White Collar Boxing Tragedy: British Fighter Lance ‘The Enigma’ Ferguson Dies After collapsing
By Robert Brizel, Head RCM Boxing Correspondent
The British Boxing Board of Control is the recognized authority of professional boxing. However, Great Bretain, like many other parts of the world, has lost creative control over the semi pro category called ‘White Collar Boxing’. The so-called businessman’s lunch bout cards fall into a competitive category somewhere on the road between amateur and professional. Without regulation, disaster can result. Unfortunately, another tragedy has resulted.
On Saturday, June 21, 2014, British semi pro white collar boxer Lance ‘The Enigma’ Ferguson-Prayogg, 33, collapsed into unconsciousness minutes after losing a bout to Shaun White at The Forum in Nottingham, England. Despite immediate attention by paramedics, Ferguson-Prayogg died on Tuesday, June 14, 2014, at Queen’s Medical Centre at Nottingham University hospital.
Ferguson-Prayogg was ranked sixth in the Organized International Boxing Association (OIBA) rankings at super middleweight. The organization represents ‘white collar’ boxers.
Given, such an organization falls between ‘here’ and ‘there’. How is the BBB of C and BoxRec supposed to regard and categorize the so-called white collar divisional category of boxing. White Collar Boxing falls somewhere in the ‘middle of the road’ in terms of tolerance and legality. It is not legal, but it is tolerated. Nonetheless, the safety protocols and procedures for White Collar Boxing fall short of what would be considered required. A true amateur or professional boxing authority puts certain safety features into place before a boxing card can take place.
Mixed Martial Arts and White Collar Boxing can be regulated, but more often than not illegal competitions in these categories are all over the place. My view is White Collar Boxing has to be given an official category, either amateur or professional, and then be fully regulated by either an amateur or professional authority. Without authority, without referees, ringside doctors, commissioners and other officials who watch over ringside proceedings, tragedies like Ferguson-Prayogg will continue to take place worldwide.
Most tragedies of white collar boxing go unreported. This particular tragedy did get reported because it took place under public circumstances in a known venue with too many people watching. Each tragedy is a warning sign the rules of boxing need to be immediately rewritten.
Until a better system is put into place to include and supervise White Collar Boxing, I will pray for the souls of the lawyers, doctors, bankers, carpenters, truck drivers, laborers and everyone else who steps into the businessman’s boxing ring and gives it a go. No matter how well they think they have trained, the scenario remains another tragedy waiting to happen, and people need to care enough to regular White Collar Boxing so a formal commission and safety procedures can prevent future tragedies around the world. An unregulated sport in any form, my friends, no matter how many people particulate or follow it, is just is not funny. It’s downright dangerous. Heed this sports writer’s warning.
White Collar Boxing needs to be evaluated, categorized, supervised and regulated by legislative decree in every venue where boxing exists. Immediately. So Lance Ferguson-Prayogg’s life and memory need not have been a life in vain. His nickname was ‘The Enigma’. An enigma is a person or thing which is mysterious, puzzling, and difficult to understand. Life is like fiction, it imitates art. Ferguson-Prayogg’s life and death, like the true purpose of White Collar Boxing, indeed remains mysterious, puzzling, and difficult to understand as to why the ‘ordinary Joe’ feels the need to enter the ring and do his or her thing. White Collar Boxing is an enigma in and of itself, with sports fans anxious for the taste of violence and blood eager to watch it wherever they can find it.
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