LOS ANGELES — Every punch has purpose.

Mia St. John, the five-time world boxing champion who fought from 1997 to 2016, has always channeled her pain through the sport of boxing, coping with depression, anxiety and addiction.

But as a female in the ring, St. John also champions transparency and accountability around mental health.

“I’ve always suffered from depression and anxiety throughout my life,” she said. “And boxing, as crazy as it sounds, because it’s such a dangerous sport with so many injuries, was actually very healing for me.”

While the sport provided her with decades of physical and mental fulfillment on a public stage, St. John privately fought another battle, grieving the loss of her son to suicide, as well as the loss of the father of her son due to alcoholism. It’s a journey of pain and resilience she addresses in her new memoir, “Fighting For My Life.”

“I’ve been dealing with my anxiety and my depression, which I see a doctor for, and I want to erase the stigma with that,” she said. 

While St. John continues to train, she’s also keeping the fight alive for her son’s legacy by advocating for improvements in Los Angeles-based mental health facilities, which is where her son died.

“We uncovered so many facilities that had so many violations of neglect and deaths on their record,” she said. “And I want to see more accountability, and I want to see plastic bags banned from all high-risk suicide units.”

In addition to her advocacy, St. John is empowering the next generation of young leaders and athletes to stay mentally strong no matter what life throws at you. It’s the main message of her book.

“If you’re suffering from addiction or alcoholism, anxiety, depression, whatever mental health issue you’re having, I want people to have hope, and know there is a way.”