Why Don't Boxers Unionize?

[Anthony342]

I often read about how low the pay is for most MMA fighters, except for the biggest stars, which is usually followed by either veteran or retired fighters saying they should form a union to get a more fair wage and health benefits.

Then I thought, this being the boxing history section, why don't boxers also do the same thing? This way, there is less corruption, better base pay for earlier fights and we don't have to have so many champions. Just wondering since almost every major team sport has unions for the players. Has this ever been tried?

[Scott9945]

I often read about how low the pay is for most MMA fighters, except for the biggest stars, which is usually followed by either veteran or retired fighters saying they should form a union to get a more fair wage and health benefits.

Then I thought, this being the boxing history section, why don't boxers also do the same thing? This way, there is less corruption, better base pay for earlier fights and we don't have to have so many champions. Just wondering since almost every major team sport has unions for the players. Has this ever been tried?

Unfortunately, boxing isn't an ideal sport for unions. Fighters are independent contractors and boxing isn't incorporated like MLB, NBA, NFL, etc.

I'd love to see the fighters get better benefits. It just seems unlikely to happen anytime soon, if ever.

[The Old LefHook]

Most boxers are even against civil unions.

[nivek535]

excuse my ignorance, what does union mean in this context?

[Anthony342]

Most boxers are even against civil unions.

Why? Less money for them?

[billeau2]

I often read about how low the pay is for most MMA fighters, except for the biggest stars, which is usually followed by either veteran or retired fighters saying they should form a union to get a more fair wage and health benefits.

Then I thought, this being the boxing history section, why don't boxers also do the same thing? This way, there is less corruption, better base pay for earlier fights and we don't have to have so many champions. Just wondering since almost every major team sport has unions for the players. Has this ever been tried?

What are you some typa communisse?

Seriously your heart is in the right place Anthony. The answer to this question, if we ask it very broadly....for example, "why aren't there protective covenants in place for professional fighters, like Unions, insurance, etc...." We come to the very evil underbelly of the power structures that control professional prize fighting. First, the promoters who really want the illusion of a nice big fat check, you know when mayweather posts that big payday..... because this illusion is catchy, much as the illusion that if I win 15 million on the lottery that i am paid anywhere near that amount of money (less than half actually).

Second we have the IRS which is also corrupt and becomes the silent sycophantic partner of every fighter who takes home large sums of money, almost half to be precise....

Third we have the people who hang on and look out for themselves and not the fighters....The Posse.

If Money May for example, could fathom the idea that a trust owned his assets and not himself, he could not only do good for a cause, but decrease his tax liabbility substantially but like a ****** child, its got to be owned by him, its hisss stax yo.

So those are some reasons. most rich people contrary to popular belief, those who stay rich at least, do not own anything substantial. A group of trusts ownes it, administers it, and uses it to maintain an estate. For example, we sc**** by monthly....It really sucks actually, and I don't really have a penny to my name. If i died tomorrow there would be a GmC camper we have in storage, a few cars that the IRS would hardly bother with. however, there is a trust in name for my children and wife, which contains a 2 million dollar plus san francisco property, land in louisiana worth about maybe 50K at most, and there is 80 acres of land in nevada which we don't really own (deliberately) until it is paid off. by not paying things off I get a full mortgage deduction so the money we do earn we pay virtually no taxes on....

I mention this certainly not because i am rich! (hardly) but getting back to your question? What does Mayweather often brag about after his cars? his fans often repeat it.... "mayweather will never go broke he gots property and it is all paid off!" Do you know what that tells me? How ****** mayweather is. Mortgage deductions could again, severly give him more of the money he takes in because they are substantial. My 4k mortgage expense (monthly) on property gives me the equivalent of about 6k a year that would normally go to the tax man.... NOW WHY isn't Mayweather dope to this fact? because no one in his posse has the desire to enlighten him....he wants to own shizzle and own shizzle he does. Those properties will become like Evander's mansion no doubt...

As a society we tend to be financially illiterate....Fighters are no exception.

[New England]

lack of organization / a national regulating body.


eddie mustafa muhammad was trying to initiate a program called "jabs" for retired boxers. it was going to have health insurance, etc.

it was a very long time ago that i looked into it, so i can't tell you more than that without some research. maybe i'll check it out. mustafa muhammad is regarded as a good guy in boxing by a lot of people.

[New England]

excuse my ignorance, what does union mean in this context?

it's a unified workforce. they unify / organize against ownership. they'll strike if their demands aren't' met. that's the gist of it, anyway.


unions are all very different. usually, they push issues like fair wages, worker safety, benefits, etc.


in this case, they'd be organizing themselves into an entity capable of bargaining with promotors and regulating bodies. they'd probably look for health insurance, safeguards to protect fighter's percentages, etc.

[Anthony342]

lack of organization / a national regulating body.


eddie mustafa muhammad was trying to initiate a program called "jabs" for retired boxers. it was going to have health insurance, etc.

it was a very long time ago that i looked into it, so i can't tell you more than that without some research. maybe i'll check it out. mustafa muhammad is regarded as a good guy in boxing by a lot of people.

So why don't others attempt to start a national commission or organizing body?