I always hear people say that when you are willing to do something for free that you have found your passion. The saying, which really is rather cliche, comes from the thought process that if you are willing to do something and not get paid, you must truly enjoy it and thus you have transcended just a regular job into something better. Well, boxing must be my passion. As I look back at 2012 I realize that I have not been paid for a single fight in over a year. Keep in mind that I fought four times in 2012. The interesting thing is that not only was I not getting paid, I actually paid for each of my opponents in 2012. Now, if you are not in boxing this concept probably doesn't make very much sense, why would I pay to fight someone? Furthermore if you pay for your opponent does that mean the person just comes to lay down? I can tell you from personal experiences that the answer is a resounding no. In fact two of my toughest fights to date were guys that I paid for, one of which I actually had a draw. The fight that I paid for to get a draw, I actually fought the guy in his hometown, and recognized that the promoter of the show that I had given the money to was actually working the guy's corner, but that is the subject for a future post. Imagine how it feels to pay for a guy to fight, realize during the fight that this guy is not going anywhere, see the promoter in his corner and then end up getting a draw despite the fact that the people in his hometown started cheering for you during the course of the fight. Let me tell you it sucks, and it made me feel pretty stupid. The reality though is that in other businesses this expenditure of money is called an investment, and that's how I had to start thinking of it.  We are currently going through a promoter's market where there are not enough shows, and fighters need to fight, so promoters have the power to make demands that would otherwise seem unreasonable.  The reality is that unless you are in some way connected, at some point in your career someone will be paying for your fights. It just happens that since I decided to plow my own road, and am self-managed, I was the one paying for these fights.  Through these experiences I learned some very valuable lessons regarding the boxing business, it allowed me to get fights, and it allowed me to learn through the fights themselves. So I consider it an investment, and quite honestly, there is no business I would rather invest in than me.

Now, this is not to say that every fighter will be in a position to pay for themselves, but recognize that just like investors in a business anyone that is willing to pay for you will expect a return on their investment. So you better understand early what their expected return is.

Note to fighters: Think of your career as a business. Understand the terms of any investment, and your investors' expected rates of return. 

Unless you are in the boxing world it truly is impossible to understand the hardships that fighters have to go through to make it in this sport. I have decided to shed some light on this world from an insiders perspective so that people can at least get a glimpse of how difficult and political this sport is, in hopes that maybe it gives everyone a greater appreciation for those who engage in the sport, and who choose to get punched in the face in part for your entertainment. I can almost guarantee that most fighters (most unsigned fighters) have had similar experiences. Now to be clear, I have to differentiate my experience from someone who had an accomplished amateur career, who went to the Olympics, or who by some grace was able to get connected with a promoter early in the process that actually had their best interest at heart. That person's experience is probably completely different than mine, mine is one of a fighter who had 9 amateur fights, and who came in knowing that I had to prove myself by fighting.

The ridiculousness that is my boxing career to date started before my very first fight. My coach, having had a number of world champions and being in the boxing world reached out to a friend of his who was connected in hopes of getting me a fight. At our very first meeting to discuss the possibility of helping me to get fights, I was presented with a managerial contract. I am not sure if this person knew that I was actually an attorney who reviews and drafts contracts every single day and thus would certainly read anything that was presented to me, but this contract was absurd. The contract would entitle my new "manager" to 33 1/3% of all revenue derived from, related to or arising due to boxing for the next 5 years. Keep in mind this is completely separate from what I was going to pay my coach, the person who had actually been waking up with me to train at 7:00 a.m. for the past several years. Additionally, this contract was for 5 years with an automatic 2 year extension if during the term, I was ranked in the top 10 of any sanctioning body, and would renew for an additional 3 years if I fought for a belt during the term of the agreement. I would be locked in for 10 years giving 1/3 of all revenues to a man that prior to this meeting I had seen in the gym twice.

Note to fighters: read every single word of any contract that you are presented, and understand what you are signing, its always good when you are excited about the prospect of getting signed, it only sucks when you realize how badly you are being taken advantage of. Hardwork Promotions believes that if done the right way the fighters, managers and promoters can benefit without the need to take advantage of the fighters, its up to you the Fighter to find the right team. At Hardwork Promotions the Fighters are an asset.