(FEB 2) I have been covering
women's boxing since 1998 on the net, and throughout the years I
have helped, assisted, or however you want to label it, a
variety of promoters in the sport. There have been "many" who
have walked within my path of life in relation to women's
boxing.
I cannot tell you how many promoters make a multitude of
promises to help women's boxing and to feature female bouts on
their cards, just to see within one or two cards, the women are
absent from their events.
I have attended and covered many boxing cards throughout the
years that had female bouts on those promoters' cards, and have
seen the crowd absolutely go wild during women's bouts. True,
there is an exception as a minority of those bouts were not
action-packed. Still, it was obvious to WBAN followers, myself,
and boxing fans who have seen women's boxing that it is a great
addition to any card, if the women are well-matched.
I have to say that when it comes to many of the promoters, the
promises that I have heard directly from their mouths have been
ultimately broken.
This above comment is
excluding those "handful" of promoters who ARE supporting the
sport, having one or two female fights on their cards, and most
who follow female boxing clearly know who those supportive
promoters are in the sport.
Just a couple of example of my firsthand experience...
I remember one promoter who said he wanted to have world title
caliber bouts on his card, and they would use the WBAN
independent belts, which would be "zero" cost for sanctioning
fees. Ultimately, that promoter put on unqualified title bouts,
and ended up using other belts as WBAN would never allow the
fights he put on the card to ever be fought for a WBAN World
title belt. WBAN belts are based on merit, skill, and ranking --
not money. Not surprisingly, that promoter eventually fell by
the way side, and no longer even promotes boxing events at this
time.
Another promoter, who was very interested in putting women's
boxing on the map, came to me for assistance and advice on
potential action-packed female bouts, and proceeded to
immediately put on some of the dullest and one-sided women's
bouts on his cards. He no longer promotes women's boxing on
cards, or anywhere else I believe.
I can give countless examples of promises WBAN hears from
promoters --but they appear to be pretty much "empty
promises."
It is WBAN's hope that the 2012 Olympics, that will allow female
boxers to participate in three weight classes, will be something
that can catapult those competitors who wish to become
professionals in the sport on to any and all boxing cards that
are happening today.