The Global Fighters' Association opened a £500,000 crowdfunder, with £250,000 as the core goal, for an inquiry led by Jonathan Caplan KC; the union is still seeking official status.
From 3 reports by 3 outletsLatest GFA crowdfunder targets £500,000, with £250,000 core goal 3 outlets
What we know
- Jonathan Caplan KC is to lead the inquiry into the safety, governance and treatment of combat sports participants at all levels, from grassroots to professional.
- Simon Bazalgette is chair designate and Paul Maloney is acting general secretary of the GFA.
- Boxing is the initial focus of the inquiry before other disciplines; the GFA has been open to MMA fighters for the last four years.
Reported, not confirmed
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The crowdfunder lists a £500,000 target, but £250,000 is the core goal, covering five roundtable events and getting the association operational.
MiddleEasy
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Money raised above the core amount would go to a proposed Fighter Support Fund; a shortfall would mean prioritising the membership platform and first roundtable.
MiddleEasy
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Official trade-union status is still being pursued, with registration expected after the launch campaign.
MiddleEasy
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Donations would also fund a Liverpool headquarters and academy, plus legal and administrative work on union registration.
MiddleEasy
A fighters' union is asking the public to pay for its own investigation into combat sports. The Global Fighters' Association (GFA) has opened a crowdfunder it calls one of the most important campaigns for many years, aimed at fans and fighters alike.
The centrepiece is the choice of Jonathan Caplan. The GFA describes the King's Counsel as the UK's leading KC on health and safety and regulatory inquiries. He is meant to run a process that blends a standard public inquiry with the closer question-and-answer format of a House of Commons Select Committee. According to MiddleEasy, he is the preferred author and intended lead, and co-founder Paul Smith says he has agreed to write the reports.
The union says the reports will rest on testimony from people at every level of the sport: fighters, coaches, physios, doctors, surgeons, referees, judges, promoters, boards of control, governing bodies, venues, managers and fighters' families. The first reporting priorities are health, safety and education, followed by judging, contracts, insurance and retirement planning. No findings exist yet.
The GFA's pitch is a response to what it sees as a failing system. Smith, who challenged three times for a super-middleweight world title before retiring in 2017, points to public fundraisers that helped fighters such as Lee Reeves pay for emergency care after serious injuries. The group also links its case to the debate over changes to the US Muhammad Ali Act, which acting general secretary Paul Maloney says should alarm fighters everywhere.
The association formed in October 2022 and has been open to MMA fighters as well as boxers for the last four years. Khan, a 39-year-old British former unified boxing world champion, is its best-known co-founder. He framed the aim as accountability: a body that fighters can report to when something goes wrong in training, at a weigh-in, in a contract or in retirement.
What to watch next: whether the campaign reaches its core figure, how the money is split if it falls short, and whether promoters and governing bodies agree to give evidence. Trade-union registration is expected after the launch campaign. No hearing dates have been announced.
The centrepiece is the choice of Jonathan Caplan. The GFA describes the King's Counsel as the UK's leading KC on health and safety and regulatory inquiries. He is meant to run a process that blends a standard public inquiry with the closer question-and-answer format of a House of Commons Select Committee. According to MiddleEasy, he is the preferred author and intended lead, and co-founder Paul Smith says he has agreed to write the reports.
The union says the reports will rest on testimony from people at every level of the sport: fighters, coaches, physios, doctors, surgeons, referees, judges, promoters, boards of control, governing bodies, venues, managers and fighters' families. The first reporting priorities are health, safety and education, followed by judging, contracts, insurance and retirement planning. No findings exist yet.
The GFA's pitch is a response to what it sees as a failing system. Smith, who challenged three times for a super-middleweight world title before retiring in 2017, points to public fundraisers that helped fighters such as Lee Reeves pay for emergency care after serious injuries. The group also links its case to the debate over changes to the US Muhammad Ali Act, which acting general secretary Paul Maloney says should alarm fighters everywhere.
The association formed in October 2022 and has been open to MMA fighters as well as boxers for the last four years. Khan, a 39-year-old British former unified boxing world champion, is its best-known co-founder. He framed the aim as accountability: a body that fighters can report to when something goes wrong in training, at a weigh-in, in a contract or in retirement.
What to watch next: whether the campaign reaches its core figure, how the money is split if it falls short, and whether promoters and governing bodies agree to give evidence. Trade-union registration is expected after the launch campaign. No hearing dates have been announced.
- Summary
- The Global Fighters' Association opened a £500,000 crowdfunder, with £250,000 as the core goal, for an inquiry led by Jonathan Caplan KC; the union is still seeking official status.
- Key points (one per line)
- The GFA crowdfunder targets £500,000, with £250,000 as the core goal for five roundtables and getting the association running.
Jonathan Caplan KC is the preferred lead for the inquiry into safety, governance and treatment of fighters.
Co-founders include Paul Smith and Amir Khan; boxing is the initial focus before other disciplines.
- Also reported by (Name | URL per line)
- Bloody Elbow | https://bloodyelbow.com/2026/10/26/boxing-legend-amir-khan-among-key-names-behind-global-fighters-association-as-they-launch-funding-campaign/
BBC Sport MMA | https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/boxing/articles/cwm24xnxv4zdo?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss
MiddleEasy | https://middleeasy.com/boxing/amir-khan-gfa-fighter-welfare-fundraiser-inquiry/
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