Who are the most powerful people in British boxing?

For most, the names that would first come to mind are Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn, the leaders of two of the country’s biggest promotional companies in Queensberry and Matchroom. Earlier this year, they were the highest placed Britons on a list of the sport’s 50 most powerful figures, compiled by Boxing News magazine.

That top 50 included a mix of promoters, media executives, managers, boxers and trainers and was topped by Turki Al-Sheikh, the chairman of Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority, who has ploughed huge amounts of money into the sport in recent years.

Further down the list, at No 49 was Anthony Joshua.The former unified world heavyweight champion and 2012 Olympic gold medallist was the only black Briton on the list.

Even allowing for the fact that this was just one publication’s verdict, and only 11 Brits made the list in total, it begs the question: given the predominance of Black fighters in boxing, why are there so few non-white faces at the top of the sport?

Answers are not easy to come by, not least because not even boxing’s governing body in Britain knows precisely what the numbers are.The British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) – led since 2008 by general secretary Robert Smith,a former professional boxer – has been overseeing British professional boxing since 1929 and is responsible for,among other things,granting licences to professional boxers,managers,trainers,promoters,referees,matchmakers,MCs,ringmasters and timekeepers.

Asked by The Athletic if he knows how much diversity there is among those license holders, of which he says there are just over 3,000, Smith says he can’t give any specific numbers because they don’t keep a record of ethnicity.

“And that goes for everybody,” the 63-year-old says. “We have Black promoters, Black trainers, white promoters, white trainers, Catholics, Sikhs, Protestants – we don’t record any of that at all, it doesn’t make any difference to us.”

Smith points out that the board’s vice-chairman Guy williamson, a former police officer and British amateur super-heavyweight champion turned barrister, is Black and adds, “We have lots of Black people on the board and on area councils around the country.”

Ultimately, though, Smith insists the BBBofC does not consider the matter a priority. “It’s something we just don’t discuss,” he adds. “If somebody wishes to apply for a promoter’s licence, anybody can do that.If somebody wants to apply for a boxing licence, anybody can do that. We don’t think it’s right that we should keep a record of where they’re from.”

Pat Barrett is a former British and European light-welterweight champion, who retired in 1994. In 2011, he was granted his licence to become a trainer and promoter by the BBBofC after a five-year wait.

Barrett suspects the reason for that delay was due to having been sentenced to three years in prison after he had been found with a loaded firearm and a quantity of heroin in 2003. After 22 months he was released, with the intention of repaying the faith of Brian Hughes, the man who had not only trained him as a fighter but had spoken in court in defense of Barrett’s character. That meant applying for his trainer’s licence.

“When I saw how tough it was getting for Brian (to keep training fighters), I wanted to be part of it to help him

A Shift in the ropes: The Growing Diversity in Boxing’s Power structures

For decades, boxing’s upper echelons – the roles of manager, promoter, and executive – have largely been occupied by one demographic.Spencer Fearon, a veteran of the sport, succinctly puts it: “sport and entertainment have been dominated by people that are a lot like myself,” and argues, “it should be reflected on the other side as well.” Though, a subtle but significant shift is underway, driven by both financial realities and a growing demand for representation.

Fearon acknowledges positive change is happening. Anthony Joshua’s 258 Management, established in 2017, boasts a diverse team, including chief operating officer David Ghansa. Other emerging figures like Dean Whyte (Blvck Box Global),Elliott amoakoh (Chris Eubank Jr’s manager),and michael Ofo (Fabio Wardley and Dillian Whyte’s manager) are breaking barriers.A landmark moment arrived in 2023 when Natasha Jonas became the first Black British female boxing manager.

This diversification isn’t limited to the UK. Fearon points to the rise of african boxing promoters like Dr Ezekiel Adamu (Balmoral Group Promotions, Nigeria) and Sharaf Mahama (Legacy Rise Boxing Promotions, Ghana). He believes the economic power of African nations will fuel further change. “Things are gonna change,” he states, “because right now, people are running out of the pound note.Ghana has a lot of lithium and gold. Nigeria has a lot of oil; there’s money in Black countries. Seeing a prominent Black promoter will trickle down and it will ignite around the whole world.”

Despite this progress, the topic of racism is frequently enough avoided when discussing the lack of diversity in boxing’s leadership. Jonas, unaware she was making history when she obtained her manager’s license, draws parallels to other sports. “If you look at football,if you look at track and field,we might be a high percentage of the athletes,but we’re a very low percentage of the board,” she observes,questioning whether it’s a matter of opportunity or something else.

Eddie Hearn acknowledges the need for improvement in industry roles beyond the ring. While he believes opportunities exist for ex-fighters, he recognizes a disparity in more inward-facing positions. “That’s something we need to look at as a business as well,” he says, advocating for merit-based opportunities while acknowledging the underrepresentation. “I always feel that we need to create opportunities for the best people… But I do think that in the business space there aren’t as many… roles that are filled by people with that background.”

jonas, who hasn’t fought as March, initially pursued her manager’s license to control her own career. She advocates for all boxers to become licensed, not necessarily to self-manage, but to gain the knowledge necessary to actively participate in decisions shaping their futures.

Boxing’s Diversity Question: Are Opportunities Equal?

British boxing faces questions about diversity within its leadership and promotional ranks. While officials state a commitment to equality, concerns remain about representation for Black promoters and managers.

Robert Smith, general secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC), defends the institution’s approach. He emphasizes the diversity already present among boxers, managers, and promoters. “We’re very diverse…to go out for a certain type of person, we think is wrong because we’re open to everybody,” Smith stated.

The BBBofC’s head office in Cardiff employs 12 people, one of whom is Black. Smith acknowledges the UK’s ethnic minority population (18% as of the 2021 Census) and suggests the BBBofC’s demographics reflect the broader, largely white and Christian population of the country.

Smith claims the board’s seven area councils have become more diverse, including individuals from various backgrounds like former police officers, lawyers, tradespeople, and ex-boxers. He asks if more can be done, stating, “Possibly, I don’t know. But are we open to absolutely anybody who shows the right enthusiasm and is qualified to do so? Yes, we are.”

Johnny Nelson, a former cruiserweight world champion and current boxing pundit, believes quotas aren’t the solution. He argues that individuals must actively pursue opportunities based on their talent and drive.

“We’re at a point now where if you’re going to be racist, you’ve got to be covert…otherwise you’ll get called out,” Nelson says. He stresses the importance of Black promoters and managers proactively seeking opportunities. “If everybody’s cued up and you’ve got a better Black promoter or manager with a better stable and he still doesn’t get it, that’s because he’s Black.”

Nelson advocates for forcefully creating change by eliminating excuses and “kicking the doors down.” He suggests it’s difficult for Black promoters and managers to prove discrimination exists without first demonstrating their capabilities and actively seeking opportunities.