Professional Boxing is the only sport that does not have a nationwide pension plan for retired athletes. 87% of professional boxers end their career with some kind of damage. For some, there are brain injuries, neurological and or physical damages, and for too many, these injuries lead to homelessness, substance abuse issues, phsychiatric disorders and dementia pugilistica (the medical term for being "punch drunk." <!-- m -->http://www.fightbeat.com/news_details.php?NW=20655
It's a cold cruel world. Everybody must fend for themselves. And one-time millionaire athletes aren't going to get any more remorse than the homeless man on the street who never had any money to begin with.:dunno:
I'm curious, exactly what kind of stuff does Gerry Cooney's FIST do? Anyway, it's sad that pro fighters get no pension. More concern though should go to the lesser fighters we know little of, or like to call "bums", who get paid squat for getting punched for a living.
because the fighters that make enough to support their future grandkid's grandkids don't see other fighters problems as being their own. They're saving up on their own, and don't feel the need to have to help someone else who refuses to help themselves. And that's the real problem - the fighters that don't make all that much don't want any more deducted from their purse than is already the case. Promoters won't invest in it because it takes away from their potential profit (if any is even to be made). As it is, there's a great nationwide resistance from promoters over the suggestion of being forced to carry life insurance for fight cards. And the amount they're asking is more than most full-time jobs offer their employees (in the event you're lucky enough to have a job that offers a life insurance option). Club shows are lucky to break even as it is; adding life insurance and pension deductions would all but kill the club circuit. Some managers care enough about their fighters to try to set aside money for the future. (Most) others just keep their hands in the fighters pocket until there's nothing left to take. The only way around it is to have it set up where it's set up in advance that X-amount is coming out of your check, and for the fighters to either agree to it, or not fight and find another way to make a living. If fighting is the only way you know how to support your family, or even to survive, then it's all the more reason to put aside a little something now when it comes time that you can no longer fight. I'm sorry, but raising already way-too-high ticket prices for the sake of contributing to a pension is ridiculous. The fans are already supporting the fighters by buying tickets to watch them fight. It's up to those making money off of the fighters (and the fighters themselves) to sort out the rest.
next to nothing The retired boxers foundation is the only legit one. But with so many others being shady, how can someone know? Thats their big obstacle. The RBF is more about getting fighters acclimated to a normal life/job than just giving money.
Personally, I'll support that idea. But I'm not sure that model will work in this climate. This could go as far as the fans are willing to support it (and can also be ABUSED as such). One example: surcharge or optional dollar on PPVs. If DLH-Mayweather had a single dollar per buy etc. I don't think that'll go over so well with folks. This may have had more favor when pensions were the mainstay of retirement life in this nation; but with the birth of the deferred account system (you run your own 401k/403b/IRA) then, as Jake said, the model should be geared to what we're all expected to do at this point: save for our own retirements. Maybe have it as a default that they have a certain amount deducted form the purse, but the fighter has the right to refuse for every fight (so the default is one of conservation instead of loss).
Most Pro athletes get Pensions Why Not Boxers ? To say that Boxers are not entitled to a Pension, is absurd. Do Pro football players get a pension ? How about Basketball players ? Hockey ? Baseball ? Hey Jake who do you think pays for the Players Pensions ?? Answer. The Fans. When you buy your tickets some of that money goes to player's pensions That is the cost of business. In Boxing,you have an unregulated sport where the owners (Promoters) don't give a crap about the athletes. In California they have over 3 million dollars in the Boxer's pension fund. If that fund was administered correctly it would and could do a lot of good. To say that Boxers are not entitled to a pension, Now that's a lot of BULLSHIT !!
I just had a pension plan exam and it was awful, fuck it, I'm not supporting it and, if they'd be wise with their money, they won't even need it.
