This isn’t the first attempt to create a trade union for British boxing.
In 2002, former world champion Barry McGuigan launched one, with the intention of reducing the number of fighters who struggle financially after retiring.
But as Matt Christie – editor of BoxingScene – explains, it wasn’t successful.
“Ultimately, you have to have agreement from the boxers that these people are trying to govern, that they are willing to give a certain percentage of their purse to a union, and that’s the difficulty,” says Christie.
The GFA has a different idea for funding – relying, instead, on fans and promoters.
“All we ask for from the promoters is that they can maybe add a small booking fee for the union – let’s say a couple of pounds here or there on to every ticket,” Smith says.
“So, therefore, the fans will ultimately be paying for it on behalf of the promoter.”
Robert Smith – general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, which oversees the sport – says he would support the union if it was created.
“We would help set up a union but, of course, we can’t be part of that union,” he says.
“That’s what unions are. They’ve got to be independent from the board. But, for sure, we’d help to do that.”
