NABF Conference Day 2 Report

Report/Images: Boxing Bob Newman

NABF vp Joanna Aguilar opened the overall session of the 52nd annual NABF conference, held on the Paris Lodge in Las Vegas, at 9:00 this morning with introductions of the board of administrators in addition to a memorial ten-count for many who’ve been misplaced prior to now 12 months. Aguilar then launched NABF president Duane Ford.

Ford welcomed the delegates and company to the conference. The primary visitor speaker Ford launched was Peter Villegas, Chairman of the California State Athletic Fee.

Peter Villegas, got here from company America (JP Morgan and Coca-Cola) and now chairs one of many busiest commissions on the planet. Villegas identified the variety of females in attendance at this conference in addition to their involvement within the sport of boxing in any respect ranges, cheering the range on show. Villegas is on the board of the Muhammad Ali Heart in Louisville, KY. He’s spearheading the motion to have Ali commemorated on a U.S. Postage stamp and has requested for assist from the boxing group in seeing this endeavor come to fruition.

Ford then known as to the lectern, NABF vp and WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman. Sulaiman opened with a humorous, however true story. This was the primary time he ever made a visit and forgot his costume sneakers! Sulaiman then acquired critical and mentioned the implications of constructing errors each within the ring (as a referee) and outdoors the ring (judges and directors). On the crux of all that is the security and welfare of the fighters. Sulaiman burdened the significance of construction, equity and cooperation within the relationships between sanctioning organizations, promoters, commissions and others concerned within the sport of boxing.

Accepting change throughout the sport is one thing Sulaiman additionally burdened. The change from 15 to 12 rounds for championship fights again in 1983 was an instance of change for the betterment of boxing, however change which was resisted at first. A present instance of change that’s assembly resistance is the WBC’s introduction of the Bridgerweight class. NABF Bridgerweight champion Alfonso Lopez was in attendance at this conference.
One final concern broached by Sulaiman was the exclusion of boxing from the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles and the irreparable harm this may do to the game of boxing.

Joanna Aguilar then launched world class referee Jack Reiss. Reiss began his skilled referee profession in 1981 and has since reffed over 2000 skilled bouts. For over 90 minutes, Reiss delivered a really detailed, structured discuss on the methodologies, theories and philosophies of the job of a referee and a worldwide method to implementing these methodologies. He applied using a number of video clips which illustrated each good and poor examples of refereeing.

After a lunch break, The primary speaker was the venerable hall-of-fame ring announcer Jimmy Lennon, Jr., who talked about each his profession in addition to that of his hall-of-fame father- Jimmy Lennon Sr.
Learning each psychology and schooling, Lennon, Jr. by no means regarded to comply with his well-known father contained in the ropes. Ultimately, he acquired alternatives on small exhibits and his new profession ultimately blossomed into the hall-of-fame profession that it’s at the moment. In the course of the subsequent Q & A that adopted, there have been nearly as many complimentary statements made about Lennon, Jr. in addition to questions requested of him. NABF president Duane Ford defined how Lennon, Jr. has lived as much as his nickname “Elegant.” Lennon, Jr. had acquired a proposal to announce a present today- the identical day as his presence on the NABF conference was scheduled, he turned down the extra profitable provide to honor his promise to look at this conference!

CSAC Government Director Andy Foster delivered his discuss entitled “What Officers Want To Know.”

Foster’s “Severity Index” figured in the beginning in his methodology of approving fights in California. Foster additionally mentioned what a ringside doctor must know, his win/loss algorithm and a fighter’s weight. The second half of the lecture targeted in additional cautious element on, “Boxing Historical past Of Downed Fighters.” Foster regarded on the evolution and the significance of the knockdown all through varied units of guidelines over the past 300 years: Broughton’s guidelines, London Prize Ring Guidelines, Marquis of Queensbury Guidelines, ABC Guidelines and so forth.
As soon as once more, social media reared it’s ugly head as a thorn within the aspect of boxing commissions and as one thing from which ring officers ought to keep away. Ring officers shouldn’t discuss their upcoming assignments, criticize fellow ring officers or publish photographs of themselves with energetic boxers.

Subsequent up, the congregation moved into one other corridor, broke up into 5 teams, every with a “Facilitator” and mentioned varied matters. The facilitators and their respective matters have been as follows:

Referee Thomas Taylor- prefight directions
Choose Chris Migliore- journey expertise
Choose David Sutherland- assignments as ring officers / supervisors
Choose Steve Morrow- NABF code of ethics
Choose Tim Cheatham- preparation & routine

Every spherical desk group lasted ten minutes after which the facilitators would transfer on to the subsequent group till the cycle was full. Right now, a panel of Andy Foster, Duane Ford and Mauricio Sulaiman answered questions which have been beforehand culled from the spherical desk teams. A raffle was then held, selecting 5 tickets from a basket, bestowing three $25 present playing cards and two $50 present playing cards to the fortunate winners.

The night is free tonight for conventioneers, with a full day scheduled for tomorrow.