This week, on Tuesday to be exact, WBF President Howard Goldberg had no time to taste his birthday cake. Rather, on the day he turned a sprightly 55 years young, the South African head of the World Boxing Federation did what he does basically every day: Being on the telephone, on skype, on email with fight people from around the globe. And, of course, mapping out his latest travels.
To be precise, on his birthday, Goldberg booked the airticket for his second trip this year to Germany, in order to meet with his Vice President Jean Marcel Nartz, an icon in German boxing history.
“We are a global organization, with staff members, promoters and champions spread around the world,” explains the boss from Cape Town, “so for me to travel is part of the job.”
And this job, Goldberg takes serious for sure, because after all, the WBF’s long-term goal is nothing less than becoming one of the sport’s premier sanctioning organizations.
To achieve this, the fulltime President’s schedule is mostly a hectic one. Besides doubling as Continental Coordinator for his native African continent, Goldberg makes a point to support each and everyone connected to the WBF, regardless of the travelling strains he loads upon himself. In 2012 alone, he has been on intercontinental planes more than a dozen times, in places as far apart as Germany, New Mexico, Korea or Malta.
But if you think the airlines love the WBF, then think again. Goldberg is quick to point out:
“This is a main difference between the WBF and the so-called bigger organization: We never ask for business or – God forbid – first class tickets from our promoters, because we don’t blackmail or exploit our partners financially. Everybody in the WBF, myself as President included, will always fly economy class. After all, we want to support boxing and not take advantage of it.”
Thus, it is off to Germany again next month for Goldberg, meeting with Nartz and other staff members, talking with promoters, thanking WBF champions for proudly holding the WBF belt up high and tirelessly pushing the World Boxing Federation to the threshold of global recognition. Birthday or not.
