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| (Image Source: Broadcast/Global Fighters' Union) |
Ahead of its official launch in January 2025, the Global Fighters’ Union (GFU) is calling on broadcasters to support initiatives that will elevate standards across the board in combat sports. With boxing and mixed martial arts (MMA) among the few professional workplaces lacking union representation, the GFU aims to drive industry-wide reform by advocating for fighter rights, promoting the benefits of participating in combat sports training, and improving safety standards. Providing new health and safety guidelines for combat sports workplaces and securing access to benefits akin to those enjoyed in other sports, such as football.
GFU Co-Founder and former two-division MMA world champion Amir Khan said, “There has to be an organization that’s above everything, that we all have to report to if there’s an issue in any situation. We’ve all had issues, in training, before fights after fights at weigh-ins, on contracts, in retirement. We can’t turn to promoters or boards of controls for so many issues, so to be able to turn to the Global Fighters’ Union for help and get it from people who have been there and done it not just between the ropes but in trade unions, in politics, in law, in the media and in education will be a massive positive change for everyone in our sport.” As it seeks parity with other trade unions in the sports sector, the GFU will focus on persuading fight fans and the 750,000 people who participate weekly in combat sports across the UK to support the organization in urging broadcasters to emulate the model established between the PFA and football leagues. This deal sees revenue from broadcast agreements fund player welfare, grass roots development, education, and community initiatives. The collaborations pioneered by the PFA have proven vital to improving conditions across football. The GFU believes with the same level of support, it can have a dramatic impact on improving the world of combat sports at all levels and across all disciplines.
GFU Co-Founder and former boxing world champion Paul Smith said, “We’ve spent 2024 laying the groundwork for the GFU to become a recognized trade union and we will launch it officially 1 year after we announced our plans to build it. Through 2024 our team, structure and targets have all been established and we will start the process of change in combat sports with a list of year 1 actions to be published shortly. It’s the right time for a new organization dedicated to improving the business of combat sports at all levels to emerge and we are grateful for all the support which has got us to this point.” The GFU represents a historic step forward for combat sports. By uniting fighters worldwide, the organization will tackle universal challenges faced by athletes, including fair contracts, improved pay and benefits, and access to insurance and retirement plans. The union is also committed to legal advocacy, health and safety initiatives, and educational programs, fostering a global community of fighters passionate about elevating the sport’s standards. Combat sports remain one of the only professional sectors with little regulation and no unionized representation. Fighters often face unique vulnerabilities, from the absence of standard workplace benefits like insurance and pensions to limited access to legal and health support. The GFU aims to change this landscape, making it a priority to secure protections and benefits that align with those seen in other industries.
The Global Fighters’ Union aims to channel broadcaster revenue into transformative initiatives that uphold the principles of “Fair Fight” for all athletes. This includes securing fair and transparent contracts, ensuring minimum pay guarantees, and advocating for equitable revenue sharing. Funds will also support fighter safety, with investments in medical evaluations, advanced protective measures, and comprehensive health and wellness programs, including mental health support and rehabilitation. Additionally, the Union will use these resources to combat workplace discrimination, protect fighters’ image rights, and provide post-career transition support through education and career development opportunities. By uniting fighters globally, the Union seeks to establish a more equitable, dignified, and sustainable future for the sport. The GFU’s mission is clear: to create a unified voice for everyone participating in combat sports at all levels and abilities, fighting for fighters, advocating for fundamental rights, and raising the standards throughout the sport. Through collective bargaining with broadcasters, promoters and other stakeholders, the GFU seeks to establish a blueprint for fairness and sustainability in the industry. GFU Co-Founder Paul Maloney, a former Leader of the GMB Union South, said, “The GFU will prioritize achieving parity for its members with regard to funding packages provided by other sporting rights owners to the trade unions representing their athletes. There is no place in modern sport for a landscape where workplace rights enjoyed by footballers and other sports people are denied to combat sports participants.”
