WHILE his fighting days may be over, Paul Smith Jr nonetheless remains eager to have an impact on the sport he loves the most.
Along with a team of industry experts, the former world title challenger looks to protect each and every fighter operating in the imperfect world of combat sports.
Issues ranging from officiating to health and safety have long been ignored, leaving the majority of fans, and indeed the fighters themselves, mystified at how boxing, in particular, is governed.
But now, with Smith, the co-founder of the Global Fighters’ Association (GFA), establishing his independent body, today could mark a refreshing turning point for fighters and fans alike.
With its first roundtable discussion taking place in May, the GFA is set to take a deep dive into the standard and application of officiating.
More specifically, its participants look to highlight a series of key issues surrounding the judging of professional bouts which, even at the best of times, remains a contentious and often nebulous topic.
With a significant crop of judges having either been accused of corruption or incompetence, there is, indeed, a lack of transparency and consistency attached to the scoring of fights.
Smith, among others, has long voiced his frustration at the overall standard officiating, with his first GFA roundtable meeting, led by a group of independent legal professionals, promising to deliver a much-needed degree of scrutiny.
“This is about opening the door to real dialogue,” Smith said in a press release. “Fighters have too often been ignored when it comes to how the sport is run.
“These roundtables are a chance to bring together the right people with the right level of experience, to ask and answer the hardest, most important questions.
“We believe these reports will help bring more protection for fighters, more transparency for the fans and will help grow the sport.”
Participants of each roundtable meeting are set to consist of former fighters, judges, referees, coaches, promoters, broadcasters, gym owners, medical professionals, and financial and legal experts, all offering a diverse range of perspectives.
More broadly, the GFA hopes to tackle any concerns over fighter pay, welfare support and legal advice, with its 12-month programme providing comprehensive coverage of such issues.
It is important to highlight, too, that Robert Smith, the General Secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control, has expressed an interest in working with the GFA.
When speaking with talkSPORT, Smith demonstrated an openness to having more discussions about how boxing could be improved, suggesting that the GFA would provide the Board with an invaluable service.
