Amir Khan demands an independent organization for boxers' rights
- Amir Khan has co-founded the Global Fighters' Union to tackle issues in boxing and MMA.
- The organization will aim to establish a unified voice for fighters and advocate for better working conditions.
- The GFU seeks to follow the successful model of the Professional Footballers' Association to improve standards in combat sports.
In December 2024, Amir Khan, the former boxing champion, announced the launch of the Global Fighters' Union (GFU), aimed at enhancing conditions for boxers and mixed martial artists. The organization intends to address the lack of union representation in these sports, which have been significantly underserved compared to other professional athletics such as football. As a co-founder of GFU, Khan emphasized the necessity for a singular body to which athletes can report issues, covering a range of concerns from contract disputes to issues faced during training and retirement. Over the course of 2024, the GFU's groundwork has been laid, with a focus on becoming a recognized trade union in combat sports. Khan and fellow co-founder Paul Smith have articulated their vision for a collective approach to advocacy in the industry. The GFU aims to serve as a unified voice for fighters, facilitating negotiations for better standards, workplace benefits, and protections that are often absent in this field. The mission of the GFU includes collective bargaining with key stakeholders such as promoters and broadcasters, seeking to establish fair contracts and ensure financial sustainability for athletes. Current issues faced by fighters include a lack of standard workplace benefits like insurance and pensions. The GFU strives to alter this by advocating for salaries, promoting mental health support, and ensuring fighter safety through adequate medical provisions and training. The initiative has drawn parallels to the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA), which successfully improved conditions for football players through collective bargaining. The GFU is inspired by this model, hoping to achieve a similar impact in combat sports while leveraging broadcaster revenues to fund programs aimed at fighter welfare and development. As the GFU prepares for its official launch in January, it harnesses the support from various stakeholders to drive the necessary changes for fighters at all levels across boxing and mixed martial arts.