Expert: Lian Shoemake - 2/29/2008

Question
My son Spencer ask and got a great answer from you regarding an actor playing a boxer on film an getting paid.
You said that would not effect his amateur status.
He is 16 years old an has been training at our family gym since he was born. Someone wants to do a documentary over a period of years "the making of a champion" as he grows up and shows his training and matches from amateur to his first pro fight. Does this effect his amateur status? If he gets paid for it as an actor in it does that effect him?
Spencer is not and will not get paid to fight ever as an amateur.
Pat

Answer
Hi Pat,

I think you answered your own question!
Perhaps it's easier to explain the prohibitions as opposed to trying to figure out what's allowable.
In order to maintain one's amateur status, the boxer can not compete in paid competition, be it professional boxing, Toughman contests, paid exhibitions, etc. Those, in a nutshell, are the "no-no's."

Acting, modeling, fence painting...get all the money you can!

I hope that helps, Pat!

Thanks for the questions :)

Regards,
Lian