Manny Pacquiao, a Filipino featherweight, has been crying about promoter Murad Muhammad stealing a large share of his purse for his match against Marco Antonio Barrera in Texas last November. Muhammad denies it. Maybe Pacquiao’s allegation didn’t come through on the Top Rank wiretap, but it bears a look-see.
As with most allegations of wrongdoing in boxing, the victim often has to seek civil means to exact justice. Though purse-dipping by a promoter is illegal, it’s not nearly as sexy as a fixed fight.
Every four years or so, federal authorities decide they want to turn over a rock in boxing. And assorted vermin scurry from underneath.
How about a preemptive strike? The Justice Department could start by enforcing the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act and setting up a centralized computer system with fingerprint IDs for all boxing participants in the U.S. The threat of jail time and hefty fines for violators is a great deterrent to most illegal activity.
