More stringent drug testing seems to an issue on the forefront currently. The big question though is, how would commissions implement it considering the cost involved? I think they should make it the default testing system. Therefore, the fighters will be automatically be subject to it if they sign to fight eachother. They can only get out of it if both fighters agree to forgoe OSDT and instead go with the standard testing system. If one fighter doesn't want to do it and the other fighter does, then the fighter who wants to go through with the OSDT will pay the entire cost for the tests that both fighters will be subjected to. If both fighters agree, they will split the costs. The ultimate goal would be to have a more cost effective system that could be used for all fights. In the meantime, this system would have to suffice. The commissions could also petition for State or Federal funds that could be used to fund the testing for fighters who want it, but can't afford it.
Big hole. The testing really needs to be done randomly and for any boxer licensed at any time, not just after they sign a contract.
This is what needs to happen. Any other way there is HOLES..Very easy to cycle on and off before a fight during your "off time".
While you're correct, that would be the absolute best way, that's just not feasible considering that there must be tens of thousands of licensed boxers. I agree that testing should be out of competition as well though, perhaps if they mimicked tennis's policy of only testing the top 50 or 100 ranked people in the world. Of course then you get into the issue of there not being one universal governing system ranking the players.
Dude BOXING needs to get united first. There needs to be a players union. Unified belts... etc. Realistically its going to be two steps forwards, one step back with just NSAC doing it for big fights. Right now boxing is still the wild wild west.
You don't have to test them all. You just need the RIGHT to test anyone/anytime (within reason). Put them on notice that they COULD be tested. Plus, there needs to be one international set of rules.
The costs are not as prohibitive as many think. I've heard $20,000 mentioned. In a Floyd-Pac fight, which would generate a minimum of $25 million for each fighter, that comes to less than a tenth of one percent of the purse. The other 99.92 % of the purse is still untouched. In a less auspicious bout, say $500,00 each, the cost is still only 4 %, leaving 96 % for the fighters, agents, promoters and other bloodsuckers. And as testing became more common, the costs would drop.
It seems it's still a very very long way to go for all boxing commissions to universally implement OSDT for all licensed boxers fighting in the USA. Then how about those fighting in other countries aside from USA? Are we talking here about 5, 10, 15 years from now before we can see a universal implementation?
It's not a big hole, it's simply a hole. You can't look to have a perfect system all at once. You have to look at continually improving on the status quo with a the goal of working towards perfection.
Since we're adapting the Olympic Style Drug Testing for professional boxers, why don't boxing form a governing body similar to the Olympic Committee to administer such drug testings? One governing body, one universally accepted standard drug testing protocol. We will call this new boxing governing body - Olympic Committee for Professional Boxers (OCPB).
