The Chronicle welcomes you online! Please feel free to respond to these editorials or letters to the editor by sending your letters to the editor.

Web posted June 3, 1997

Augusta Chronicle Editorial Staff

Imagine if you poured your money, time and effort into sponsoring a large entertainment event. Then, at the last minute, outside forces suddenly step in to cancel it. All that work and investment goes down the drain.

That almost happened to the promoters of last Friday night's Ultimate Fighting Championships at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center when the Georgia Boxing Commission unexpectedly intervened Thursday.

The panel sought a restraining order on grounds that New York-based Semaphore Entertainment Group was trying to sidestep Georgia's rules on boxing, kick-boxing and karate competitions.

Though Ultimate Fighting combines aspects of all those disciplines Ä and some others as well Ä it is not clear that such events even come under the Commission's supervision. But the real outrage is that the panel could have moved to resolve this and other issues long before it did.

The fact that it waited until the eve of the fights suggests commissioners were more interested in inflicting financial damage on the promoters and the Civic Center and, perhaps, in casting themselves in a favorable public relations light.

Ultimate Fighting is a niche sport Ä much loved by its avid fans, many of whom travel across the country to see the mayhem. But is deplored by many others who find some of these matches barbaric. Several states have even banned Ultimate Fighting.

If Georgia wants to impose a ban, fine. But it should be done by a majority of the General Assembly Ä not an unelected Boxing Commission.

In the meantime, Richmond County Superior Court Judge Bernard Mulherin did what he had to do, ruling it would be unfair to promoters and the Civic Center to ban the event at the last minute.

As for whether the Commission has regulatory authority over Ultimate Fighting, Mulherin was again right on target Ä pointing out that's a matter to be thrashed out on another day when the court has more time to consider it.