To All Business Partners In Boxing:

Boxing is a sport of proud tradition.  Its preservation, however, has been suffering for the past several years.  Recovery is possible, of course, and those of us who truly respect the sport must start to do something about it.  We have to establish and follow a common set of standards and expectations.  The public needs to reestablish their trust in our sport.  We should go back to undisputed champions in true competition, accompanied by honest, fair and competent officials.  Honest officials lacking knowledge, training and savvy of the sport could appear to be dishonest when making decisions. 

If boxing is ever going to flourish again, those in charge must be accountable.  It is being suggested that boxing people have a meeting to form a business unit that could function as a single boxing entity. If such ideas have worked in every other major sport, why not in boxing?  Boxing should be run by boxing people.  The creation of a genuine private operating business system for prizefighting, in combination with oversight from the Federal Commission, would function as a perfect forum to represent boxing in the United States and the entire world. 

At the meeting, we will look for consensus to integrate boxing as a whole into one united operating enterprise.  Without assuming that this is all inclusive, we offer this 10 point list as a place to start.


1.  Boxing needs to be brought under one tent.  We would suggest one administrative, functioning body that is focused clearly on safety and that can willingly be scrutinized by the suggested Federal (oversight) Commission.

2.  Boxing needs united and standardized rules and regulations with uniform disciplinary procedures including an overall discretionary boxing commissioner with input and negotiating status from promoter and boxer groups.

3.  Boxers must be equal partners in the business equation.

4.  Boxing should have one standardized ranking/sanctioning system with four separate but unified bodies that would be similar to divisions or conferences that exist in other sports.

5.  Top promoters should be clearly defined as the event producers, without managerial connections or duties.

6.  Managers should be clearly defined as agents for the boxer without any legal or formal connections with promoters, except in business negotiations concerning boxing matches for their fighters.

7.  Judges and referees should be trained and tested under a standardized set of rules and regulations with oversight and guidance from the commissioner's office.

8.  Trainers and 'corner people' should be represented and acknowledged for their significant importance to the boxer's protection, best interest and well being.

9.  Television (cable, PPV, network) Internet and video should all be considered as factors in building boxing into a sport not only of business but also of integrity and excitement.

10. Merchandising, licensing, branding and sponsorships should all develop toward positive imaging and solid public relations.


The meeting is only the first step, but it's a move that must be taken if the business opportunities in boxing are ever going to be initiated, developed and sustained.

The success of boxing depends on reform.    

The Boxers Organizing Committee (BOC)
www.boxers.org
Jose Torres - 212-962-7554
Paul Johnson - 763-438-2447