‘Can’t live in the past’ – Warren on boxing’s future after 45 years as promoter

‘Can’t live in the past’ – Warren on boxing’s future after 45 years as promoterImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Frank Warren has promoted countless world champions including Tyson Fury and Nick Ball, who defends his featherweight world title on SaturdayByChris McKennaBoxing writerPublished2 hours agoFrom starting out with shows in circus tents and ballrooms, to staging stadium events which have broken gate records while turning icons such as Prince Naseem Hamed and Ricky Hatton into world champions, a former solicitor’s clerk has become one of the most famous faces in boxing.Frank Warren has completed 45 years as a licensed boxing promoter, seeing off countless rivals, but with no desire to slow down any time soon.The hall-of-famer, 73, still sees a bright future for the sport amid huge ongoing change – thanks to continued investment from Saudi Arabia and the emergence of new faces in the sport like Dana White’s Zuffa Boxing.Yet there are growing concerns about the grassroots level being left behind.Warren believes boxing needs to continue to move with the times if it is to stay relevant and refers to his experience of working in the sport across five decades as evidence.”You can’t just live in the past,” he reported.”If you live in the past that’s where you wind up, dead. The past is dead.”This Saturday’s world title clash between WBA featherweight champion Nick Ball and Brandon Figueroa in Liverpool is the recent world championship bout promoted by Warren – his tally stands at well over 200.Speaking to BBC Sport, he looks towards what he would like to see happen in the next 45 years, including what needs to change for the health of the sport.’Boxing can be messed up’ – how to build a prospect