Editor: Shields vs. Marshall is a good starting point, but the vicious circle of boxing must soon be broken

IT WILL take more than a thrilling encounter between Claressa Shields and Savannah Marshall to deal with the problems that are piling up like sacks of trash during the garbage collectors’ strike. Shields and Marshall briefly cooled the air on Saturday night. They remind us how fascinating the sport can be when it is managed correctly. But the stench is still there.

If I can smell it, and you can smell it, too many people from the outside world can smell it. Just ask the International Olympic Committee who are on the verge of washing themselves away from boxing, once and for all. They weren’t the only ones conspiring to escape after observing what was going on here.

In the build-up to Shields-Marshall, while boxing tries to continue defiantly, influential sports journalists focus more on what happened last week when Conor Benn lost a fight drug test. The papers are rife with bad publicity. It can be frustrating when those writers plunge into a scandal and then fly away leaving the rest of us to sort out the mess. The reasons for that are debatable. The failures they discovered were indisputable. And they will be back soon.

Chris Algieri was also present. He talked about the rumors he heard before and after the loss to Benn last year. Conor promoter Eddie Hearn implies that there are no VADA trials for Shields-Marshall that can only be recovered when repaired by Shields himself. The Americans then reacted by alerting a clip of Kerry Kayes, after a fight, sporting her back with a towel. The suggestion that Kayes, part of the Marshall team and one of the sport’s best men, contaminated Shields with a mysterious substance is, of course, complete nonsense. However, suspicion and uncertainty from a foreign boxer was understood.

The sport has long needed to clean up its behavior. However, after each scandal is brief outrage, followed by a period of ‘as you used to be’ before another scandal emerges even dirtier than the last. Failure to learn from mistakes is inevitable. Those who are sane enough to realize the error lack the impact – and the finances – to really make a difference.

Power brokers have their own ways. The rules are bent out of shape. The British Boxing Control Board, a small organization when compared financially with the biggest promoters and boxers it is supposed to manage, is often backed into a corner from which they can’t get out.

When we tell from insiders that boxing is flying high, it’s usually propaganda. Rarely do we hear that from outsiders. When boxing hits the back page, it’s almost always cause for concern, not celebration.

Let’s break the vicious circle. Shields-Marshall, which reportedly sees 2m (a figure certainly motivated by the smart decision to air on the subscription-free Sky Showcase), is the perfect starting point.

We must stop resisting change just because this is the way it has always been. We need blue sky thinking. Admittedly, practicing such positivity is a bit of a pain when we keep sliding across the ever-expanding pile of rubbish all over the floor. The fact that (or why) we keep getting up after landing directly on objects is a great mystery, however, to believe that there is no hope would also admit that we have wasted too much of his precious life on boxing.

We must remember why we are here. For beams of light. Glorious, unforgettable nights. Exciting moments are unique. True heroes inside the ring, their eternal bravery and incredible self-sacrifice. Those acts of goodwill also go down the food chain at street gyms, where many lives are saved and done. There’s nothing like boxing when things settle down, we can’t forget that.

Nor can we allow the sins of the past and present to be forgotten, or worse, to act as if they didn’t exist.

One could write a book about the measures that need to be taken to Save our sport. For now, though, let’s take it one step at a time. We start with the most and arguably the most important topic.

We get rid of drug fraud. Or, at least, we show that we’re doing everything we can.

Given that the people who design and administer the drug are always one step ahead of the testers, the possibility is that they can never be stopped, not entirely. Even in sports where there are effective systems – such as athletics – drug fraud persists. The undetectable nature of new and revolutionary substances, coupled with the fact that only small doses are needed to feel the benefits, may lead some to think that testing is a waste of time. time. However, we have not yet surrendered. We’re far from saying we gave it the best shot.

Performing regular and random checks is a necessity. And it should be both regular and random, whether an athlete is preparing for a fight or not. What we know, or should know, is that athletes who attempt to cheat are always during preparation.

VADA has proven themselves to be the best at what they do. However, they rely on the mercy of fighters, promoters and committees to then act on their findings. Penalties must be followed. A dirty test is a dirty test. It won’t take many months to determine how the dirt got there.

Every world-class boxer faces at least two random tests per month. When they are in camp, they should be tested much more often. On the surface, it looks terrible. But in today’s culture, it is definitely a necessity if we want to promote a clean sport. Ideally, every licensed boxer would also be randomly tested. Of course, many would now say that’s impractical due to the cost and labor involved. So too the cost of increasing testing at the elite level. They will also be right. But it’s worth considering: If we don’t have the resources and infrastructure to clean ourselves, should the sport even exist? There’s money there, a lot in high places. How it is distributed and spent is an entirely different matter.

Fatalities still occur in boxing, largely at a lower level. Now I am not saying those accidents can be blamed on drug fraud but it is true that the majority of professional competitions happen without testing in place.

Also, too many people turn professional without having enough amateur experience or the skills/fitness/time needed to succeed. Only in boxing, and this is a worldwide problem, do we have professional ‘athletes’ who have done little to prove they are capable. The reality is that elite amateurs are better than the vast majority of professionals. That is absurd. Stricter barriers to entry are certainly needed. It will instantly reduce the number of mismatched and meaningless matches. I digress, but it’s food for thought anyway.

Once you fail to register for the exam, the punishment will be severe. In some cases it might be too harsh but it’s the only way to stop others from trying their luck. However, the prohibited substance contained in a system must be unrelated. We live in an age where it’s not hard to keep track of exactly what goes into your body. Especially if you are a professional athlete. If you can’t track, then perhaps becoming a professional athlete is not for you. A weekly log of what was eaten/drinked/drinking will be submitted for cross-reference if a dirty test occurs.

So, with a diary of everything consumed on the spot, if a boxer is arrested, it should immediately state why. If they make a mistake, don’t claim the treatment, misunderstand what’s okay and what’s not forbidden, swallow the wrong pill, eat at a little-known restaurant where they haven’t taken the time to find out the real source their product, they must come out and say so immediately. Don’t wait until the whole world thinks you’re a scammer before trying to clear your name. Don’t believe advisors telling you not to worry. Be proactive yourself.

Then plead guilty. Explain how you have a banned substance in your system so that others are not so careless. You’ll get a two-year ban, regardless.

‘No crime, I’m clean, ask anyone, I have no idea’: 4 year sentence.

Re-arrested after you were suspended? Goodbye, close the door on the way out.

Another area of ​​drug use that must be explored is perhaps even more important than testing and punishment. And that’s getting rid of the drug dealers in the first place. The Weasel-Push Drug Elimination Campaign should have started years ago.

Each member of the boxer team must have a license and be declared by the boxer. The moment a test fails, a boxer must determine which member of their team assisted them in cheating. If they fail to do so, that first four-year ban becomes an instant goodbye. Anyone disqualified as a drug specialist lost their license and they are not welcome to reapply. The scum is banned for life for their first offense.

One last thing for promoters to consider. Why not make it your policy to never work with a boxer who has failed a test in the past? Admittedly that can make life difficult for a while because so many of those arrested have been picked up again.

But, with time, working with a clear conscience will bear fruit.