White Collar Boxing, What You Should Know Before You Sign Up To Box

By Neil Perkins

I established Fighting Fit Personal Training in 2004, my brand grew into Fighting Fit City and then into Henrietta Street Gym. Throughout this my business has been actively involved in white collar boxing. If ran correctly, white collar boxing has a positive influence on the sport of boxing, however I am concerned that no one is addressing the dark and dirty side of white collar boxing and the countless badly organised events that run up and down the country. This includes

• miss matched bouts
• badly regulated events
• un-safe shows without proper medical provisions
• Misleading information into ‘Charity’ events

‘White Collar’ Boxing is in my opinion (you will see that many people have their own interpretation) for city centre professionals (accountants, solicitors and other office folk) who wear a white collar (a shirt and tie to work) to box on their own level playing field and allow them to experience the sport of boxing. The annual Ralph Lewis QC Cup as hosted by No5 Barristers Chambers and Fighting Fit City Gym is a perfect example of this where a mixed team of legal professionals (solicitors & Barristers) box against a mixed team of city centre professionals (Accountants, Company Directors). This event in 3 years has successfully risen just shy of £100,000 for Marie Curie.

Before we look at White Collar Boxing we must first look at the two established codes of boxing in the UK that fall under two categories

• The British Boxing Board of Control – Professional Boxing
• The Amateur Boxing Association – Amateur Boxing Association

Both of these bodies have history and are established organisations. I have boxed under both and still have regular involvement with people from both sides of the spectrum. I think these are far from seamless and there are flaws in both codes (nowhere near the level involved in white collar boxing) I think what is key with ALL boxing is two key areas – matchmaking and safety. Let’s have a brief overview of the two codes and how they address this, here are some of the key points for how the BBB0C and ABAE regulate their bouts.

Professional Boxing – BBBoC

Bouts – No Head guards, 10oz Gloves for boxers above 10st7lb and 8oz glove for boxers below 10st 7lb. Round duration 3 Minutes (occasionally 2 minutes) 4-12 rounds

Safety – All Fighters must have HIV and Hep B tests to ensure safety, annual MRI brain scans, full annual medical, on the night medical. All Fights must have a DR, Paramedic and anaesthetist (to induce a coma in case of a bleed on the brain) at ringside and an ambulance outside the venue.

Matching – All matches must be approved by BBBoC official with registered BBBoC boxers, boxers only scheduled to fight longer durations (8,10,12 rounds) after been approved by BBBoC. All fighter must fall under the same weight category or fall within 8lb of each other.

Amateur Boxing – ABAE (seniors only discussed)

Bouts – Head guards for Novice Fighters, No Head guard for Elite Fighters. 10oz Gloves for fighters below 64kg, 12oz gloves for fighters above 64kg. Box from 3×2 minute round to 3×3 minute rounds at elite level

Safety – All fighters must have annual medical, eye test and are checked prior to boxing. Doctor at ringside

Matching – All matches approved by club coaches and ABAE recorder, all boxers records are checked prior to matching and all bouts recorded. All fighter must fall under the same weight category or fall within 3kg of each other.

As you can see the BBBoC (professional boxing) far outweigh the ABAE (amateur boxing) and the big difference is the ringside care, HIV testing and the inclusion of an annual MRI scan. This is due to the longer duration of contests and ultimately the costly lessons the board has learnt with the Michael Watson incident.

Now when you look at the three area’s above, this is where your problem comes with white collar boxing – there is no overall regulatory body running the code. Just lots of organisations doing it their own way. I could talk of horror stories where I have seen fighters turn up and bring their own gloves, no weigh in, no medical and fight without a head guard against an opponent 3 stone heavier. You can guess what the result was? – Hardly the fun, get fit lifestyle experience that the boxer was sold. I know about these things because I have experienced boxing at ALL levels and learnt these mistakes first hand. Prior to finding the formula to running some of the slickest white collar boxing shows in the country I have put boxers on un-regulated shows and ran un-regulated shows. I have learnt harsh lessons in how not to run boxing shows, what is concerning is that others haven’t. I have also always been a boxing fan and keen to make fighter safety paramount and ensure a safe and well run show. Yes, I am a business man and a promoter so making money is key, however cutting corners risks the reputation of the sport of boxing and most importantly the health and safety of the participants taking part.

My first show in April 2008 I was lured to co-promote a show using some of my own ‘white collar boxers’ and some other Midlands based fighters. The event that has made me more money than ANY other show I have ever ran since, however despite the financial lure, I would never repeat the formula of events that night. I am embarrassed to tell you the corners that were cut and things that went on including a rigged auction, ‘splitting’ charity raffle money, a fake Dr at ringside and fighters bringing their own gloves. This was not instigated by myself and I found out after the event when we were splitting the money and doing ‘the take’, what I have always ensured is that I never make the same mistakes twice and strive to improve the quality of the show – as it was there were no bad contests on that show, despite a bout where boxer gave away 3 stone. I am sure from a spectator view point it was an entertaining evening and people would have attended the show again, but some fighters where in excess of 3 stone weight difference and with no adequate medical provisions it was more luck than judgement that there wasn’t an incident. My concern is that others would just pocket the £5,000, not improve the safety/ matching aspects of the show and repeat the formula and make more money. I am sure this happens up and down the country.

With various gyms that have been involved with the running in excess of 30 white collar boxing shows, I have learnt many lessons in how to run a good show, which ensures any gym I am managing will only run safe and well put together shows. Common comments I get from my shows include – Well matched, well ran, entertaining and safe. This applies to both the show organisation from a spectator view point and a boxer view point, the latter been the more important to the blog. Things I have developed over the past 30 shows – A full risk assessment, full medical cover at ringside, a safe matching process, referee training and my own rules and regulations. I have also provided a full insurance for events. This has been done with consultation with Medical Staff, ABAE licence holders, BBBoC Licence Holders, Risk Assessment Companies and Insurers.

I always joke with my medical officer Frank Lynch who supplies this full team, when I pay him for medical cover at the end of a show– ‘Frank it’s a pleasure to pay you for doing sod all again’

Any event that any company I am involved with runs will now have the following….

Bouts – Head for ALL boxers, 16oz safe spar style gloves for all fighters.

Safety – All fighters must have medical prior to boxing eye test and checked prior to boxing. All Fights must have a DR, Paramedic and anaesthetist (to induce a coma in case of a bleed on the brain) at ringside, the local neurological unit is also made aware there is a boxing event on so they are on standby and an ambulance is on standby outside.

Matching – All boxers must fall into the same weight category or fall within 10% of each other’s weight. All boxers must complete a check point spar 4-6 weeks out from bout is confirmed to check suitable matching. All boxers must spar under Gym supervision once per week for the last four weeks prior to the bout to ensure fitness and suitability. All boxers must train at the gym on supervised sessions 3 times per week for the last 4 weeks prior to boxing to ensure suitable fitness

Now this is the evolution of 30 shows, what I started with was far from this and I would quite rightly slate anyone who ran a show with the same criteria my first co-promoted show was ran with. I respect boxing, its heritage and appreciate what the sport is about and consequently respect the dangerous and risks associated with the sport. I should never have been allowed to run my first show, my current risk assessment would have meant none of the bouts would have been suitably matched and the medical cover was no-existent.  That show, shouldn’t have been allowed to run, however there are plenty of people up and down the country who are repeating my formula and with the regulatory and repetition of these events they are clearly making money, but at who’s risk? How long before someone puts the pound signs before someone’s health and how do we stop this happening? How do we ensure that these shows run with the right risk assessment and safety precautions?

I feel that the licensing authority could step in to enforce criteria with the sale of alcohol at these events, they could see the risk assessments and rules of every federation who books an event and only those that pass a set standard could run. This will not happen though and let’s be honest, why would they? Bars/ nightclubs that are running these shows are making lots of money in the sale of alcohol

The sport of MMA I think has the answer and a good friend of mine and well established top MMA referee Marc Goddard has been instrumental in implementing the safe MMA scheme. Safe MMA is a minimum safety standard that is to be implemented. In all Safe MMA approved shows, regular medicals and blood tests along with on the night pre and post-fight medical criteria along with adequate ringside medical cover is used to ensure the safety of MMA fighters, educating the fighters as opposed to the promoters seem to work in MMA and with a media awareness through all channels, safe MMA fighters are only encouraged to fight only on shows that fit the safe MMA minimum medical criteria. Safe MMA has been backed by Marc who is top UFC referee and many top UK based MMA fighters have backed the scheme. Marc has found the same problems that I feel would happen in the boxing, some promoters aren’t interested as it costs too much money to introduce and that eats into their profit margins. What it has done is highlight the cowboys and the educated fighters a have at least got some guidance on to what standard/s they should be looking for. It is also trying to increase awareness to insurers, so that it is used a benchmark minimum standard that is required for insurance.  Before regulating a sport you need to introduce a minimum safety standard for all to follow and ensure that all parties can have a gold standard to aspire to. With the correct backing and media influence you can educate white collar boxers as to what is a safe standard, it is the first step to regulating the sport.

Safe Boxing Standards Minimum

• Paramedic crew ringside & ambulance on standby outside
• Pre and Post fight medicals
• Pre-fight weigh in where fighters fall within 10% of each other’s weight

Gold Standard

• Paramedic crew ringside & ambulance on standby outside
• Anaesthetist and doctors ringside and local neurological unit placed on standby
• Pre and Post fight medicals
• Pre-fight weigh in where fighters fall within 10% of each other’s weight
• Full risk assessment
• Matching criteria including check point spars
• Approved and checked regulated gloves
• Referee training
• Approved rules and scoring criteria
• Sanitisation of shared gloves between bouts
• HIV and Hep. B test for fighter boxing without a head guard

I feel that ALL boxing in the UK should fall under the above ‘Safe Boxing’ minimum criteria – Pre and post-fight medicals, paramedic crew at ringside, ambulance on standby outside and pre fight weigh in’s with set weight categories. Then from here each body can set its own gold standard depending on the demands of the level of competition. From what I have seen the minimum standard alone would eliminate 80% of the show shows going on in the country!

If correctly managed White Collar Boxing does good for the sport of boxing although it needs to be correctly managed, it encourages fresh people to the sport. Through my involvement running a white collar boxing gym I have introduced people to boxing who have fell in love with the sport and consequently given back and supported it. James Dickens of Hackett and James after training at Fighting Fit City Gym backed Priory Park ABC and ran a dinner show that raised in excess of £60,000 which helped regenerate the club. Tommy Langford who worked for me as a Personal Trainer had an ambition to turn pro. Coming from Devon and living in Birmingham he didn’t have a big enough fan base to sell tickets. The white collar boxer he trained at Fighting Fit City Gym supported him and early in his pro career accounted for over half his tickets which allowed his career to build momentum.  In this country you can kick a football for a local side and play football at any level. Why shouldn’t you be allowed to box at ‘Sunday league level’ and have the experience to be the Sunday League Mayweather? With the right promotion and setting you can have a fantastic life experience, lose weight and have an adrenalin rush like no other, just ensure you are being suitably matched and safety precautions are put in place and remember – YOU CAN PLAY FOOTBALL, YOU CAN PLAY RUGBY, BUT YOU CANT PLAY BOXING!

Before boxing on a white collar/ un-licensed event my advice

Minimum Standard

• Ensure proper weigh in and that your opponents weight fall within 10% of yours or same weight category (anything above 14st 4 is heavyweight)
• That an approved paramedic or doctor takes you for a pre and post-fight medical
• Ambulance on standby outside

Gold Standard

• Ask to see a risk assessment that includes….
• Anaesthetist and DR at ringside with ambulance on standby outside
• A trained referee
• Clear rules as to duration and scoring of the bout
• Approved gloves that both participants wear
• Check point spar 4-8 weeks prior to boxing

I hope you enjoy boxing and safely enjoy your six minutes of fame, with the right setting it can provide you with a great lifetime experience. Train hard and fight easy and remember you can play football, you can play rugby but you can’t play boxing.

White Collar Boxing at Fighting Fit WCB