By Swalley Kenyi
UGANDA Professional Boxers Association (UPBA) has set out guidelines to avoid what they called rampant complaints against boxing promoters.
UPBA chairman Quraish Walusimbi said that the guidelines, agreed upon by boxers last week, would curb differences with promoters.
Among others, UPBA requires promoters to deposit boxers’ purse with the professional boxing commission UPBC two days before fights.
“In case of a delay, a promoter will deposit the money at least two hours to the contest or the boxer is free to withdraw,” Walusimbi stressed.
UPBA wants a promoter who calls off a fight or opts for another contestant after the earlier one’s commitment, to pay the victim 50% of the purse in compensation.
The association is also advocating for UPBC as an arbitrator as opposed to incidents where pugilists have taken their grievances to courts of law.
And if a boxer withdraws from a fight without a convincing reason, UPBA wants him to be suspended from the sport for a year.
“We are trying to help both boxers and promoters. Because some boxers don’t know their rights and had no where to turn to. Promoters have cheated them long enough,” Walusimbi added.
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