THIRD WORLD FIGHTERS, AN UNTAPPED MARKET

Often I check my email and there are correspondences from boxers from Asia and Africa who would like to come to the United States and train.

Our world is becoming smaller and smaller with the internet, faster ships and supersonic airplanes.  In underdeveloped nations, there are people who are sacrificing their lives to immigrate to France, Italy, England, United States, Canada and other developed nations just to get the chance to obtain employment to help their relatives and countryman.  The underdeveloped nations have a large untapped pool of talent that is eager to learn and show their talents in any and every profession.  They only want to live a healthy and prosperous life.

Sports such as basketball, soccer and track have given players such as Africans and Asians their chances to compete in the developed nations and earn multimillion dollar salaries.

Boxing has given these athletes their chances over the years also.  We in the fighting amateur and professional sports have a disadvantage in recruiting third world talent because in other sports, there are academic institutions that are willing to look for third world talent through agents and private profiteers who are looking for the next big basketball or track talent.  Often these athletes have at least a ninth grade education and they can be recruited by high schools and junior colleges and continued to be groomed.  Big time college basketball on each division level has quiet, but systematic techniques on combing continents such as Africa for talent.

The key to recruiting third world talent is:

·         Never recruit talent alone. This will be one of the most difficult tasks you will ever attempt.  Before you start recruiting foreign talent, start a company or investment group and establish the fact that you are in this business to develop talent to make money.   The championship of the world is the primary goal. You are out to make millions and nothing less. This is not a charity.  Make detailed plans and strategy.

·         Understand that it may take up to three to six years before such talent earns six to seven figure pay days.  Before you recruit and invest in your fighter this has to be established. The contract with the fighter should reflect this length of time.

·         Provide at least basic education for the fighter.  At least grade school to high school education, if he has no education.  You would like the fighter not be totally dependent on the trainers and management.

·         When recruiting in third world countries, recruit the most talented and put them through a series of physical and skill tests.

·         Recruit proven talent. Ranked national champions.

·         Recruit fighters of good character.

·         Never lie to the fighter.  Be up front on your organization’s plans, training schedules, and contract percentage.

·         Unless you have a training stipend for the fighter, which may be borrowed or granted from various sources, help locate at least a part time employment for your fighter to help him with some expenses.

·         Provide the fighter with the warmth of home.  Help him locate his fellow countrymen in your city, county or state.  In cities such as DC, New York or Baltimore, they are churches, student groups, clubs and restaurants where your fighter can enjoy the friendship of his countrymen.  Have the internet available for him to communicate with family and friends at home.

·         Register your fighter for work registration.  In the US, he will have to apply for a “green card”.

·         Don’t let him forget that this is a business and all interested parties are out to make money through his participation through fights and endorsements.

Recruiting and managing fighters, domestic or foreign, takes time and patience.  It is a long term process and like any activity you want to recruit enough good fighters for your investment group to make money over the long haul.  As always, being associated with an entertainment and sports attorney is a great help in your organization snagging great deals, especially in television.  He or she will be a great help as you fighter becomes notable and famous.

Just like the National Basketball Association or Major League Soccer, don’t sit on your fighter.  Send those press and publicity releases out to managers, promoters, match makers, sponsors, TV executives, and equipment manufacturers, everybody who is associated in the industry.  Send them out often. 

If your fighter wins a fight, let them know, if he loses let them know.  Publicity for an unknown fighter is his best friend as he tries to build a winning record.  Let every fight executive in every continent know about the progress of your fighter.  With the power of the internet; this is possible.  With the help of sources like Sologig and Elance.com, you can translate your press releases in every major language inexpensively and effectively.

Just remember there is a large pool of third world fighters out there who are begging for an opportunity.  If you have the patience, money and a talented management machine, a third world fighter may pave your future into gold!

For information how to register your immigrant boxer in the US!  Click on these links:

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/services/residency/employment.htm#anchor52059

http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/howdoi/immstatemp.htm

AS ALWAYS, KEEP YOU GUARD UP AND KEEP ON PUNCHING!