Paul Banke, a former super-bantamweight world champion boxer, found himself in desperate need of the pension he believed California owed him. Battling cancer and forced to sell his car during the pandemic, Banke had repeatedly sought his pension from California’s retirement system for boxers. However, the California State Athletic Commission had denied his eligibility for years.

After numerous inquiries from The Times, it was revealed that the commission had lost Banke’s pension records. As a result, they voted to pay him a lump sum of $21,000, approximating the average payouts over the past three years. Andy Foster, the commission’s executive officer, acknowledged the uncertainty surrounding the amount but deemed it the fairest solution given the circumstances.

While the commission deemed Banke’s case as likely an isolated incident, they could not rule out the possibility of other boxers being affected. The revelation came following The Times’ continuous inquiries into Banke’s denied pension and a previous investigation that exposed shortcomings in the pension program.

The mishandling of Banke’s pension records was traced back to the overhaul of the California Professional Boxers’ Pension Plan in the 1990s, where records like his were not properly transferred. Banke, known for his victory over Daniel Zaragoza in 1990 to clinch a World Boxing Council title, currently resides in Pasadena surviving on Social Security disability insurance. The pension payout will enable him to purchase a much-needed vehicle.

The California retirement system for boxers, funded via an 88-cent-per-ticket fee, was established in 1982 to offer financial security to retired fighters. Over $4.5 million has been disbursed to 265 retired boxers, with an average pension of $17,000. Despite the payout efforts, only a fraction of eligible boxers have claimed their pensions, as revealed by The Times’ analysis of commission documents.

Following The Times’ investigation, the commission pledged to intensify efforts in locating and informing retired boxers about their pensions. This led to a record number of payouts last year, although the overall uptake remained low among eligible recipients. Banke’s persistence in seeking clarity from the commission, guided by friends and prompted by The Times’ coverage, underscored the systemic issues plaguing the pension program.

Hector Lizarraga, a fellow champion boxer, emphasized Banke’s status as a former world champion and deemed the situation unacceptable. Foster, while acknowledging the possibility of other affected boxers, expressed doubts about similar cases. Despite the commission’s efforts to rectify the situation, concerns linger about the effectiveness of the pension program in fulfilling its mandate.