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Pastimes : Boxing: The Sweet Science -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Eric P who wrote (12)	5/6/2000 9:14:00 PM
From: LPS5	Respond to of 10489

Hey Eric, welcome aboard! Let me start by saying, to you and the whole thread: Mike Tyson is my favorite boxer. Period. Of my list of five, Mike comes in first. Now... ...his personal issues are his own, and once a guy serves his time, he's done his debt to society. There are controversies about both of his prison terms which I don't find it worthwhile to explore in this forum. With regard to biting Holyfields' ear, if you want my opinion...blame the ref. Headbutts are a serious issue for fighters, and with the ref not doing anything - especially in such a serious fight for Mike's career - he snapped. I'm not saying I'd do the same, but, I can certainly see how something like that would happen. With regard to the Nevada Boxing Commission, well, their decision is the law of the ring, and, had they said he should never fight again, I'd have to support that - though I wouldn't have liked it and would have hoped for it to be overturned. The answer is not banning boxers, while that option is always exercisable; the answer, IMO, is vigilance on the part of the refs. With regard to the late punch that felled Orlin Norris, it should have been a point deduction - maybe even two points - because Mike certainly heard the bell. No excuses, there. But, make no mistake: Norris LOST HIS NERVE. It is absolutely inconceivable to me that he could have dislocated his knee falling down when several seconds after being downed, he stood up and walked - limpless, I might add - back to his corner. I see Mike's career as one fraught with controversy and bad personal decisions OUTSIDE the ring, but not one that (to this point) requires or begs consideration of his expulsion from the sport. Is the fight management business as corrupt as suggested? I don't know for sure, but I've heard that it certainly used to be. Those parts of it which are still corrupt today are getting cleaned up incrementally with the bringing of criminal action against certain associated persons in the various federations and committees. LPS5

To: Eric P who wrote (12)	5/11/2000 11:45:00 PM
From: LPS5	Respond to of 10489

To Eric and his evident clairvoyance, an article addressing his earlier question: Boxing task force urges vast reforms By Dan Rafael USA TODAY Establishing an independent ranking system and increasing protection for boxers were the major recommendations made by the National Association of Attorneys General Boxing Task Force, which released a 60-page report on its findings Wednesday. The report also calls for the use of consensus scoring in bouts, meaning if there is not a unanimous agreement by three judges, the minority score is discarded. ''I strongly believe our recommendations, if enacted, will remove the sour taste that's been around the sweet science for far too long, and protect both fans and boxers from the problems that have plagued the sport,'' said New York State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, chairman of the task force. Eighteen attorneys general are backing the report, including those from prominent boxing states New York, New Jersey and Nevada. Spitzer said they will urge their respective state athletic commissions to adopt the proposals. The report, based on last year's national hearings, calls for the use of an independent ranking system ''free of interference by sanctioning organizations or promoters.'' Also recommended: new guidelines for promoters and managers; standardized testing for judges, referees and ring physicians; stricter rules for weight loss; and a central medical registry for fighters.

To: Eric P who wrote (12)	5/23/2000 11:16:00 PM
From: LPS5	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 10489

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.