BOXING SCHOOL
Boxing:
Boxing is a sport, both amateur and professional, involves attack and defense with the fists. Boxers usually wear padded gloves and generally observe the code set forth in the marquess of Queensberry rules. Matched in weight and ability, boxing contestants try to land blows hard and often with their fists, each attempting to avoid the blows of the opponent. A boxer wins a match either by outscoring the opponent—points can be tallied in several ways—or by rendering the opponent incapable of continuing the match. Bouts range from 3 to 12 rounds, each round normally lasting three minutes.
The terms pugilism and prizefighting in modern usage are practically synonymous with boxing, although the first term indicates the ancient origins of the sport in its derivation from the Latin pugil, “a boxer,” related to the Latin pugnus, “fist,” and derived in turn from the Greek pyx, “with a clenched fist.” The term prizefighting emphasizes the pursuit of the sport for monetary gain, which began in England in the 17th century.
Boxer:
A boxer is a person who fights as a sport, usually with gloved fists, according to set rules, they are known as prize-fighters or pugilists.
Nowadays a boxer is also a business man. This is what Boxing Culture want to bring lights on, our goal is to educate the Boxer on the Business side of the sport.
Boxers are independent contractors and promotional companies contract their services and pay them to Fight in their event(s).
"Don’t get so caught up in fighting that you forget that you are in a big business. Don’t put the sport of boxing before the business of it. " - Sechew Powell
Cutman:
A cutman is a person responsible for preventing and treating physical damage to a fighter during the breaks between rounds of a boxing bout. Cutmen typically handle swelling, nosebleeds and lacerations. As the boxer progresses through the fight, the cutman applies grease to the boxer's eye area, ears and forehead to prevent the opponent's leather boxing gloves from tearing and cutting the skin. In the event of a swollen or cut area, the cutman will apply an ice-cold steel bar to the skin to prevent swelling and tend to any cuts that may occur. A powder, to clot the blood, is applied by the corner worker. The worker will use a cotton swab to push the clotting powder into the cut in an attempt to stop further bleeding that might deter the boxer's attention and focus during the fight. As in any medical role, some cutmen are more valued to a fighter than others based on past successes. Once a cutman has achieved status among the fighters, a great deal of money can be made by joining a fighter's team. The trust or faith a fighter has in his cutman can often coax a fighter to continue on in a fight even if he is injured. The cutman can convince the fighter that the bleeding is controlled and that the cut is not as serious as the fighter might think.
Boxing Coach:
A boxing trainer is essential to the health and success of a professional or amateur boxer. Boxing trainers design and implement intense technical and physical training regimens to ensure that their boxers stay in peak physical condition.
Many boxing trainers act as managers and promoters, which often leads Boxers to complicated position to navigate in. if it works well and they're doing a good job, they get involved in acquiring sponsors, appropriate training equipment, they set up boxing matches, manage finances, schedules and such.
Amateur and professional boxers rely on their trainers to prepare them, physically and mentally, for strenuous boxing careers. A boxing trainer must be a good communicator and teacher, able to demonstrate techniques as well as verbally explain strategies. Trainers usually design specific training programs for their boxers, which often include long distance running, weightlifting, and sparring in a ring. It is also common for a trainer to study nutrition information in order to implement healthy diet plans for their trainees.
Manager/Agent:
A boxing manager has the main responsibility to find good fights for his client, make sure the pay is fair, and make sure all the steps are taken by the fighter to climb to the top.
There are typically many business aspects that go into making a boxer’s career successful, such as setting up matches with opponents, negotiating payments, Sponsors, and promoting the boxer to ensure a high turnout at matches.
They are not promoters or trainers.
Promoters put up the money, arrange the fights, and take a cut.
They must understand it and the challenges facing their clients very well. The financial rewards are there for those who apply themselves.
At the current time there is no collective bargaining agreement established for fighter pay or manager/agent commission structure. The minimum a manager often take is 10% however, they may go as high as 33% if their services warrant it.
Promoter:
As Adrian Clarks explain it the best we decided to quote his book (PYAAT) here:
“A promoter and manager are NOT the same thing. A manager works on your behalf and plays the middleman between you and the promoter. You depend on your manager to create the best opportunities for you and to negotiate firmly on your behalf with the promoter. The promoter puts on the shows, books the flights and hotels, often pays for medicals and builds the record and name of fighters. You do not work for your promoter, but you are representing his company and he is paying you. Promoters contract your service, which is to fight."
Matchmaker:
"A matchmaker is an individual who looks to match fights that make sense stylistically (boxer vs. puncher; puncher vs. puncher, etc.). Oftentimes, your manager will negotiate flights, hotel, medicals, and per diem with the matchmaker to make the fight official. You have freelance matchmakers and you have matchmakers who work directly for the promotional companies. There are some great freelance matchmakers out there, but if you can go directly through the matchmaker who works for the promotional company, most of the time that is better for you (the fighter). Have your manager “cc” (include) you in all emails in regard to your name. With technology, these days, screenshots of text messages, Skype, and other forms of communication are as simple as cake. Keep in mind, there are certain tricks to the trade in order to get things done. Allow your representative to work to put things together for you. HIRE or CONTRACT THE SERVICES of your manager, trainer, cutman, and assistant trainer. You are the paying entity, they are performing services for your company. Have the respect of a teammate for them but be very stern and upfront as the owner that you are.
The Boxer-Manager Agreement empowers you to hire and fire as you see fit. Be responsible in your decision to relieve your representation of his duties and be sure you are doing it for the right reasons. The grass isn’t always greener on the other side; it’s just grass. You don’t have to take what “they” give you. If the REWARD (how much you are getting paid) does NOT match the RISK (the fight/opponent), then respectfully decline. If you borrow money (loan), sign a promissory note or a loan agreement to ensure the lender you will pay it back in a set time. Don’t bind a loan to your boxing career. Professional boxers are BUSINESS OWNERS! EVERYTHING is negotiable. RUMORS are easily started in the boxing industry. Believe 25% of what you see and 0.00% of what you’ve heard. Lies are spread to sabotage things and to make someone seem like he is “all knowing.” If it can NOT be proven on paper then DO NOT feed into it. When in doubt, or totally lost … ASK QUESTIONS! It is YOUR career. Not anyone else’s. Right or wrong, make YOUR own final decisions. Think of boxing as the BUSINESS that it is, not just a SPORT. SELF-PRESERVATION is your watchword until boxers are protected by a union. PROTECT YOURSELF AT ALL TIMES! “
Clark, Adrian. Protect Yourself at All Times: A Guide for Professional Boxers . Adrian Clark.
Find his book here
Muhammad Ali Act:
The Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, commonly referred to as the Ali Act, is a federal law that was introduced in 1999 and enacted on May 26, 2000 by the 106th Congress to:
- protect the rights and welfare of boxers
- aid state boxing commissions with the oversight of boxing and increase sportsmanship and integrity within the boxing industry (See 114 Stat. 321(3)(2000)).
The Act amends the 1996 Professional Boxing Safety Act by expanding upon legislation against exploitation, conflict of interest, enforcement, as well as additional amendments. The Act was enacted in response to widespread abuse of boxers by means of exploitation, rigged rankings, and rigged matches.
The United States Congress noted through research that there were a number of problems with the sport of boxing which needed to be changed to ensure the safety and protection of professional boxers. Listed are a number of discoveries made by Congress (see 144 Stat. 322(3) (2000)):
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Professional boxing is not governed by any league, association, or any form of an established organization like majority of other professional sports.
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The state officials are not ensuring the protection of the boxers and are not aware or informed of contracts boxers have agreed to.
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Promoters are taking advantage of the sport by conducting dishonest business affairs. Promoters are not being punished due to some states being less strict about the legal terms that are stated in contracts.
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There is no rating system provided to rank professional boxers thus ratings are subjected to manipulation by those in charge.
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There has been a major interference in the sport because of open competition by restrictive and anti-competitive bodies.
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There are no restrictions placed on contracts that boxers agree to with promoters and managers. It is necessary to enforce a national contract reform which will guarantee the safety of professional boxers and the public from unlawful contracts and to enhance the integrity of the sport.
The Act received several criticisms. One criticism was that the Act provides rules but leaves the enforcement of these rules to the state without defined guidelines. Other criticism stems from the belief that Congress has no purpose regulating the boxing industry, especially if it does not regulate any other sport.
In May 2016, a bill was introduced to Congress by Markwayne Mullin, a politician and former mixed martial artist, to extend the Ali Act to mixed martial arts.
Read the text of the bill here
