Bamboozled (21 page)

Unshakeable, Joey finds a new girlfriend who he dubs “Queen Meshelle.” She mails him articles including one about Senator McCain and his “Boxing Bill.” Joey sat for an hour looking at this document and reading the date and noticing that he is still being mentioned eight years later in June 2012.

STATEMENT BY SENATOR JOHN McCAIN INTRODUCING THE PROFESSIONAL BOXING AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2012

June 18, 2012

Washington,
D
.C. –
U.S. Senator John McCain (R-AZ) today delivered the following statement on the floor of the U.S. Senate introducing the Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2012:

“Mr. President, today I am pleased to be joined by Senator Reid of Nevada to introduce the Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2012. This legislation is virtually identical to a measure reported by the Commerce Committee during the 111th Congress, after being approved unanimously by the Senate in 2005. Simply put, this bill would better protect professional boxing from the fraud, corruption, and ineffective regulation that has plagued the sport for too many years, and that has devastated physically and financially many of our nation's professional boxers.

“My involvement with boxing stretches back a long way – first as a fan in my youth, then posting a painfully undistinguished record as a boxer at the United States Naval Academy, and then over my time here in Congress, where I have been involved in legislation related to boxing since the mid-1990s.

“The 19th century sportswriter Pierce Egan called boxing the ‘sweet science,' while longtime boxing reporter Jimmy Cannon called it the ‘red light district of sports.' In truth, it's both. I have always believed that at its best, professional boxing is a riveting and honorable contest of courageous and highly-skilled athletes. Unfortunately, the last few decades of boxing history has – through countless examples of conflicts of interest, improper financial arrangements and inadequate or nonexistent oversight – led most to believe that Cannon's words best describe the state of boxing today.

“The most recent controversy surrounding the Pacquiao-Bradley fight is the latest example of the legitimate distrust boxing fans have for the integrity of the sport. After the Pacquiao-Bradley decision was announced, fans were clearly apoplectic and many commentators found the decision astonishing.

“Bob Arum, the longtime promoter representing both Pacquiao and Bradley, said: ‘What the hell were these people watching? … How can you watch a sport where you don't see any motive for any malfeasance and yet come up with a result like we came up with tonight. How do you explain it to anybody? … Something like this is so outlandish, it's a death knell for the sport.'

“ESPN boxing analyst Dan Rafael – who scored the fight 119-109 for Pacquiao – called the decision an ‘absolute absurdity,' saying, ‘I could watch the fight 1,000 times and not find seven rounds to give to Timothy Bradley.'

“Additionally, following the fight, HBO's Max Kellerman was ringside where he said, ‘This is baffling, punch stat had Pacquiao landing many more punches, landing at a higher connect percentage, landing more power punches. Ringside, virtually every reporter had Pacquiao winning by a wide margin … I can't understand how Bradley gets this decision. There were times in that fight where I felt a little bit embarrassed for Bradley.'

“Clearly, the conspiracy theories and speculation surrounding the fight are given life because there are so many questions surrounding the integrity of the sport and how it is managed in multiple jurisdictions. Professional boxing remains the only major sport in the United States that does not have a strong, centralized association, league, or other regulatory body to establish and enforce uniform rules and practices. Because a powerful few benefit greatly from the current system of patchwork compliance and enforcement of Federal boxing law, a national self-regulating organization - though preferable to Federal government oversight - is not a realistic option.

“Ineffective oversight of professional boxing will continue to result in scandals, controversies, unethical practices, a lack trust in the integrity of judged outcomes and most tragic of all, unnecessary deaths in the sport. These problems have led many in professional boxing to conclude that the only solution is an effective and accountable Federal boxing commission.

“This legislation would establish the United States Boxing Commission (‘USBC or Commission), providing the much-needed oversight to ensure integrity within the profession through better reporting and disclosure, requiring that the sport avoid the conflicts of interest which cause fans to question the outcome of bouts which hurts the sport. If enacted, the Commission would administer Federal boxing law and coordinate with other Federal regulatory agencies to ensure that this law is enforced; oversee all professional boxing matches in the United States; and work with the boxing industry and local commissions to improve the safety, integrity, and professionalism of professional boxing in the United States. More specifically, this legislation would require that all referees and judges participating in a championship or a professional bout lasting 10 rounds or more be fully registered and licensed by the Commission. Further, while a sanctioning organization could provide a list of judges and referees deemed qualified, only the boxing Commission will appoint the judges and referees participating in these matches

“Additionally, the USBC would license boxers, promoters, managers, and sanctioning organizations. The Commission would have the authority to revoke such a license for violations of federal boxing law, to stop unethical or illegal conduct, to protect the health and safety of a boxer, or if the revocation is otherwise in the public interest.

“Mr. President, the Professional Boxing Amendments Act would strengthen existing federal boxing law by improving the basic health and safety standards for professional boxers, establishing a centralized medical registry to be used by local commissions to protect boxers, reducing the arbitrary practices of sanctioning organizations, and enhancing the uniformity and basic standards for professional boxing contracts. Most importantly, this legislation would establish a Federal regulatory entity to oversee professional boxing and set basic uniform standards for certain aspects of the sport.

“Thankfully, current law has already improved some aspects of the state of professional boxing. However, like me, many others remain concerned the sport continues to be at serious risk. In 2003, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) spent more than six months studying ten of the country's busiest state and tribal boxing commissions. Government auditors found that many of these commissions do not comply with Federal boxing law, and that there is a disturbing lack of enforcement by both Federal and State officials.

“Mr. President, it is important to state clearly and plainly for the record that the purpose of the Commission created by this bill is not to interfere with the daily operations of State and tribal boxing commissions. Instead, it would work in consultation with local commissions, and it would only exercise its authority when reasonable grounds exist for such intervention. In fact, this bill states explicitly that it would not prohibit any boxing commission from exercising any of its powers, duties, or functions with
respect to the regulation or supervision of professional boxing to the extent no consistent with the provisions of Federal boxing law.

“Finally, with respect to costs associated with this legislation. The price tag for this legislation should not fall on the shoulders of the American taxpayer, especially during a time of crushing debt and deficits. As such, to cover the costs, the bill authorizes the Commission to assess fees on promoters, sanctioning organizations and boxers; ensuring that boxers pay the smallest portion of what is in fact collected.

“Let there be no doubt, however, of the very basic and pressing need in professional boxing for a Federal boxing commission. The establishment of the USBC would address that need. The problems that have plagued the sport of professional boxing for many years continue to undermine the credibility of the sport in the eyes of the public and - more importantly - compromise the safety of boxers. This bill provides an effective approach to curbing these problems. I urge my colleagues to support this legislation.”

A year earlier Joey had learned that Senator McCain had to return “gifts” that he had received from Bob Arum, the same man that he vowed to convict for fixed fights. So after learning of this, “Cross” got back in touch with his old friend and hopeful benefactor:

SUBJECT : “Operation Matchbook - Fixed Prize Fights”

Honorable Senator McCain:

My name is Joey Torrey, and in 2002 I took part in a “Fixed Prize Fight” which was held in Anaheim, California. Approved and sanctioned by the U.S. Attorney General's Office and caught on audio and visual surveillance administered by the FBI an calle “Operation Matchbook.” I spearheaded this operation under the code name of “CROSS.” The aforementioned fight was so blatantly fixed that the following day as I sat in Top Rank's Office your staff, Senator called for a copy of my fixed fight on video.

Subsequently, after serving 25-years in a California Prison my sentence was vacated I was then released in 2002, and received a phone call from Bob Arum of Top Rank wh had remembered me from the 70's When I was a stand out amateur boxer. Mr. Arum made the opportunity to exploit my time served and forged a ‘come back' promotion. I the flew to Las Vegas to meet Mr. Arum and explained that I was 42 years old! Mr. Arum smiled and stated, “Kid, you just show up and your opponent will fall when told.” I signed a contract and then went down the hall to meet with a great man, Sig Rogich of Rogich Communication, who told me not to trust Arum. I returned back to my hotel and thought that 1 did the right thing when I called FBI Special Agent Bennet and told him my story, asking him, “What should I do?”

One week later I met with Agent Bennet, who informed me that if I signed on board t “clean up boxing” that my criminal appeal by the state would not be challenged, and I would remain free. I was then informed that you Senator were abreast and planned to name your Bill after me. I did all that was asked of me in allegiance with the greater cause of cleaning up the sport that I love. Yet, this very day I am back in this prison cell serving a life sentence (again!)
with no new crime having been committed
! And on my return to prison in 2004, was informed that Mr. Arum made “Operation Matchbook,” and myself, disappear. I have enclosed an article where you mention the operation yourself. Yet, I sit with no umbrella of protection from you, nor the FBI. I have even attempted to obtain my contract which is being held from m under F0IA. I am now sure that you must not be aware what the FBI did to me or the operation Senator McCain.