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Posted by Mike Smith
For a pro fight card to happen there are many parts that make the fight machine work. On a weekly basis at the gym I get asked:
What does a promoter do?
Who do I call to get fights?
Who pays me ?
Here is a quick guide on who does what in the fight industry.
Fighter
The fighter is the most important piece of the puzzle. He or she is the one who puts their ass on the line for our entertainment. Many people in the fight industry forget this simple fact. They make comments like, so and so is overrated or this guy is no good. But remember this, if you never laced on a pair of gloves and never stepped into a ring, it’s disrespectful. The industry revolves around the fighter not the other way around.
The Coach:
The coach is the person who helps the fighter win fights. He motivates and pushes them in the gym , sets up sparring and comes up with fight plans.
The Trainer:
Many people get the coach and the trainer mixed up. A trainer is a person who takes raw talent and molds them into a world class fighter. One of my boxing mentors use to say “a trainer teaches you how to drive a coach tells you where to turn.”
The Cutman:
The cutmans job is to treat cuts, bruises and swelling between rounds. Also cutmen wraps the fighters hands.
TheCorner Men:
Corner men walk out with the fighter to the ring or cage and work the corner between rounds. They usually consist of coaches, training partners and cutmen.
The Fight Agent:
A fight agent is a person who has connections with different fight leagues and promoters. They charge anywhere from 10 to 33 percent of the fighters purse . Usually he has no emotional ties to the fighter its strictly business.
The Manager:
This is where it gets a little tricky. Some managers act like fight agents and also handle other duties such as:
- Pay gym dues
- Find sponsors
- Book flights
- Find sparring
- Etc
A managers job is stressful he or she has to deal with many different personalities. You have to be a people person and have good negotiation skills.
The Matchmaker:
The matchmaker works for the promoter, his job is to make the matches for the promotion. He is a very important because he can make or break a career. Depending on who he matches you up with he can make you a world champ or a tomato can.
The Promoter:
A promoter secures the venue, pays the fighters and promotes the fights.
The Lawyers:
Lawyers look over contracts from promoters, sponsors and managers. He translates all the legal talk so the fighter can understand what’s going on. It’s very important for a fighter to have a good lawyer. With a good lawyer you make money a bad lawyer ruins your career.
The Athletic Commision
The commission oversees all licensing for the event. The fighters, managers, fighters, referees, time keepers, judges and inspectors. They also make sure the fighter has his medical (hiv,hep b ,hep c ,eye test etc)
