Biography of WBC Champion--Mia St. John
Mia
St. John was born in San Francisco, California. Her fighting career
started soon after, at the age of six, competing in Tae Kwon Do. Mia
earned a black belt and received a Bachelors
Degree in Psychology from California State University of Northridge in
June of '94.
In
1996, Mia decided to pursue her true passion full-time, the sport of
combat. Valentines Day, 1997, Mia made her pro-debut in boxing,
knocking out her opponent in fifty-four seconds into the first round.
Mia signed with Don King and stayed with him for a year and a half
before she left King for his rival Bob Arum of Top Rank. At Top
Rank, Mia spent four years opening for all of Oscar De La Hoya's major
fights.
In
the November 1999 issue of Playboy magazine, Mia appeared on the cover
along with an eleven page celebrity pictorial. Mia insisted the
pictures maintain a boxing theme so that the world would know she is a
fighter first and foremost.
As
well as being a hard-hitting boxer, Mia is media savvy. She has made
appearances on such shows as, Jay Leno, Conan O'brien, "Good Morning
America," "Entertainment Tonight," "Extra," "The Best Damn Sports
Show," "E," and countless others. She has also acted in commercials and
played herself on the t. v. show "Pacific Blue." Mia also has her own
Playstation game by EA sports.
Currently her book, "The Knockout Workout", is in stores now
nationwide. She is also hosting for
networks such as, Fox Sports Net, ESPN, ESPN Deportes and color commentating many of
the Pay Per View fights. Mia also has a set of new DVD's set to hit stores in the Fall.
Mia has fought all over the world, including Beijing, China, where she won her IBA Championship. After accumulating an unheard of boxing record of nearly 60 pro fights, on
June 14th, 2008, Mia fulfilled her dream of fighting in her mother's
home country of Mexico. She fought one of the toughest fights of her
career and became the WBC International Boxing Champion of the World at
the age of 40.
In November of '08 she was awarded by the
Governor of Zacatecas, Mexico an outstanding achievement award for her
role in sports and humanitarianism. The WBC also presented her with the 2008 "WBC Goodwill Ambassador" Award.
In November of 2010, Rep. Grace F. Napolitano joined Mia and LA Laker Ron Artest for an official mental health and suicide
prevention training at Napolitano’s district office in Santa Fe
Springs. Artest and St. John have joined Napolitano to promote the Mental Health
in Schools Act, legislation she authored which would increase federal
funding for mental health therapists in schools.
She
also spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, where President Barack
Obama made a riveting speech at the CHCI's annual Gala.
As
well as Congress, Mia speaks in schools and juvenile halls on the
importance of education and overcoming hardship. She speaks of her own
battles with mental illness, addiction, poverty and overcoming it all,
to become a three time international boxing champion.
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