COLUMN: Royce Feour

     Jim Nave of the Nevada Athletic Commission was saying how commission executive director Marc Ratner has been president of the Association of Boxing Commissions at a critical time.
      Nave then stopped himself and conceded that in professional boxing, every year is a critical time. It's simply the nature of the controversial sport/business of boxing that all times are critical.
      When dealing with rival promoters like Don King and Bob Arum, competing casino properties and the controversial decisions that are always part of boxing, times are always critical.
      Ratner has been president of the ABC for two years. The ABC is the organization of state commissions that regulate boxing.
      Ratner completes his two-year term of office at the ABC convention this weekend in Biloxi, Miss.
      "It has been very rewarding for me," Ratner said. "Our long-range national goal has been to standardize the different rules of the states. It is ludicrous to me that boxing can be different in New Jersey or Nevada or Pennsylvania, but it is."
      Ratner's ambition is to some day have one set of boxing rules in the United States. An admirable goal, no doubt, but as it is, rules vary from state to state.
      "Illinois still uses the five-point 'must' (scoring system)," Ratner said. "In some states, the bell can save you in the last round, in some (states), it can't. In some states, the three-knockdown rule is in effect, in some, it is not. We have no standing eight-count here, some places do."
      Even if boxing had standardized rules throughout the country, it wouldn't be an easy sport to regulate or officiate. But standard rules would certainly be a step in the right direction.
      A big plus was the passage by Congress of the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996.
      The bill takes effect July 1 and deals mostly with health and safety measures, registration of boxers, suspensions and reporting of results.
      It is a basic bill, but it will still be of benefit to boxing in states which don't have much boxing, which means most states in this country, and states which don't even have boxing commissions.
      The Professional Boxing Safety Act is the focus of the ABC convention, which started Thursday.
      The ABC is specifically mentioned in the bill as the certified record keeper for professional boxing and as a guideline commission for states without commissions.
      Even before Ratner's connection with the group, I thought of the ABC as a potential force in boxing as an organization that could stand up to the unscrupulous promoters (is that redundant?) and the self-serving alphabet sanctioning organizations.
      The ABC isn't there yet, but in time and with strong leadership, the ABC could be one of the best things for the regulation of boxing.
      Perhaps in a few years, Ratner could become president again and the influence and power of the ABC could really take off.
      Two members of the Nevada commission think Ratner has already had a positive impact on the ABC.
      "There is no doubt in my mind that Marc is far superior to any other executive director in the nation today," Nave said. "There is no doubt in my mind we (Nevada) are fortunate to have Marc. He not only enforces the rules and regulations in the state, he does it in a manner people accept without getting angry and in a manner so that people understand he is being fair to them, and he is being the same to everybody."
      One of Ratner's strengths is public relations. The ability for a regulator to tell someone "no" without offending them is highly important. Ratner has that quality.
      "Marc also has a tremendous love for the sport of boxing and also a love for the state of Nevada," Nave said. "He really wants this sport to be better. The Association of Boxing Commissions has been lucky to have Marc as its president for the last two years."
      At the same time, Nave said he understands that national organizations change their officers.
      Nevada commission chairman Dr. Elias Ghanem said: "I think Marc is one of the best executive directors we have ever had. His experience in boxing has no match and no equal. The ABC should consider keeping him on as president because of the experience he has and his knowledge. He is well-known internationally, and his integrity in boxing goes beyond reproach."
     
      Royce Feour's boxing column is published Friday. He can be reached by phone at 383-0354, by fax at 383-4676 or by e-mail at Royce_Feour@ lvrj.com.