Robert Smith has admitted that the end is in sight for his time as General Secretary of the British Boxing Board of Control.
The 64-year-old, who retired from fighting in 1989 with a 16-5 (11 KOs) record, has overseen the governing body, and in turn British boxing, since 2008. Though he has encountered his share of criticism – some justified, though plenty of the armchair variety – Smith's time in the hot seat has been a productive one.
The sport has grown considerably in the UK under Smith's stewardship, with more shows, an increase in the number of professional boxers and, importantly, a more robust medical and safety protocols.
His role has also evolved amid the social media boom. At the start of his tenure, complaints about officiating decisions were largely confined to the letters pages of Boxing News. Today, it's commonplace for him to receive abuse online and, on more than one occasion, he has received threats against himself and his family.
It should come as little surprise, then, that Smith, after almost 20 years in the job, is eyeing the finishing line.
“I've certainly got a lot less time doing it than I've had,” Smith told BoxingScene.a
“I'm wary of that and things move on. And yes, I have thought about my future, I'd be lying if I said I hadn't.
“And I've had conversations with my wife and family. And yeah, I'm on the last stretch for sure. I won't tell you what my plan is at the moment because it's not confirmed, but I'm certainly on the last stretch.”
It's a misconception that the BBBoC is a huge organization. Smith has had to run a tight ship with a relatively small staff. The need to balance the books has led some to question the Board's ability to keep major promoters such as Matchroom and Queensberry in check. After all, the bigger the show, the more money the Board stands to make.
Smith has heard that argument many times.
“Well, we're a regulatory body,” he said. “First and foremost, we're a regulatory body with regard to the rules of the contests and medicals, etcetera.
“I do understand that. We have, I believe, a very good relationship with the vast majority of the promoters we deal with. There's obviously some people who don't like how I do things and I fully accept that. But I can't remember a time when somebody, a promoter, big promoter or small, has actually gone against what the Board is saying at the time.
“You may disagree with it, but I think they generally realize we're there for the good of the sport, we're there for the good of the boxers, most importantly. So, people have that perception, but it doesn't work like that, to be honest with you.
“I deal with Eddie [Hearn], Frank Smith, Frank Warren, and then I deal with [small-hall promoter] Carl Greaves, like I've been speaking to today on another matter, and I deal with other promoters all the time. They're treated all the same. That's how I work.
“And I don't have an issue with anybody claiming that we're in somebody else's pocket because we're not. It's a fact.”
Regardless, whenever there is a contentious judging decision or a referee's stoppage deemed too late or too early, it's often Smith who bears the brunt of the criticism.
He has long accepted that this comes with the job he took on 18 years ago.
“If I took it personally, I wouldn't come to the office to be honest with you.
“Nobody likes getting criticized and sometimes I understand [the criticism] but social media has changed the world; I think it's a great tool but it's not always for the better. They force somebody to slag somebody off who doesn't know the individual; who doesn't know what they do to keep the sport safe as possible. It's cowardly, ultimately, as far as I'm concerned.
“But, you know, we're there to be shot at. I fully understand it. We're an authority, The Football Association gets shot at all the time. Rugby gets shot at. Governments get shot at.
“I fully understand that. I do get it. And you're never going to stop it. There's always people with an opinion and they're entitled to their opinion and whether you agree with it or not.
“[But] some of the people who [criticize] have very little knowledge of how the sport works, in my opinion, whether that's wrong or right.
“They'll say differently, and I'm fairly sure after this interview we're doing now I'm going to get shot down in pieces by some people.
“But that's what I do it for. I actually do love the sport.”
Though Smith will one day relinquish the reins, that love he speaks of will remain.
“When I stop this job, I'd still like to be involved in the sport in some way, because it's been my life. I might take a bit of a rest, but I don't think I'll be walking away from the sport completely.
“But it certainly won't be in the job I've got at the moment.”
