Columnist Dean Juipe: Union has its advocates

Dean Juipe

Tuesday, May 18, 2004 | 9:41 a.m.

Dean Juipe's column appears Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. His boxing notebook appears Thursday. Reach him at juipe@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4084.

The idea is an honorable one and it's working, even if it's not quite going as originally planned.

The Joint Association of Boxers was formed one year ago in Las Vegas with the idea of enlisting fighters and collecting dues in the form of 3 percent of their purses.

To date, no known fighters have stepped forward and spoken on JAB's behalf and voluntarily contributed funds to JAB, whose account is handled by the Teamsters Union.

But on those rare occasions when JAB and the Teamsters have a tie to a boxing card, as they did Monday night at Bally's, the fighters on the card are required to allocate 3 percent of their earnings to JAB.

It's a slow process, yet the union appears to be making at least a little headway.

"It's sufficient for a start," said the Teamsters' Walter Kane, one of the leading proponents of the boxers' union from the day it was formed.

"Hopefully the day will come when some (fighters) will (financially contribute to JAB) because they know it's the right thing to do," Kane added. "At this point, the Teamsters is helping (JAB) out.

"We think organizing the fighters is long overdue."

So did Eddie Mustafa Muhammad when he proposed the idea to Kane last year.

"We've got the strongest union in the world behind us," he said. "And every fighter on this card got a raise because of the Teamsters."

The fighters on Monday's card were paid a little extra in part so that they wouldn't feel the effects of having 3 percent taken off the top of their purses.

That was the only money JAB pocketed for the night, as neither gate revenues nor site fees were passed on to JAB through Bally's or promoter Cedric Kushner.

Yet Kushner is fully behind JAB and committed to seeing the venture through as part of what he calls a badly needed image polishing for the sport.

"The common, initial reaction is 'Why would a promoter involve himself with a union?' " Kushner said. "Normally, promoters and fighters have some adversity between them.

"Why am I different? There's a simple reason: One, the Teamsters are a public union, so their books are open; and two, I believe the union can change the image of the sport. I believe it's going to force the sport to take its head out of the sand."

Kushner is emphatic in spelling out his point of view.

"There's a reason for me getting involved and it's all a matter of trying to bring some life back to the sport," he said. "First, we need to secure more sponsors. Second, if we get sponsors it will lead to TV. Third, if we get TV it will lead to more interest and exposure. And fourth, if we get more exposure it will give us more opportunities to develop, market and promote fighters and give them a better life.

"It's a total trickle-down."

He's looking at the bigger picture, of course, and not just advocating a boxers' union.

"I believe we are at the time in boxing where we need to change for the better," he said. "There's always been a perception that the fighters are being ripped off all the time, and that's part of the negative exposure that has hurt the sport."

He's doing his part, as the card at Bally's was his second with JAB.

But somewhere along the line a few of boxing's bigger names need to get involved and chip in to the JAB fund without being coerced. When that day comes, the union will begin to be self-sufficient and, perhaps, prominent in and of itself.

Until then it is apt to remain little more than a curiosity, carried by the Teamsters and totally dependent upon it.