JOHANNESBURG’S Miami Boxing Promotions confirmed on Thursday their plan to buy unit trusts for all boxers appearing on their bills, starting with their show on March 3. Matchmaker Jeff Ellis, staging his 28th development tournament, said the firm would purchase trusts for a minimum of R50 or 5% of a fighter’s purse — whichever was more — over and above the purse. “We don’t pay purses less than R400…The boxers can cash the trusts in immediately if they want but we will try and encourage them to never touch it until they have finished fighting.” The South African National Boxing Control Commission has a benevolent fund to help boxers who fall on hard times but it has no structures for pensions or medical aid. “Starting a fund for brain scans is our next move,” Ellis added. “We’ve already spoken to the commission about that.”
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