or any woman fighter ask for a fight prize equal to a
male's fight prize, that's a woman getting out of line to them.
Women don't even get paid a quarter of what a male fighter gets
paid. Bottom line is, we work just as hard, and have been treated
unequal for too long.
To all promoters, the media, news, advertisers, magazines, HBO, and
Showtime…Give women in boxing the same opportunity in this land of
opportunity that you give to men in boxing; treat women boxers as
equals, this the start of a new era. There are more great women
fighters out there that are training every day draining our bodies
and deserve to be in the same position as a top professional male
fighter when we retire. Women lack the same opportunities in the
sport.
I remain K "Wild Wild" West, a professional boxer… waiting for the
day of change, born to fight with the heart of a lion and I will
never let the negativity of equality in boxing get in my way…If you
understand the definition of me, and you have a heart, please… STAND
UP….let's make this change happen now.