Hey, Eric:
Here's a several-weeks-overdue answer to your question, "[I]s the fight management business as corrupt as suggested? If so, can it ever be cleaned up?"
My answers were "probably/yes" and "yes." Here's a better answer, and a solution:
House Passes 'Muhammad Ali' Boxing Reform Bill
Monday May 22 4:09 PM ET
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The House on Monday easily passed a bill to reform professional boxing, limiting potential abuses a fighter can face at the hands of promoters.
The Senate has already passed identical legislation, so it can go to President Clinton for signature. It has been named the ``Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act,'' after the former heavyweight champ who has endorsed its provisions.
Though not as scandal-scarred as professional wrestling, there have been some abuses and Congress stepped in to try to set better national standards and protections.
``What was once a great sport has been taken over by greed and abuse, `` said Ohio Republican Rep. Michael Oxley, the chief sponsor of the bill in the House, which passed by a voice vote. ''Boxing fans ought to be able to watch a fair fight, and boxers deserve a far reward for their sport.''
The bill aims at protecting rights of boxers by preventing certain exploitative or unethical business practices and expanding standards.
For instance, it limits to one year any exclusive promotional right in a boxer's contract with his promoter or manager. This aims to stop the practice of a boxer being forced to grant options on future fights in order to participate in a bout.
The bill also prohibits promoters from having a financial interest in the management of a boxer, and vice versa, although only for boxers who fight over 10 rounds.
Furthermore, it establishes consistent written criteria for the ratings of professional boxers and requires any change in a Top-10 boxer's rankings to be made available on the Internet.
The bill also requires judges and referees to be certified and approved by state boxing commissions and disclose their sources of compensation for participating in fights. |
