LAS VEGAS – The WBC held its inaugural women’s summit at the Orleans Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas in April. 
The event brought together current titleholders, legends in women’s boxing, as well as other influential people in the sport. It was also a prelude to the International Women's Boxing Hall of Fame.
Though sanctioning bodies can at times be rightly criticized, the WBC’s conference aimed at helping, educating, and informing those involved in women’s boxing.

“The WBC understood the need to support women in boxing when the sport was banned legally from several countries. When it was rejected in most of the world, we began a journey 30 years ago. It took time,” WBC head Mauricio Sulaimán told BoxingScene. "Eventually, we started the women’s division. Jackie Nava was the first champion in 2005 and now we can see with great pride that women's boxing is in a great position and stage.”
One of the big draws of the event was Tiara Brown, the WBC featherweight titleholder, who defeated Skye Nicolson this year. Brown received a standing ovation - something she said she’ll never forget - when she was honored with a belt by Laila Ali. 

Another guest at the event made a lasting impression.

“I saw Nonito Donaire and that was mind-blowing to me,” Brown told BoxingScene. “I let him know how appreciative we are of the fact that a male world champion has come to show respect to us women because we don't get the respect that we deserve. We train just as hard as men, if not harder, because we have the odds against us. We live in a society where a lot of people still feel that women shouldn't box.”

“Some people say that we should stay in the kitchen. We should do laundry. We shouldn't fight. So, we don't get the respect that we deserve,” Brown said. “The fact that we have an all women's WBC summit, I take my hat off to the WBC.”

Rachel Donaire, the wife of former multi-division titleholder Donaire, spoke about the business of boxing and recently served as an advisor to Jasmine Artiga, who, along with her manager Peter Kahn, got Artiga in a position to win her first world title on ProBox TV last month.

“When we're at the other convention, there are a lot of people and a lot of the time we don't get time to ourselves as women,” Donaire told BoxingScene. “What we need to be focused on in women's boxing is different than men's boxing, and I think that being in a room where our voices are heard, it's not about anybody else, it's about women's boxing. This helps us prioritize what we're speaking about and have people take it seriously because this is about women's boxing.”

The summit also showcased notable trainers, including Javon “Sugar” Hill. Hill might be best known for working with Tyson Fury, but has been a longtime advocate of women’s boxing. 

"I don't particularly look at it as women boxing and men boxing, but boxing as a whole,” Hill told BoxingScene. “I know it gets separated.”

“I remember my first time training women fighters,” Hill said. “A girl was brought in because her brother got beaten up, and the sister tried to help, and they both got beat up. I didn't think about it. She kept showing up to the gym and I showed them something to protect themselves. She just kept coming to the gym over and over again and became a national champion.”

One of the fighters Hill works with is former titleholder Jelena Mrdjenovich, who was at the conference with him. Mrdjenovich was the first WBC junior lightweight titleholder.

“When I started, I didn't have platforms like this or support like this, luckily, I was raised by a strong family and strong support system and that I knew that if I wanted something, I would have to go out and ask for it. That was not normal for women,” Mrdjenovich told BoxingScene. “I love being a part of this and continuing to be a part of this platform for women to be an advisor, a supporter, a colleague.”

Veteran broadcaster Claudia Trejos spoke at the conference. She shared her insight as to what the events mean for the advancement of women’s boxing.

“Events like this put like-minded people together,” broadcaster Claudia Trejos told BoxingScene. “When you have that same energy in such a big room like this, things will change. Creativity gets inspired.”

An example is Melissa Garcia. She is the daughter of recently deceased boxing trainer Max Garcia. After her father’s passing, Garcia, who holds a marriage and family therapy license and master degree in psychology, wanted to destigmatize mental health issues among boxers.  

“I want it to be okay to have feelings,” Garcia told BoxingScene. “My father was a trainer, and my mom managed boxers. My parents took boxers from literally the ground up, from amateurs or their first pro fight, to being ranked in the top-10, and even fighting in world title fights with Ruben Villa.” 

She is currently working on getting her license in Nevada. Her goal is to work with athletes, but boxers especially, in order to continue the legacy of her father. “I feel like I've had experience personally with boxers, learning their struggles, learning about them as humans, their traumas, there's anxiety, symptoms of depression, and all these circumstances that come with professional boxing,” Garcia said. “I'm not a boxer, I'm a mental health professional. I went from going to school to coming home, and walking into training camps, being stopped by these young men saying, “Hey, I need to talk to you.”

Robert Diaz, an advisor to many fighters, spent a good part of the last decade contributing to women’s boxing. He was the matchmaker at Golden Boy Promotions and signed women’s boxers like Marlen Esparza.

“When I first was approached to sign the first female at Golden Boy and to work and start matching, I was a little afraid because there was that unknown,” Diaz told BoxingScene. “Where am I going to find opponents? How am I going to build a fighter or how am I going to build a champion? Little by little, as I signed more and more and more of the girls, I realized how competitive and how good the talent is today, and that's because of the amateur programs and the Olympics and women inspiring women, that we're seeing a much higher level of boxing today.  I'm excited about female fighters.”

Blanca Gutierrez has held an annual all women’s amateur boxing event titled Beautiful Brawlers. She also owns a gym in Pacifica, California, and now assists the USA Boxing amateur team. “The pioneers and the trailblazers created a pathway for that and I think that a lot of the younger generation doesn't realize,” Gutierrez told BoxingScene. “It's a group effort. It isn't one person.”

Sulaimán is confident that what we’re experiencing now is just the start. 

“The beginners that I see today, in 10 years, I'm going to be awarding them world championship belts,” Sulaimán said. “This is not a one-time thing and we go home and we forget about this. This is more work.  We have to follow up. We have to perform for the protection and the greatness of women's boxing.”