Boxing chiefs will press for  women fighters at the London 2012 Olympics.

 Women's boxing has grown in popularity over the last decade, with Ireland's Katie Taylor, daughter of Pete Taylor, daughters of former heavyweight champions Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier, Laila Ali and Jackie Frazier-Lyde, raising the sport's profile.

Women's boxing has grown in popularity over the last decade, with Ireland's Katie Taylor, daughter of Pete Taylor, daughters of former heavyweight champions Muhammed Ali and Joe Frazier, Laila Ali and Jackie Frazier-Lyde, raising the sport's profile.

"We will make a proposal and submit it," said Amateur International Boxing Association president Wu Ching-Kuo.

"Boxing is the only sport in the Olympic programme without women and we believe we are ready."

A spokeman for the International Olympic Comittee told BBC Sport that a decision on allowing new events within a sport would be made by 2009.

Any application for a new discipline within an established Olympic sport must be made three years before a Games, she said.

It is envisaged a women's boxing competition would include 11 weight classes, as in men's competition, and the bouts would be held over four two-minute rounds.

Existing world and continental championships would be used as qualifiers.

And a venue is already established - the men's boxing event in 2012 will be held at London's ExCel Arena.