Rocky The Elf Campaign to help retired boxers in California

During the Festive Season and onwards, the California State Athletic Commission is launching an awareness campaign entitled: “Rocky The Elf” for former pro boxers who fought in this State, who could be eligible for a pension.

It`s a Santa`s Elf helper initiative for a one off pension gift, applying to those who had professional boxing careers in California, and even more apt as in 2024, the Commission celebrates its Centenary.

The eligibility rules are that the recipients must be fifty or older. Boxers must have fought at least ten rounds a year for four years in California with no more than a three years break. They must have fought at least seventy five scheduled professional rounds in California with no more than a three years break.

Andy Foster who is the Executive Director of the California State Athletic Commission said: “We are trying to get the word out that anyone who might be a late claimant so we can get them paid, because it would be a nice present from the State of California and it would make CSAC Rocky very happy to be able to find these boxers. I believe one hundred and eighty three boxers are eligible. They are owed money and we`re trying to pay them. It depends upon how many times they fought in California. The average payment is nineteen thousand dollars. The lowest I`ve seen is six thousand and the most is two hundred and twenty thousand.

“The World Boxing Council and Mauricio Sulaiman, the Mexican Consulate in San Diego, the Mexican Government and the California State Athletic Commission, have worked together and the Commission has paid forty boxers this year. And we`re hoping to pay even more in 2024. We would like any help or any word we can get out. You can find all the information on our website: dca.ca.gov/csac

“It takes about six to eight weeks from the time they file their paper work with us. California has a long history of respecting boxers. We are coming up to our centennial and the people of California care about boxers and that is why there`s a pension program here. It`s funded upon eighty eight cents on boxing tickets sold.”

For its part, the WBC is also working on an idea that all boxers could voluntarily donate an agreed percentage of their purses placed into a pension program available to them once they have retired. Andy stresses that this is a good idea, if it is done on a voluntary basis involving consultation with the boxers case by case. He also commented: “We are trying to have two classes during 2024 about financial literacy for boxers and martial arts fighters to help them manage their money better.”

The WBC has also created the Jose Sulaiman Boxers fund, which is independently administered. It provides grants of money to former boxers worldwide who have fallen upon hard times and are in need. The WBC also pays pensions to boxers. This has been financed by donations, the generosity of business tycoon Carlos Slim and auctions of luxury watches by Hublot.