White Collar Boxing is a form of boxing where men and women in white collar professions train to fight at special events. Most have no previous experience of boxing.
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The sport first came to prominence in mid-1990s New York. According to a 2004 Business Week article, by that year over 65% of New York's famed Gleason's Gym membership was from a white collar background. The same article said that 70% of the Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood were white collar boxers.
Event management consultant Alan Lacey, who co-promoted the Gary Stretch v Chris Eubank WBO middleweight championship bout in 1991, belatedly discovered boxing training at the age of 45. Captivated and motivated by the discipline over the following years, he started training under former European Champ Jimmy McDonnell and alongside 2 time Olympian and World title challenger Adrian Dodson, who having spent most of his youth at Gleason’s in New York suggested Lacey to fulfill his ambition to box, even at the age of 48, and arranged for him to visit Gleason’s Gym in New York and box on one of their renowned events. On the flight back to London with the adrenaline still rushing in his blood, Lacey had an epiphany and decided that White - Collar Boxing could flourish in London. In July 2000, the inaugural White-Collar Boxing event, in collaboration with Gleason's owner Bruce Silverglade, saw a team of Wall Street bankers fly to London to compete on "Capital Punishment" at Broadgate Arena in the City, generating massive interest and media coverage. Lacey himself boxed twice on the night and subsequently devoted his time and energy to developing the sport exclusively since. Over 100 sold out events have followed "Capital Punishment", including “Celebrity Boxing” on the BBC in 2003 featuring Bob Mortimer, Les Dennis, Ricky Gervais and Grant Bovey, raising over 1.5 million pounds for various charities. HRH’s Prince Harry and Prince William along with Kate Middleton and Chelsy Davy are among the wide range of audiences in attendance throughout the years. The Real Fight Club’s first gym opened in the heart of the City in 2006, offering an authentic boxing experience in a safe and well managed environment. Throughout the recent recession, surprisingly the gym became even busier, providing an outlet to vent stress and frustration for those hit by the banking crash. It currently counts over 550 active members drawn from the banking, broking and legal and communities and is developing a fast growing membership from within the nearby creative industries.
In 2001, Gleason's Bruce Silverglade and Alan Lacey co-founded the International White Collar Boxing Association (IWCBA), the first and to this day main advisory and sanctioning body in the field, designed to regulate the bouts with a focus on safety. The IWCBA uses the same weight divisions of professional boxing and awards a belt to the champions of each weight category. Matchmaking of non-title bouts is based on level of experience as much as actual weight. It also rigorously requires the presence of an experienced doctor an anaesthetist, and a paramedic unit at ringside as well as thorough pre event medical checks. Over 1500 bouts have been sanctioned by the IWCBA over the years, with zero injury save for the odd bloody nose. Attempts at replication have resulted in predictable misinformation along with varying levels of expertise and success. In 2007 the World White Collar Boxing Association (WWCBA) was formed in London with the aim of regulation and promotion of the sport throughout the world. The WWCBA provides a common platform in the form of rules and guidelines allowing boxers to become ranked nationally, regionally and globally and to contest for championship titles. In 2008 the WWCBA sanctioned 9 events throughout the world. The WWCBA works with local and regional boxing authorities such as AIBA to ensure strong standards.
Bouts are usually three 2-minute rounds, unlike the longer 3x3 minutes in the Amateur Code for men and 4 x 2 mins for women. The UK and US version of the sport has traditionally been "no decision" but the many events in Asia Pacific are contested under WWCBA sanctioning and thus require to be decision. Prominent promoters of White Collar Boxing include Vanda Promotions in Asia Pacific and The Real Fight Club and Cityboxer in London. Vanda in particular has becoming a high profile organisation with events in Singapore and Hong Kong.
In April 2009, the largest White Collar Boxing event in the world took place at Suntec Exhibition and Convention Centre according to a BBC report. Staged by Vanda Promotions it saw over 900 people attend the black-tie event and 7 bouts to decision on the night.[8] The article also cited completed events in Hong Kong and further events in Hong Kong and Singapore.
On Saturday 18 July 2009 the British Channel Island of Jersey held its first White Collar Boxing event. Nine fights were watched by over 600 paying black-tied guests at the Hotel de France, raising around £15,000 for local charities. Former super middleweight champion of the world Steve Collins, of Ireland, refereed each bout.
16 oz. gloves are standard in the white collar boxing ring in order to protect competitors from heavy blows and hand injuries. Some gyms permit 14 oz. gloves as well for lighter weight classes and female competitors. Moreover, headgear, groin protectors, and mouthguards are essential requirements inside the ring.