Panel

Marina Sheppard

John Sheppard

Lowell Conn

Mauricio Sulaiman

Victor Silva

From wreck to salvage, as BoxRec which has transformed Boxing, becoming  the Bible of accurate, up to date and honest Boxing data,  is poised to launch a new array of initiatives in association with Lowell Conn of Protocol Sports.

BoxRec which celebrated its twenty first anniversary in May of this year,  is teaming up with Lowell and an announcement about the fruition of the beautiful friendship is imminent. Lowell hints that this will involve telling the narrative of the sport explaining: “We`ve been in discussions about applying more stories for the sport.  We`re going to work to extend information from BoxRec so there are narratives. We want more casual and hard core fans to appreciate it.  BoxRec has stories, analysis and statistics. We will work with them to benefit the Sport at large.”

WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman who was wearing a BoxRec T shirt, and explained the empty bookcase behind him, by saying all the knowledge is now stored on BoxRec said: “The magic of BoxRec is the free availability to onpass to everyone. They deserve credit and business opportunities, and if there`s anything we can do from the WBC we`ll be happy to help.”

BoxRec is database with a web interface. Its span encompasses 1867 to the present day, as the official record keeper of Boxing.  As John Sheppard says: “You can sit there and get lost in Boxing!” While Marina Sheppard explains: “BoxRec is an administrative tool and a never ending source of information for boxing fans.”

John explains that he started up BoxRec because a British Promoter nicknamed “The Weasel” was running rings around him, so he started building up a fledgling database, but soon had to branch out and buy a server himself, starting it live in May 2000. Paradoxically prior to this John hadn`t been that interested in Boxing, but that changed in 1995, when he went to a boxing match in Shepton Mallet in England involving Prince Naseem Hamid: “Within two minutes I was out of my seat cheering and everyone else was doing the same. I realized there`s skill here!” Marina adds: “I`m passionate about some aspects of Boxing. It is a force for good and I do believe in it.”

The Panel mentioned some of the great Boxing historians which include: Herbert Goldman, Don Majeski, Eric Armit, Bob Yaylen as well as  the early writings of Thomas Hauser and BoxRec readily accepted a challenge to compile a list of the Greats in this rarefied sphere.  John says some of the older historians who retained a wealth of information about the thirties, forties and fifties, are no longer with us, and the treasure trove of information died with them.

The use, worth and value of BoxRec, is to be found and gleaned from its records, schedule, latest results and of course the ratings.  The ratings are the most interesting because with them, the fan can see the value of the fight and of the fighter. It`s good for the quality control in the Sport, because once you have a data base, then you can cross reference. But it often involves a lot of detective work to find things out.  No names…but a few unscrupulous managers can fabricate events, like shows that were supposed to be a shining attraction, but in reality the lights were out…or never on!  Inexperience is also a factor.  BoxRec is always willing to help advise in this area. Like the lady who reported two boxers winning the same fight, because the Referee held up the arms of both of them.

John says: “If there is no world boxing police, we try to do due diligence to the Sport, as there is no world governing body for Boxing,”  and Marina also commented: “Sometimes we have to be the detectives. It`s challenging and we try our best. We take our role as official record keeper very seriously.”

Mauricio also said that the magic also lies in understanding different cultures and different procedures, which are not uniformly the same. This varies in different Continents and different Regions all around the World.  He also praised BoxRec and its ongoing, developing and flourishing achievements commenting: “BoxRec will be spoken about in one hundred years. You have revolutionized. Hats off to you for making Boxing better in so many ways, and only great things can come from this venture with Lowell.”

Often what a casual observer sees while browsing through BoxRec, is only the tip of the iceberg.  It`s now expanding into amateur boxing, and has records of 95,000 bouts in the system so far. Mauricio Sulaiman stressed the importance of amateur boxing as the foundation of the sport.  Without taking care and looking after amateur boxing, pro boxing cannot develop and prosper.

For more information, go the Rec, which can be found in the link.