State commission says no boxing events until April 13-14 meeting
in L.A.
Amateur boxing in the state of California came to a halt last
week.
The California State Athletic Commission suspended the
regulatory body that oversees the sport, USA Boxing, pending a
meeting April 13-14 in Los Angeles.
State commission says no boxing events until April 13-14 meeting in L.A.
Amateur boxing in the state of California came to a halt last week.
The California State Athletic Commission suspended the regulatory body that oversees the sport, USA Boxing, pending a meeting April 13-14 in Los Angeles.
CSAC officials are investigating allegations that USA Boxing allowed rules to be skirted at private amateur shows known as “smokers,” which pit fighters as young as 8-years-old against each other as crowds bet money, drink alcohol and ogle ring girls who occasionally go topless. Fighters’ parents often times are strictly prohibited from attending such events.
“The Commission is concerned that the safety and fairness standards set forth and overseen by the national office of USA Boxing are inadequate to properly protect the health and safety of amateur fighters in California,” said Bill Douglas, CSAC assistant executive officer, in a statement last Monday, March 23.
All upcoming amateur boxing events in the state scheduled to take place before the hearing must be cancelled or postponed, according to Luis Farias, communications director for the Department of Consumer Affairs.
It’s possible that USA Boxing, the organization that oversees all amateur boxing throughout the country, could have its authority to regulate amateur boxing in California revoked, which would then force the CSAC to take over the licensing of all fighters, handle the registration of local boxing clubs, monitor shows for proper compliance with the rules and have oversight of those who do the monitoring.
Such an increase in responsibility seems hard to imagine to some in the boxing community.
“I do wonder and worry, ‘Does the commission have the manpower to regulate the amateur scene?'” said Arturo Gastelum, co-founder of the Frisco Boxing Club in San Francisco. “The amateur scene in California is the biggest of any state in America.”
