You Talkin’ To Me?
By William Trillo
As I opened my email on Monday morning I weeded through various press releases, notices that I had just inherited $50 million and proposals of marriage from 20 year old Russian women. As I sifted through the mess there was an interesting correspondence, the subject of which read; Interview Request MEL Magazine.
In the body of the email was a request to interview yours truly about the business side of boxing. The writer, Andrew Fiouzi, was writing an article for melmagazine.com and was looking for an “expert” to direct him accordingly. How he ended up on my doorstep is anyone’s guess but I was more than happy to oblige.
What’s the worst I could do? Stick my foot in my mouth? It wouldn’t be the first time….right?
After a couple of phone calls the interview with Fiouzi was “in the can” and all I could do now was wait for the article to post later in the week. I was hopeful the interview was helpful and that the article would be an interesting read… and it was. I think you will agree that the article is informative as well as interesting. Outside of a few bits the wound up on the cutting room floor Fiouzi made good use of the quotes I gave him.
Those bit’s you ask?
Oh you know, just the usual….for instance; How local promoters screw the beejeebers out of young up and comers by forcing them to sell tickets to the events, (upwards of 60 tix per promotion at $50 a pop), and then maybe paying the kid a paltry $1000, (do the math), and threatening not to pay the fighter if he doesn’t sell all the tickets. The last promoter who tried that crap damn near lost his license until he compensated the fighter for his night of work.
Or the one about the new breed of boxing Advisor/Manager who seems to be a nice guy by only charging 10% for his services. But the fact is said Advisor/Manager has a string of Puppet Promoters scattered across North America who act as promoters for him because it’s illegal to both manage fighters and promote them at the same time. The Adviser/Manager is well aware his team of Carnival Barker promoters he uses like to be the center of attention and are willing to sell their souls for peanuts just to get a little taste of the limelight. That normally leaves upwards of 20% or more of the purse for the “nice guy” Advisor/Manager to shove into his already overstuffed pockets. Again I implore you to do the math and then start humming a few bars of Alice Cooper’s “No More Mr. Nice Guy.”
But I digress.
Although I was a bit surprised Fiouzi wanted to talk to me, of all people, I was thrilled to give him the inside dope on the bizness of boxing…as I know it.
Please check out this link for the interview;
https://melmagazine.com/the-economic-breakdown-of-a-boxing-purse-who-gets-what-87d956d8ddaf
Check out www.Pound4Pound.com
