Non-renewal of license shuts down amateurs in Hawaii

Local boxing committee president Ralph Martin's biggest problem last year was getting his promoter's license.

This year, he's finding that keeping it may be even tougher.

The Hawaii State Boxing Commission said it was deferring Martin's renewal yesterday and would not discuss renewing it until Martin accomplishes two goals:

» He must turn in financial reports for 2005.

» He must square things with the state's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs (DCCA).

Martin says he won't have a financial report until USA boxing's fiscal year ends in March. That would put a proposed February show in East Oahu in jeopardy, as well as the state's Golden Gloves championships and his own Junior Olympic tournament. Martin said he expects the clubs to continue to hold shows, but was told during yesterday's Hawaii Boxing Commission meeting that unless individual clubs apply for promoter's licenses of their own, to hold a show would be in violation of the law.

"We are our own entity and Ralph Martin must follow our rules and regulations," boxing commissioner Bobby Lee said. "Until he gets things straight, there will be no amateur boxing."

But Martin has already been down that road, holding regional championships last weekend, even though his local boxing committee was dissolved by the DCCA in December.

The DCCA found Martin had not filed his annual report in four of the past five years and said that any event held by Martom would be held in violation of the law. The DCCA, however, isn't charged with enforcing the law.

By deferring the renewal of Martin's license, the state boxing commission has effectively shut down the amateur game for the second time in a year. It prohibited bouts from being held for a month last year while waiting for Martin to submit financial reports and, after that, allowed fights only approved by the commission.

Martin filed his paperwork to the commission for last weekend's tournament the morning of the first fight.

Also, in yesterday's meeting, the commission received a letter from State Rep. Calvin Say (D--St. Louis Heights, Wilhelmina Rise, Palolo Valley) inquiring about an October match in his district involving a 15-year old girl and a 29-year-old woman. The commission had previously forwarded a complaint about that bout to the Regulated Industries Complaints Office.

Also, seven area coaches, including Martin, had their seconds' licenses (to be eye wipers and bucket holders, etc., for boxers in the ring) renewed.