Mia St John, the face of female boxing for a decade, attributed her celebrity to being at the right place at the right time. A pioneer in the sport, St John explained that female fights were a novelty that grabbed the public’s attention starting in the late 1990s. But the novelty has worn off. Promoters stopped promoting and the networks stopped airing the ladies and now there is an entire generation of tough and talented female boxers without the opportunities they deserve.

Young, talented and beautiful, boxers Layla McCarter, Kaliesha West and Melinda Cooper addressed members of the boxing media in an effort to change the fate of women’s boxing. Hosted by business woman and advisor Claudia Ollis, the fighters shared their struggles, their desires and their love for the sport.

Layla McCarter is the current WBA and GBU Lightweight World Champion. A five time world champion in four weight classes, McCarter has amassed a 32-13-5 record in 50 professional fights. McCarter expressed her desire to see regulation changes. She believes three minute rounds and twelve round championship bouts are needed in women’s boxing. “If we want equal pay we need to be on equal footing.”

Kaliesha West is the top ranked bantamweight in the United States with a record of 12-1-2. In March of 2010, West traveled to Denmark to fight for the vacant World Professional Boxing Federation Bantamweight Championship where she drew against Anita Christensen. West boxes because she loves the game and she wants that love to be returned to women’s boxing in kind. In Europe and elsewhere in the world female fighters are recognized and respected for their abilities in the ring. West described her recent trip to Denmark as welcoming and an ideal of how things should be in the United States. “The first thing I noticed was the love. They treated us like they wanted us there.”

Melinda Cooper is an undefeated super bantamweight with a record of 20-0, yet Cooper has struggled in the sport. James Pena, Cooper’s trainer, detailed the frustrations he’s encountered while guiding Cooper’s career. Exasperated, Pena called Sampson Lewkowicz of Sampson Boxing, LLC to ask for what was essentially a tryout. Within five minutes Lewkowicz did for Cooper what Pena could not do in a year and a half. Pena emphasized the need for strong promoters to back female fighters.

Ollis’ mission is to bring women’s boxing to the forefront. Ollis is asking promoters and the networks to take a chance on the ladies. With an entire generation of young and talented female fighters now is the time for them to be marketed, televised and paid.