The ‘World Series of Boxing’ could be a godsend for Indian Boxing • 01.29.09
Indian Boxing could be in for much better days
Earlier this month, AIBA – the governing body of amateur boxing, announced that it had signed a treaty with marketing firm IMG to introduce ‘World Series Boxing’. This move was made to jazz up the world of amateur boxing by creating a more spectator friendly format, in which boxers will be fighting without any defensive gear, thereby catering to the ever growing demand to see more knock-outs. The financial benefits for amateur boxers will help in countering the lure of the professional world. This event is slated to start in March 2010 and will be contested on weekends to increase its viewership potential
In the series, which will be somewhat on the lines of professional leagues like the EPL or the IPL, three continents – Asia, Europe and America – will each have four city teams (read countries) participating in the event which will see boxers exchanging blows without headgears and vests, fighting five rounds of three minutes each with five bouts in five categories.
The ‘cities’ will fight among themselves on a home-and-away basis before one qualifies for the grand finale to be held at Macau. Only one country from each continent will be able to go through to the semi-final to be held at Macau. The fourth slot in the semis will go to the ‘best loser’. The two best boxers from each category will compete in a separate event, which will also offer prize money.
The boxers can look forward to a financial windfall from this event. Apart from getting a yet-to-be-disclosed prize money for each bout won, they will also have the cushion of a fixed package from their respective franchises.
Every franchisee would be worth $10 million and will have 10 boxers each, three of whom can be foreigners. A team from one continent will be allowed to buy boxers from other countries.
A franchisee will have to pay at least $30,000 to a boxer in its team. The maximum can go up to $300,000. Or else they can pay all 10 of them equally. There will be two boxers for each of the five categories. The selection of boxers for the event would be done at the World Championships in Milan this August,
The boxers will stand to make a reasonable amount of money, which was so far unheard of in amateur boxing, and will still be allowed to take part in the Olympics, unlike the professional boxers. It will also make the future of boxers participating in the Series more secure as they will get a pension after retiring.
The federations can also expect some benefits as 10 per cent of the $10 million of a franchisee would be set for them. This decision was taken since the federations support a boxer when he goes through his bends. But when the boxer comes through and earns cash benefits, he does not share it with the federation. The World Series will help the federation to make money from the franchisee.
So what does this mean for India and Indian boxing?
For starters, we will first have to pray that India ends up getting a team. Earlier it had been reported that, ‘Delhi will be one of the 12 teams from across the world that will vie for the title’, but unfortunately that is not a given.
India faces tough competition from Thailand, China, Korea, Qatar and Kazakhstan, who are each contending to become a franchisee. The discussions are on and the whole thing will be finalised in the AIBA executive meeting in Milan next month. However, there are good reasons to believe that Delhi has more than a fair shot.
The most important one is the lavish praise heaped on Indian boxing by AIBA President Ching-Kuo Wu for the progress it has made in the last one year. He strongly feels that India’s rise bodes well for International boxing and what better way to give the country’s boxing aspirations a further boost by supporting the its claim for a franchisee. Giving Delhi a franchisee will also fall in line with the AIBA’s main objective of popularizing the sport across the world. Without Delhi, the whole of South Asia – home to such a huge chunk of the world population will be left unrepresented. That India has made such rapid progress in so little time, on the back of just a few more exposure trips and the addition of a trained physio, also supports the claim that India has a mother lode of boxing talent just waiting to be unearthed. I am sure the AIBA members will be most glad to offer any support required to so. There is also enough corporate muscle to support a franchisee and an untapped market surely worth taking a risk on, given that you do have an exciting product to market
The World Series of Boxing could give a massive boost to the sport in India and it couldn’t have come at a better time. The success in the Olympics had generated enough interest in the sport but now it is beginning to wear off – as shown by the cold reception given to the team which won 4 bronze medals at the AIBA World Cup. The exciting format should be able attract enough viewership and that will initiate corporate and media interest as well.
And it will be a godsend for the boxers and all those coaches and trainers who have toiled manfully along with them, without much reward for all these years. Indian boxers usually have a day job with a PSU to support themselves. Now they can immerse themselves fully into becoming world –beaters without having any financial worries. A franchisee, intent on winning, will also bring in better support and training infrastructure. And there will be exposure against the best boxers in the world, weekend in and weekend out. Needless to say, these boxers will become bigger role models, encouraging a whole generation of brawny youth to tie on the gloves. The boxing federation will also get a much needed infusion of extra cash.
But before we get too excited, let’s first pray and hope that Delhi comes out with flying colours in the AIBA meeting next month.
As a supporter of Indian sport and a long time boxing fan, I am waiting with bated breath
