MARYLAND STATE ATHLETIC COMMISSION

MINUTES - THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 18, 2004

The Thursday, November 18, 2004 meeting of the Maryland State Athletic Commission was called to order at 2:38 p.m.. Present were: Chairman

David Norman; Commissioners Ben Alperstein; Raymond Daue;

William McCaffrey; and Phil Feaster; Patrick Pannella, Executive Director;

and Bruce C. Spizler, Senior Assistant Attorney General.

APPROVAL OF COMMISSION MINUTES

The September 30, 2004 Commission Minutes, which were previously distributed to all Commission members for review, were discussed. Upon a motion by Chairman Norman, and seconded by Commissioner Feaster, the Commission voted unanimously (5-0) to approve the September 30, 2004 Minutes of the Commission.

The October 28, 2004 Commission Minutes, which were previously distributed to all Commission members for review, were discussed. Upon a motion by Commissioner Alperstein, and seconded by Chairman Norman, the Commission voted unanimously (5-0) to approve the October 28, 2004 Minutes of the Commission.

PROPOSED REGULATION:

EXPANDING THE DEFINITION OF “MANAGER”

The Commission discussed expanding the definition of “manager” to include an advisor, booking agent, or anyone else who represents a boxer. Executive Director Pannella reported that he discussed this topic in recent months with the representatives of several state and tribal boxing commissions.

Upon a motion by Commissioner Daue, and seconded by Chairman Norman, the Commission voted unanimously (5-0) to expand the definition of “manager” to include a booking agent, advisor or any other person who, either directly or indirectly, controls or administers a boxing related matter on behalf of a boxer.

PROPOSED REGULATION:

REMOVING AMBIGUOUS LANGUAGE PERTAINING TO WHEN A BOXER IS KNOCKED DOWN THREE TIMES IN A ROUND

The Commission held a discussion regarding whether a bout should be stopped by the referee when a boxer suffers three knockdowns in a round, or whether three knockdowns in a round should only serve as “sufficient grounds” for the referee to stop a bout as current regulation COMAR 09.14.06.12 (A) provides. Executive Director Pannella reported that he discussed this topic in recent months with the representatives of several state and tribal boxing commissions.

Executive Director Pannella stated that the “uniformed championship rules” of the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC) does not have a “three knockdown rule” in place and, as such, the referee is not mandated to stop a bout when a boxer suffers three knockdowns in a round. Mr. Pannella opined that, while the current Commission regulation complies with the ABC’s uniform championship rules, the language in the regulation is verbose and, as a result, ambiguous.

Chairman Norman and Commission Alperstein stated that they both share the “old school” opinion that, when a boxer is a knocked down three times in a round, the referee should be required to stop the bout.

Upon a motion by Commissioner McCaffrey, and seconded by Commissioner Feaster, the Commission voted (3-0-2, with both Chairman Norman and Commissioner Alperstein abstaining) to remove the ambiguous language in the regulation specifying that three knockdowns in a round constitute sufficient grounds for the referee to terminate a boxing contest.

PROPOSED REGULATION:

BONDING COMPANY RATINGS

The Commission discussed promulgating a regulation to require promoters to use a bonding company which maintains a rating of “B” or better from a nationally recognized bond rating agency. Executive Director Pannella reported that he discussed this topic in recent months with the representatives of several state and tribal boxing commissions.

Upon a motion by Chairman Norman, and seconded by Commissioner Alperstein, the Commission voted unanimously (5-0) to promulgate a regulation which requires that the bonding company used by a promoter maintain a rating of “B” or better from a nationally recognized bond rating agency.

REGULATION - FINAL APPROVAL:

MALE - FEMALE WRESTLING CONTESTS

Upon a motion by Commissioner McCaffrey, and seconded by Chairman Norman, the Commission voted (4-1, with Commissioner Alperstein voting against the motion) for final approval of COMAR 09.14.08.03, which prohibits a contest between a male and female wrestler unless special permission is granted by the Commission following a review of the respective wrestlers’ experience and physical fitness.

CONSENT ORDERS

Executive Director Pannella announced that the Commission entered into a consent order with professional boxer Keith Lawrence, who tested positive for cannabinoids prior to participating in a scheduled four-round bout against Henry Buchanan on July 17, 2004 at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie, Maryland. Mr. Pannella explained that the consent order pertaining to MSAC-04-03 included the following terms: 1. The purse monies earned by Mr. Lawrence for his bout versus

Mr. Buchanan must be forfeited and paid to the Commission; and 2. The boxer license issued to Mr. Lawrence is suspended for a period of three months, beginning on October 26, 2004 and concluding on January 25, 2005.

Mr. Pannella noted that he expected the Commission to enter into consent orders in two other cases currently pending before the Commission.

APPROVAL OF TWO PROMOTERS OF

PROFESSIONAL WRESTLING SHOWS

Executive Director Pannella reported that two individuals have been recently licensed by the Commission as promoters to hold professional wrestling shows in the State of Maryland: Charles D. “Chuck” Williams of West Chester, Pennsylvania, trading as Pro Outlaws Wrestling; and Daniel S. Selsky of Baltimore, Maryland, trading as the Maryland Wrestling Alliance (MWA).

Commissioner McCaffrey reported that he interviewed both Chuck Williams and Daniel Selsky as a part of the promoter’s licensing process, and found each to be “very knowledgeable” about the sport of professional wrestling.

Mr. Pannella opined that the licensure of these two new promoters would increase the number of professional wrestling shows held annually in Maryland.

AAPRP YEAR 2004 MEDICAL CONFERENCE

Senior Assistant Attorney General Spizler provided the Commission with an overview of the American Association of Professional Ringside Physicians (AAPRP) 2004 Medical Conference, which was held from November 10 - 14, 2004 at the Miami Wyndham Resort in Miami Beach, Florida. Mr. Spizler explained that he was a featured speaker at the meeting, providing an overview of Federal boxing laws as well as an update on the current status of the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 2004 (S.275).

Mr. Spizler reported that Dr. John Stiller, a Commission neurologist, spoke at the AAPRP 2004 Medical Conference regarding Dr. Stiller’s “Prospective Longitudinal Study of Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury (CTBI) in Professional Boxers”.

Mr. Spizler explained that the Commission has been actively supporting this study, and that the testing of professional boxers for this study has been conducted at the weigh-in activities of Commission-sanctioned professional boxing shows held in the State of Maryland since November of 2003. Mr. Spizler noted that, up to this point, 100 professional boxers have voluntarily participated in the study.

Senio Assisant Attorney General Spizler praised the many ringside physicians in attendance at the AAPRP 2004 Medical Conference, noting that they paid their own expenses to participate in a meeting devoted to improving boxers’ safety.

Mr. Spizler reported that the professional boxers who attended the meeting included Bernard Hopkins, Glencoffee Johnson, and Joe Mesi.

REVIEW OF NOVEMBER 18, 2004

PROFESSIONAL BOXING SHOW

Chairman Norman led a review of the November 18, 2004 professional boxing

show which was promoted by Michael J. Wagner of Ballroom Boxing, Inc. and

held at Michael’s Eighth Avenue in Glen Burnie, Maryland.

Executive Director Pannella provided the Commission with the following report.

The Commission scorekeeper for the bout between Artur Atadzhanov and Nurhan

Suleymanolgu inadvertently switched two of the judges’ cards for the second round

of the bout (recording the incorrect scores on the scoresheet), causing the decision

to result in a “draw” as opposed to a “split decision win” for Mr. Atadzhanov. This

bout was the last bout occurring on the card. Because the crowd was dispersing and

the boxing ring was being dismantled, Mr. Pannella made the decision to review the

scorecards in a “thorough manner” in the room designated for use by the

Commission. Mr. Pannella and all four of the officials who worked the

Atadzhanov-Suleymanoglu bout conducted extensive reviews of the scorecards for

this bout. Upon the completion of these reviews, Mr. Pannella and Commission

Inspector Tommy Kanaras notified Scott Wagner, the promoter’s representative, of

the Commission’s decision to change the official result of this bout to correlate with

the actual scores of the bout. Mr. Pannella and Mr. Kanaras then proceeded to

jointly inform the respective boxers and their seconds, as well as the boxing show’s

matchmaker, of the change in the official result of the bout. Mr. Pannella noted that

this was only the second time in over a decade that such a change had to be made by

the Commission due to a scorekeeping miscalculation.

REVIEW OF NOVEMBER 19, 2004

PROFESSIONAL BOXING SHOW

Executive Director Pannella led a review of the November 19, 2004 “pro-am”

boxing show which was promoted by Jake Smith of Baltimore Pro Boxing and held

at the Clarence “Du” Burns Arena in Baltimore, Maryland. Mr. Pannella reported

that all of the medical examinations pertaining to the boxers competing on this

boxing card were provided to the Commission in a very timely manner.

MARTY R. WYNN / RAGING PROMOTIONS, INC.

Executive Director Pannella reported that Marty R. Wynn of Raging Promotions, Inc. failed to respond to Commission correspondence, dated October 21, 2004, as well as an accompanying Subpoena Duces Tecum, directing Mr. Wynn to produce to the Commission by November 15, 2004 any and all documents which reflect the ticket sales for the July 17, 2004 professional boxing show held at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie, Maryland including, but not limited to, the ticket manifest for this event.

Executive Director Pannella reported that similar Commission correspondence, also dated October 21, 2004, and an accompanying Subpoena Duces Tecum, was sent to Michael Munter, General Manager of the Bowie Baysox, directing Mr. Munter to produce to the Commission by November 15, 2004 any and all documents which reflect the ticket sales for the July 17, 2004 professional boxing show held at Bowie Baysox Stadium in Bowie, Maryland including, but not limited to, the ticket manifest for this event. Mr. Pannella stated that Mr. Munter fully complied with this Commission directive.

Upon a motion by Chairman Norman, and seconded by Commissioner Feaster, the Commission voted unanimously (5-0) to direct Senior Assistant Attorney General Spizler and Executive Director Pannella to prepare and send Commission correspondence to Marty R. Wynn of Raging Promotions, Inc. which: 1. directs Mr. Wynn and Raging Promotions, Inc. to satisfy, in full, both the tax liability and all expenses attendant to the professional boxing show held at Bowie Baysox Stadium on July 17, 2004 on or before December 15, 2004 (the correct amount of the tax liability and the outstanding, unpaid expense having been set forth in the letter); and 2. advises Mr. Wynn and Raging Promotions, Inc. that the Attorney General of Maryland will proceed against either one or both of the promoter’s bonds which were executed by Raging Promotions, Inc. (promoter) and the Hartford Fire Insurance Company (surety) on June 10, 2004 if the monies due and owing in regard to the “Boxing and Wrestling Tax” and the premium for the boxers’ secondary group insurance policy relating to the professional boxing show held at Bowie Baysox Stadium on July 17, 2004 are not paid in full on or before December 15, 2004.

NEXT COMMISSION MEETING

Executive Director Pannella announced that the next Commission meeting will be held on Thursday, December 30, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. in the Third Floor Conference Room, 500 North Calvert Street in Baltimore.

ADJOURNMENT

Upon a motion by Commissioner Daue, and seconded by Commissioner Feaster, the Commission voted unanimously (5-0) to adjourn the meeting at 3:49 p.m..

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