Im in the leave boxing alone camp, screw unions. You can't have your cake and eat it too. Boxers hold out for more money, battle it out at the negotiating table, take low risk high reward fights, so save some of that money for retirement and healthcare purposes. Boxing is a capitalistic sport, it is a prize fight, you step in the ring and duke it out and get a large sum of money for it. Boxers that don't make a lot of money need to put themselves in a better position to earn bigger paydays like take on all comers, become the people's champ, run your mouth and create controversy, try to finish opponents off and become a knockout artist. Some learn how to play the game and some don't.
To be honest a union isnt even necessary, an association would be fine. Dont you think it would be good to educate boxers on contracts, help those who get into financial trouble, give some sort of help or do fundraising for retired boxers, whats so wrong with that. This leave it to themselves stuff allows the jackal promoters to pick them off and only the Mayweathers and Frochs or educated people like Ward will prosper to a full extent. I mean Pac is still gettin ripped off (well until recentlyat least) :scaredas:
Boxers seem in the most part to have great comradery and respect between each other, because they each know what it takes to get in the ring. However boxing is a lonely sport, where the object of I'd say most fighters is to make as much money as possible. It's them and their team, and nothing and no-one else matters. I wouldn't hold my breath on a union, or even a governing commission ever coming into place
DobyZhee was a little abrasive in his/her response but that pretty much sums it up in my opinion. If a fighter is not well educated then he needs to surround himself with a team he can trust and allow him to strictly focus on the fighting part. I totally agree with you Dubztep that someone needs to look out for these fighters best interest, I just don't think a union or organization is the way to go. Maybe you should look into becoming a manager/agent.