Boxing News Boxing News
I write this article with both a writer’s respect and a fan’s indignation, for a request of an organized boxing commission. The NBA, NFL and MLB are all organized governing bodies for professional sports. Boxing, a sole sport that consists of supportive trainers and a team, but when fight time comes, it’s just two fighters who have the responsibility to conquer victory. It’s a one-on-one sport in a square ring. It also seems that way for the boxer outside of the ring who has no real financial security for his post fight career. The boxing world is controlled by Don King and Bob Arum. It is monopolized in a clever way. We often see mismatches with no real significance. If two astonishing fighters are in the same weight class but belong to opposing promoters, we might never get the chance to see two warriors clash for the recognition of being the ultimate best in their selective weight class.
We are often left with wishful thinking and a boxer’s motto of “If the money is right, we’ll fight.” Boxers should form a revolution, request and push the platform idea of forming a commission. It’s already a NBA, so a Boxing United Commission or B.U.C. may be a drawing board title for a much-needed organization. The three major sanctioning bodies, W.B.A., W.B.C. and I.B.F., will still be available. All three can still form their ranking list and work with the boxing commission, forming a legitimate ranking list. A lottery can be conducted to determine the number sequence of one, two, three and four on whom sanctioning body number one ranked fighter can fight for all three titles. This is just a suggestion, as it will be up to the three sanctioning bodies to conduct their own rankings & the commission will have final say in approving the suggested bouts. That way, we do not have a number two world-class fighter, fighting a bar room recruited man with laced gloves.
We need one main body to conduct and guide the three major sanctioning bodies. Promoters can stay, but limiting their power is much needed in a sport that is tired of being laughed at. Don King and Bob Arum have placed some great fights together, but their politically inspired behavior is one that seems to protect their best interest and not the sport of boxing. In the past, great boxers fought battles in the ring and retired broke; even more evidence that we need a financial pension plan.
A boxing commission can collect a certain percentage out of the boxer’s purse and design a payment plan, so when the boxer retires, he or she will have something to look forward to in the end. We allow the promoters and the networks too much power in deciding for both the boxer and the fans. I am very keen to the positions of Don King and Bob Arum. They will totally disapprove of a commission and that response should be more inspiration in creating a boxing commission.
A solid commission will also push the advertising companies into backing boxing on the regular networks, that way a new boxing fan base will increase. We can still do the cable networks and pay-per-views, radio and the internet, but we need to reorganize boxing into being a people’s sport. Talented fighters are still here, it’s the untalented promoters that have designed a sport that many people are not fond of. We can rebuild the respect, starting with the ideas of a fan.
Shaun Rico LaWhorn can be reached at filmmakers_revolution@msn.com
