New York Boxing Hall of Fame creates fund to help boxers during coronavirus outbreak

In some rare good news as of late, RingTV is reporting that the New York State Boxing Hall of Fame, in conjunction with Ring 8, have just established a new fund to aid boxers and others in the business who are trying to make ends meet during this global crisis. Obviously with coronavirus necessitating the need to bring a halt to sporting activities, a lot of fighters, trainers, and so forth are out of work and out of pay.

To that end NYSBHOF president Bob Duffy says their fund is aimed at bridging the gap for those in need until things get moving again.

“Most boxing trainers, cut-men and other boxing personnel are independent contractors, so they do not have any income right now during this pandemic,” said Duffy. “They have families to support, rent to pay, food to put on the table, and other critical expenses. We want to help them by establishing this fund.

“We’re not in the position to give each applicant a large stipend, but we are able to provide a small payment to temporarily help them a little bit. We’re committed to doing this for the month of April, at the very least, and then we’ll will revisit extending payments until boxing returns, as long as there is money available in this fund.”

Duffy says that any fighters, trainers, cutmen, or other independent contractors in the sport who live in New York or New Jersey and are licensed by either those states’ athletic commissions (or USA Boxing), are eligible to apply.