(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.

K

Manager-Juan West
Office: (714)961-6772
Cell: (951)345-0813
www.kaystar.net