Andre Ward calls for a union to protect boxers ... definitely agree with him.

[jeg77]

It's about time . Props to him thats a great idea.

[jrosales13]

Boxing organizationally is completely ****ed up. The fact that boxers don't have a union is shocking really. There's no order, it's like the wild west... scratch that, it's more like feudal Japan or Europe with lords (Arum, DLH, etc) putting their serfs in harm's way for profit, and different territories with different rules (all the various commissions).

I think Andre has a good head on his shoulders and he should be the one to get fighters together and try to create a Union. And someone needs to step in and do a better job of organizing and legitimizing the governing/overseeing bodies... I really think Congress should step in. Make one universal Boxing commission that regulates all aspects of the sport- take the match-making and in-housing out of the feudal lords hands and regulate the sport better.

I love that idea, something like that should happen.

[GrandpaBernard]

It is great idea, but how will it work?

Yes the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc etc have a union. But, they have a union for their own league...You can't pro playing the same sport and expect a union. You need to play for those leagues to be in their union.

Boxing, doesn't have a league. And, not only that boxing in the U.S alone have like 50 different commissions, with 50 different commissions rule.

And, will they be a number of cutoff on how many fights you need to be in the union? Can I become pro, have 1 fight, get KO'd retire and get a pension plan cuz' I'm in the union?

It is a great idea. But, I don't see how it will be possible for it to work? Which sucks.

Good post. There's absolutely no standard for how good you have to be in order to go pro. It would be challenging to put in this system.

[mushahadeen]

As far as bums **** go there are bums in every sport and even they are covered with **** like medical and life insurance.

Exactly my point!

Take Erik Dampier (if you watch basketball). Or Alex Smith (if you watch NFL).

These mother****ers should be dirt poor! When their terrible careers are over they should be depressed, dirt poor, haunted by memories of what they could have become and ****-- they should be out on the street offering a blowj0b for $5.

They shouldn't live in giant mansions for sucking!! What is wrong with you people??? Bums make me want to be a communist like that Stone Roses ********* sympathizer that posts on here.

But as a Capitalist, the least I can ask for is that we DO NOT REWARD suckage.

[Traveler1]

It is great idea, but how will it work?

Yes the NBA, NFL, MLB, etc etc have a union. But, they have a union for their own league...You can't pro playing the same sport and expect a union. You need to play for those leagues to be in their union.

Boxing, doesn't have a league. And, not only that boxing in the U.S alone have like 50 different commissions, with 50 different commissions rule.

And, will they be a number of cutoff on how many fights you need to be in the union? Can I become pro, have 1 fight, get KO'd retire and get a pension plan cuz' I'm in the union?

It is a great idea. But, I don't see how it will be possible for it to work? Which sucks.

Yea, you're right. With the way boxing is organized, it's pretty damn hard to get some type of union set up with all those different commissions.

[ThePrince]

I love that idea, something like that should happen.

Thing is, it can be done. The UFC was a no man's land on the fringe of sports before John McCain and other lawmakers stepped in and used their legislative powers to clean up the organization and the sport as a whole. Look at the results- the sport (the UFC mainly) has boomed and fans are constantly getting to see the fights they want and are willing to pay for and it's more or less a professional league with Dana White as the head/commissioner.

Same thing needs to happen with Boxing BUT doing that would take a lot of bread out of a lot of people's mouths, so obviously they won't take that laying down.

[dolfan2909]

Thing is, it can be done. The UFC was a no man's land on the fringe of sports before John McCain and other lawmakers stepped in and used their legislative powers to clean up the organization and the sport as a whole. Look at the results- the sport (the UFC mainly) has boomed and fans are constantly getting to see the fights they want and are willing to pay for and it's more or less a professional league with Dana White as the head/commissioner.

Same thing needs to happen with Boxing BUT doing that would take a lot of bread out of a lot of people's mouths, so obviously they won't take that laying down.

LOL, john mccain and his cronies in washington made ufc/mma, that might just be the dumbest thing i've ever heard...governments ruin everything they touch and are bankrupt all over the world, and you think they can run boxing???? get a clue buddy...boxers should bargain on their own and buy health insurance and other things on their own, ward wants a union so the boxers can gang up and bully the networks for above-market wages and bankrupt the sport like they currently are in the NBA, NFL, NHL, etc. (why do you think lockout fever is coming all over? greedy players unions that are making their sport unprofitable, sports franchises are one of the worst investments these days)

[ThePrince]

LOL, john mccain and his cronies in washington made ufc/mma, that might just be the dumbest thing i've ever heard...

UFC President Dana White: 'I Consider John McCain the Guy Who Started the UFC'

Jhabvala: Who do you think is the best presidential candidate for MMA?

White: I'd have to say McCain. I consider John McCain the guy who started the UFC. If it wasn't for McCain I wouldn't be here right now. What people don't understand about mixed martial arts and the UFC is, what [McCain] was saying to the old owners is that you cannot put on fights in states that aren't sanctioned. It's illegal. You can't do it. You have to be sanctioned by an athletic commission, which we agreed with him on 100 percent. John McCain wasn't saying this thing shouldn't happen, or it shouldn't be running. He was saying, if 'You're going to do it, it has to be sanctioned by an athletic commission.' We agree.

Put the keyboard down and shut the **** up

[Traveler1]

LOL, john mccain and his cronies in washington made ufc/mma, that might just be the dumbest thing i've ever heard...governments ruin everything they touch and are bankrupt all over the world, and you think they can run boxing???? get a clue buddy...boxers should bargain on their own and buy health insurance and other things on their own, ward wants a union so the boxers can gang up and bully the networks for above-market wages and bankrupt the sport like they currently are in the NBA, NFL, NHL, etc. (why do you think lockout fever is coming all over? greedy players unions that are making their sport unprofitable, sports franchises are one of the worst investments these days)

If any sport truly deserves a union, it's definitely boxing. You say that boxers should buy their own health/life insurance and bargain on their own. This might work for the top echelon of boxers who make the big bucks and can afford to pay for their own insurance and hire their own lawyers to review their contracts. But for the rest of the pros out there, who aren't bringing in a fraction of the money top tier fighters make, something like a union is an excellent idea. How much do you think they would have to pay for insurance considering their profession? Even if they could afford it during their career, they won't be able to pay for it after they retire from boxing, which is probably when they'll need it the most. And do you seriously believe the average, everyday boxer has the legal knowledge to successfully bargain against promoters that have teams of lawyers who's sole purpose is to write these contracts in their employers favor? Man, GTFO. Boxing is a particularly brutal sport which taxes it's participants bodies in a way that very few other sports do. These guys deserve to have some type of assistance after they retire. It's only fair after they've risked they're health in the ring so many times for our entertainment.

[Walterson]

If any sport truly deserves a union, it's definitely boxing. You say that boxers should buy their own health/life insurance and bargain on their own. This might work for the top echelon of boxers who make the big bucks and can afford to pay for their own insurance and hire their own lawyers to review their contracts. But for the rest of the pros out there, who aren't bringing in a fraction of the money top tier fighters make, something like a union is an excellent idea. How much do you think they would have to pay for insurance considering their profession? Even if they could afford it during their career, they won't be able to pay for it after they retire from boxing, which is probably when they'll need it the most. And do you seriously believe the average, everyday boxer has the legal knowledge to successfully bargain against promoters that have teams of lawyers who's sole purpose is to write these contracts in their employers favor? Man, GTFO. Boxing is a particularly brutal sport which taxes it's participants bodies in a way that very few other sports do. These guys deserve to have some type of assistance after they retire. It's only fair after they've risked they're health in the ring so many times for our entertainment.

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