An Interview With Ready To Fight

Ready To Fight (RTF) is the world’s first blockchain-based boxing ecosystem. It was co-founded by the world heavyweight boxing champion, Oleksandr Usyk, and his team director, Sergey Lapin, In an exclusive interview with BitcoinWorld, We bring up what is Ready To Fight is all about & what they are building into Blockchain Space. 

Can you give us an overview of Ready To Fight and explain how it integrates blockchain technology into the boxing world?

Ready To Fight (RTF) is the world’s first blockchain-based boxing ecosystem. It was co-founded by the world heavyweight boxing champion, Oleksandr Usyk, and his team director, Sergey Lapin, who wanted to address the challenges they’d faced within the boxing industry, including operational inefficiencies and fragmented community ecosystems.

Our platform is built on the RTF Blockchain, a Level 1 EVM-compatible blockchain, leveraging the benefits of Blockchain and Web3 to create a secure, open ecosystem. We’ve created a SocialFi network and community enabling fighters to easily find sparring partners, coaches or trainers and pay cross-border crypto transactions for their services. The immutability and transparency of the network help to bring trust to the boxing industry and the players involved. We’ve also created the infrastructure for fighters to connect with fans, monetise their content, and produce their own NFTs and fan tokens to enhance engagement through smart contracts and tokenised rewards. The platform’s native token, RTF, powers transactions within the ecosystem, offering the possibility for fans to purchase products and services for those in the boxing industry, fans and crypto enthusiasts.

What unique challenges and opportunities does the blockchain industry present, especially in sports like boxing?

The platform was initially created by Usyk and Lapin, who, based on their own experiences, recognised that the industry faced a lack of organisation and networking opportunities that would allow boxers to boost their careers, and get the exposure they deserved. The RTF platform aims to bring all the needs of the boxing industry under a single roof, and blockchain’s unparalleled transparency, security, and a decentralised framework aligns perfectly with our vision for the future of boxing

Firstly, boxers have typically found it difficult to access the tools to support their career, since services and stakeholders were in fragmented ecosystems. This disjointedness led to missed opportunities, inefficient talent discovery, and suboptimal career growth. RTF’s decentralised social network allows them to easily find a sparring partner of any experience, as well as the top/highly-skilled coaches, managers, promoters, masseurs, nutritionists, trainers etc.

Another issue was the lack of transparency when connecting with these services, where it may be difficult to see or understand the background of these individuals, and thus whether they were credible. Blockchain technology enhances transparency and trust by providing immutable records of athlete contracts, representations, and financial transactions, ensuring fairness and clarity for all parties involved. Anyone can go onto the blockchain to research that individual further to understand if they are legitimate. We use high-security protocols on data privacy and making sure we avoid fraud or any illicit or non-legitimate transactions.

The payment of boxing services has also been an issue, where much of the talent is located overseas. This meant that if individuals didn’t have a reasonable and cost-effective way to do so, many individuals wouldn’t have access to the best talent and could only work with those in their country and currency. The RTF token was created to power transactions within the Ready to Fight ecosystem, and could be used as a means of cross-border transaction without currency conversion fees, opening up more possibilities to connect with talent and save costs when paying for services.

It has also been difficult for boxers to connect with fans, gain exposure and identify further opportunities beyond fighting for them to earn money, particularly for underprivileged athletes who may not have the resources to do so. As we see the increased tokenisation of real-world assets, Ready to Fight aims to tokenise boxers by enabling them to create an online profile, brand and identity that can be used to engage more deeply with fans and monetise their content. For example, we’ve created a ‘Donations’ feature, that will be launched in the quarter where users can fund and support their favourite athletes or influencers using RTF tokens and receive exclusive NFTs and merchandise, or access to in-person meetups or content in return.

Finally, in a popular sport like boxing, ticket sales for in-person fights can be expensive, which creates a market for fake tickets and scams. Integrating each ticket with NFT technology ensures that each ticket is unique and authentic, which has been implemented on the Ready to Fight platform with the ‘Ticket Office’ feature. Our Office will offer tickets to some of the biggest fights, where users know that the ticket they are buying is genuine, and has already been implemented for the Usyk-Dubois in August 2023 where we sold over 4000 VIP tickets in crypto.

The RTF platform operates on its own Layer 1, EVM-compatible blockchain. Could you explain what benefits this brings to your users compared to other blockchains?

Operating on its own Layer 1, EVM-compatible blockchain provides RTF users with enhanced performance and reduced transaction costs. It allows for customized smart contracts, optimized for boxing-related transactions, and offers a scalable and secure environment. This specialization ensures that RTF can tailor its blockchain network to the specific needs of the boxing community, delivering a seamless and user-centric experience.

Having our own Layer 1, EVM-compatible blockchain means RTF users enjoy swift transactions, robust security, and lower fees. It also offers greater flexibility for future developments tailored specifically to the needs and growth of the boxing community, ensuring a platform that is both user-friendly and highly responsive to our unique ecosystem.

RTF is described as a SocialFi platform. Can you elaborate on how this helps in connecting various stakeholders in the boxing industry?

Ready to Fight is harnessing the power of decentralised blockchain technology and applying it to social media, enabling platform users to create a profile on the blockchain, whether they are a boxer, agent, or fan. These users are able to have full ownership over their personal data stored on the blockchain, whilst the transparency of blockchain and this user’s profile helps to build trust between stakeholders.

Their profiles are also publicly visible, enabling those in the boxing industry to connect and network, and a direct connection between fighters and their supporters by staying up to date with their content and accessing exclusive merchandise.

For boxers, they can find everything they need to boost their careers, from coaches to gym, promoters and agents. Ready to Fight simplifies the process of finding sparring partners by utilising a streamlined, user-friendly interface that connects fighters based on skill level, weight class, and location, eliminating the complexity and inefficiency of traditional methods. In fact, Usyk used the platform to find over 40 sparring partners since January for the training camp in preparation for his upcoming fight against Fury, which was the first time in boxing history that a mobile app facilitated the selection of sparring partners for the champion’s training camp.

How does the RTF token function within your ecosystem, and what are the benefits for token holders, be they industry insiders or fans?

We’ve just launched our native utility token, RTF, to power within the ecosystem. The token will enable users, whether industry insiders or fans, to easily undertake cross-border transactions to interact within the platform. This includes purchasing boxing-related services such as training partners, coaches, or nutrition recommendations, tickets to and streaming of international boxing matches, accessing exclusive content from athletes, minting fan-based NFTs, purchasing upgrades within the Cyber Ring game to strengthen your fighter and earn NFTs, and facilitating decision-making within the platform.

Could you discuss the significance of your collaborations with organizations like the World Boxing Council and the Saudi Boxing Federation?

Partnerships are vital in building trust and growing awareness of our platform, and this is key in a space like crypto where many of our users may not have prior experience in the space. Having launched in November 2023, we’ve been collaborating with key industry powers including the World Boxing Council and the Saudi Boxing Federation, who want to help our mission of empowering and growing the boxing industry by using web3 technology. For the Saudi Boxing Federation, we’ve agreed to join efforts in spearheading innovations for the boxing industry in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

We’ve also got a huge number of brand ambassadors supporting our vision, including Oleksandr Usyk, our Co-Founder, web3 influencers like Ebanie Bridges and Savannah Marshall, and most recently, boxing legend Mike Tyson. Tyson’s decision to support RTF pro bono underscores a genuine belief in the project’s goal, where his global fame and influence are expected to significantly boost the platform’s visibility and credibility. Notable figures like these are key in helping to prove that we’re a reputable and trusted player in the space, encourage others to get involved in the platform, and even potentially influencing other sports to adopt similar innovations.

What future developments can we expect from RTF? Are there any upcoming projects or expansions you can share with our audience?

We’ve already seen the RTF platform amass over 130,000 users since launch, and with 60% of the global population estimated to have an interest in boxing, we expect this to only continue. One of our main focuses is growing the range of use cases for the RTF token within the platform which will improve the boxing industry.

We have two major features that we’re planning to launch, including the SubRing feature, which will enable users to purchase digital ratings, known as Rates, for their favourite boxers using RTF tokens. Each purchase increases the value of the next Rate for that boxer, enhancing speculation whilst reflecting the popularity and success of individual athletes.

Later this year, we also plan to release a GameFi feature called Cyber Ring. This is an in-app game where you own a fighter who you can strengthen to earn NFTs, and use RTF tokens to purchase upgrades for your fighter for earning further rewards.

From your perspective, how do you see blockchain technology transforming the sports industry in the next five years?

Web3 and blockchain are set to redefine the sports industry, offering decentralised platforms that could enhance fan engagement, athlete funding, and secure, transparent contracts, affecting not just boxing but all sports globally.

We’ve already seen a growing number of renowned sports brands entering the blockchain space, including UEFA seeking crypto sponsors, the New England Patriots partnering with Socios.com, and Sports Illustrated’s NFT-based ticket platform. These platforms want to utilise the transparency, accessibility and security of the blockchain to improve their sports and boost brands.

The blockchain industry is innovating at a rapid pace with new technologies and developments built on the premise of decentralisation, so I think the possibilities are endless in the coming years. But there’s a continuous need for dialogue between sports and blockchain companies to fully realise this symbiosis – a lot of projects like ours started as a web2 idea and are now bridging into web3 as they realise the benefits.

One area that I see growing is NFTs. Although we’ve seen a decrease in the size of the NFT market, we’re increasingly seeing a move away from NFTs as art towards using the technology for authentication. This has become hugely important for high-value ticket sales and also in the form of athlete contracts, where information about these are stored permanently on the blockchain to guarantee their authenticity. We’re applying both these use cases to the RTF platform too.

Given your extensive background in marketing, what advice would you give to those looking to enter the marketing field within the blockchain and sports sectors?

Many sports and blockchain projects are emerging in the field, which suggests that this space is only going to grow. If you’re interested in entering the marketing field in blockchain and sports, just like any good crypto investor, do your research. Look at competitors and other platforms in the space and get a good understanding of why they have chosen to use blockchain technology. Know the benefits of blockchain and how these platforms fit within the wider ecosystem, and it will help you when applying to or defining strategies for another project you are working on.

One good thing about the blockchain space is that it feels like one big community. Of course, there is competition, but everyone within it believes in the idea of decentralisation and how it can revolutionise the world, so people are very willing to connect and offer advice. Nevertheless, the regulatory landscape is constantly changing and varies for each market, so it’s important to be aware of and keep on top of this to protect and build trust with your users.

For those interested in joining the RTF ecosystem, either as athletes, fans, or investors, what steps should they take?

When signing up, users can choose what interest they have in the Ready to Fight platform, and whether they are a boxer, agent or fan. It’s important to point out that you don’t need to be a prior crypto user or have any knowledge of crypto to use the platform, and we’re trying to make our platform as accessible as possible to those with a wide range of crypto experiences.

For a boxer, it’s as easy as creating a profile and uploading videos of your boxing skills and then the other party finds a criteria to see if there’s a fit or not. For a fan, use your profile to browse the ecosystem, find out about the latest boxing news, or connect with other boxers and fans.

You can experience Ready to Fight via the App Store or Google Play Store.