Cutman Selection

[TelMex]

How are world renown cut men like Stitch Duran and Mike Bazil selected for a fight? They sometimes participate in multiple fights per card and can't possibly have a deep relationship with every corner they work. Do they get paid directly from the fighters themselves? Are they incentivized by the promotional company in some cases? Any ballpark figures on what they get paid per fight? How far in advance before a scheduled fight do you need to select a cut man from outside your camp?

[PBR Streetgang]

From what I recall, during Covid when Top Rank and ESPN were holding fights in the Bubble, I remember they mentioned they contracted set cut men for the cards (Bazil and Duran). I think they did this to limit the amount of people who could potentially contaminate the area and also ensure there were cutmen on site.

ESPN/TR seemed to like those results as they continued this process on after the fact. I'm not sure who is paying for their services nowadays. I believe cutmen can get a percentage (probably around 2%) of a fighter's purse or a flat fee.

When I was in my early 20s, I worked as a landscaper for plastic surgeon/real estate owner in Atlantic City who moonlighted as cutman for Tyson. I'm not sure how good of a cutman he was but he was a terrible boss.

[Eff Pandas]

I've listened to more than a few cutman interviews & I've never heard the question asked of how they are with so many guys on a card often times. I'd assume they just go fishing for extra work after they get to the venue with prelim guys who usually don't got & need a cutman.

Ive never heard of a promoter paying for a cutman outside of in mma.

[PBR Streetgang]

I've listened to more than a few cutman interviews & I've never heard the question asked of how they are with so many guys on a card often times. I'd assume they just go fishing for extra work after they get to the venue with prelim guys who usually don't got & need a cutman.

Ive never heard of a promoter paying for a cutman outside of in mma.

"Duran and Mike Bazzel, and eventually Floyd Mayweather’s associate Bob Ware, were tabbed to be the house cutmen for all of Top Rank’s so-called Bubble Fights, 22 in all, a series that ran from June 23, 2020 to Feb. 20 of this year from the sterile MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas....But he is thankful that Top Rank COO Brad Jacobs called him and offered him the gig. Duran was one of the few people in boxing who was able to stay busy when things slowed to a crawl."

- May 6th article by Arne Lang for The Sweet Science website

Stitch (and I'm also assuming Bazzel) was definitely on some kind of retainer by Top Rank. I read an interview where he mentioned Top Rank paid him significantly more than UFC did. I don't think this is the norm in the sport, I think it's more often gig work like you describe.