Five things I expect the (probably) upcoming World League to do for boxing

Lately, not a week seems to go by without a mention of what appears to be the upcoming creation of a global boxing league of some sort, fueled by the massive funding provided by the most disruptive upstart in boxing promotion history.

The achievements of HE Turki Al Alshikh in the field of boxing have been quite well documented in recent months. His efforts to generate major boxing opportunities in Saudi Arabia were just the beginning of a series of deals that helped generate some of the most unlikely partnerships in boxing, and his landing in the US through his “Riyadh Season” brand is already ‘ a reality, since yes.

Promotional rivals that were supposed to be cast in stone were crushed under the weight of Turki’s checkbook, supplemented by his country’s General Entertainment Authority and his massive budget. British promoters Eddie Hearn and Frank Warren appeared to be sworn enemies determined never to speak to each other again, but they magically became mates overnight, posing for photographs as two giddy teenagers who suddenly found their rekindled a long-lost friendship. Their “Five vs. Five” card, an unprecedented event in which the confrontation between promoters became practically the main attractionis a testimony to how many boxes of new money have reshaped the landscape.

The Matchroom v Queensberry 5v5 unprecedented event in Saudi Arabia turned promoters into the stars of their own promotion – Photo by Mark Robinson/Matchroom Boxing

A similar promotional effort is now expected between former bitter rivals Oscar de la Hoya and Bob Arum. That one I’ll have to see to believe, but there seems to be enough money in the air to turn even that seemingly impossible endeavor into a reality.

But the most persistent rumor out there is the one about the aforementioned and as-yet-unnamed global league, perhaps with a unified set of rules and other changes that would borrow liberally from the UFC’s rulebook and even the NBA in terms of pay structures and other mechanisms. .

Since very little has been said so far, and in the interest of lending a hand, I’ve put together my own wish list of rules, regulations and plain old desires that I’d like to see implemented one day.

Let’s start with the easiest and most obvious one, and then move on to the others.

To know:

Get rid of the sanctioning bodies: All of them. In one fell swoop. No more sanction fees. Clumsy and expensive intruders are what they are at best. Corrupt, conniving, money-hungry self-appointed overlords, at worst. And they ARE the worst. Forcing a $600 sanctioning fee for a “regional title” on a fighter who earns less than $2000 for a fight just so he/she can be ranked should be considered criminalanywhere in the world. Mainly because it is. A work program for brothers and sisters, family members and followers is what these sanctioning bodies are, whatever their original purpose may have been, as set out in that old Rules and Regulations book that now hangs on a hook next to their golden toilets that are in small blocks are torn apart. Call all their referees and judges and tell them they will make $200 more per fight under the new regime. Everyone else is expendable. Time to hit the right job market for all of them.

Boxing probably hasn’t had a unified set of rules since the days of Jack Broughton in the late 18th century

Minimum wages/paydays: This is how you maintain a viable pool of participants worldwide. And that’s how the NBA stays afloat as a competitive league and not as a 30-team franchise of the Harlem Globetrotters. If you are a competitive fighter anywhere in the world with no suspensions and a clean bill of health, you get a guaranteed annual fixed amount, delivered in monthly installments. Deductible from your future wallets, and perhaps from your spadework duties as well. What may seem like a small amount of money elsewhere can be rent and basic grocery money anywhere in the Third World. This will keep thousands of fighters away from asking for predatory loans from their managers/promoters, from unfair deals or taking risky strikes out of desperation. And you only pay penalty fees when you earn more than a million per fight. The NBA rulebook should serve as a guide (incl a global network to promote, support and develop new talents), but the challenges of making it work as part of a global league will largely depend on an agreement involving the major promoters around the world. And they will only listen if an all-powerful league orders them to do so. The conversation at this point exceeds what this page can contain, but it’s a conversation that needs to happen.

Uniform rules: It’s almost embarrassing to bring this up since it’s the biggest no-brainer in any wish list. But this is boxing, a sport that predates every major sport out there and yet struggles to find a unified set of rules for the entire world. And I’m not just talking three-strike rules or other basic situations. I’m talking about ring materials (thickness of ring padding, inks used in sail graphics), lightning (those big screens around a ring can blind anyone watching on TV, let alone the fighters), and much more. There should be a comprehensive, common-sense analysis of everything involved in the competition, from gloves to trunks and shoes, and even hair. Yes, hers. Dreadlocks, braids, beards and hair extensions should never be boxed in and yet they are allowed to be used freely, and it is only a matter of time before something very wrong can happen. One rule book to rule them all. That’s it.

A comprehensive, global anti-doping policy: This goes to the heart of boxing’s credibility and long-term viability. The lack of a unified rulebook has made anti-doping policies almost a voluntary thing, except in the cases where top-earning fighters force each other to take VADA-style tests before big fights. It is almost non-existent in Third World countries. A solid policy involving random testing and clear penalties for violations in all divisions and all levels from artisan to unified champion will go a long way in giving the sport the credibility that will attract sponsors (both individually, for each fighter in his/her market) and mainstream media coverage for the right reasons.

A new championship belt: Give it a good, beautiful design that reflects the history of boxing with an eye on the 21st^St century. A nice departure from anything that has come before. An elegant portable trophy to be desired and treasured. A “Ring Magazine 2.0” belt, if you will. I know an “undisputed” belt has been flashed around lately, but honestly, that thing is the ugliest thing I’ve seen in a boxing ring since Jorge Paez wore a wedding dress. Or Leon Spinks with his mouth open, maybe. Just get rid of it and start over.

As the first quarter of the century approaches, I will be writing a number of articles in a series I call BITS25. This is the first chapter of that series. I appreciate your comments and suggestions, and you can contact me at (email protected)

Diego M. Morilla has written for The Ring since 2013. He has also written for HBO.com, ESPN.com and many other magazines, websites, newspapers and outlets since 1993. He is a full member of the Boxing Writers Association of America and a voter for the International Boxing Hall of Fame. He has won two first-place awards in the BWAA’s annual writing contest, and he is the moderator of The Ring’s Women’s Ratings Panel. He served as copy editor for the second era of The Ring en Español (2018-2020) and is currently a writer and editor for RingTV.com.

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