COVID-19 may have caused a halt to professional boxing shows but elite boxing manager Steve Goodwin isn’t slowing down. “We have had to adapt to the way we normally do things but we are still very much open for business, and we have had plenty of enquiries during this time.” Goodwin continued “With video conferencing I have been able to hold meetings with potential new boxers & I am pleased to say we have signed 3 new ones since the lock down. They will be announced in due course once the BBBofC gets back up and running”.
Goodwin’s management stable is going from strength to strength as he currently boasts 36 champions during his short management career. “People think boxing management is just a case of finding a show to put a boxer on, but there is so much more to it than that. The real trick is manoeuvring boxer’s into title contention at the right time. It’s a skill set that few managers have.” Steve says. “But I do have that skill set, my record proves that. It’s not always the best fighters who get to the top, it’s the best-managed fighters. The decision to appoint the correct manager is probably the most crucial decision a boxer makes in his career.”
It is a valid point, as professional boxing has over the years seen its fair share of retired boxers sharing horror stories of how their careers were mismanaged. “Not all failed careers are the result of bad management.” explained Steve “Sometimes the blame lays at the feet of the boxer, but there is certainly a large percentage of boxers who never reach their potential because their manager just wasn’t up to the job.”
The sport of boxing has seen a rise in newly licensed managers in the last 24 months and a huge increase of unlicensed boxing consultants/advisors. Goodwin explains “To be a licensed manager you have to have held a BBBofC license of some form for at least 3 years before you can even apply to become a manager. This is done by the BBBofC to protect the boxer’s interest, to stop anyone coming into the sport and becoming a manager. That’s why you have seen this increase in consultants/advisors, people with no management experience just chancing their arm. A good sales person doesn’t mean they will be a good manager.” Steve goes onto say “Think about this, if you were going to have an operation would you want the doctor who you knew was trained and had the correct licenses to operate, & the backing of a professional body in case something went wrong? or would you risk it with the guy who tells you how great he can operate, and says the reason he doesn’t have the license is because he doesn’t want to be controlled by the system, giving you no protection or comeback if it all went wrong?… I know which one the sensible person would pick. Your decision on who should be your manager should be no different!.”
It’s a frank and honest assessment from the 57-year-old, “I just want to see boxers do well, I want them to get proper advice and guidance and not fall for the BS that is out there. This sport is hard, I just don’t like seeing boxers make decisions that make it harder.” said Steve.
So even with the COVID-19 pandemic putting the brakes on the action in the ring, the Leighton Buzzard based manager isn’t slowing down on his commitment to boxers.
