RULES FOR THE PROPER CONDUCT OF
PROFESSIONAL BOXING CONTESTS IN VICTORIA
Contents
1. PURPOSE 4
2. DEFINITIONS 4
3. WEIGHT DIVISIONS 5
4. WEIGH-IN 5
5. THE RING 6
6. PROMOTERS 6
7. CONTESTANTS 7
7.1 General requirements 7
7.2 Contestant attire 7
7.3 Jewellery 7
7.4 Hand wraps 7
7.5 Gloves 8
7.6 Ankle wraps 8
8. TRAINERS 8
9. TIMEKEEPERS 8
9.4 Timekeeper equipment 9
9.5 The role of the Timekeeper 9
10. MEDICAL PRACTITIONER 9
10.2 Pre-Contest examination 9
10.3 During contests 9
10.4 Post-Contest examination 10
10.5 Medical equipment 10
10.6 Authority to stop a contest 10
10.7 Non-fight periods 10
11. REFEREE 10
11.2 Referee attire 10
11.3 Duties of a referee before a bout commences 10
11.4 Duties of a referee during a bout 11
11.5 Powers of a referee 12
11.6 Stopping the contest 12
11.7 Consulting the Medical Practitioner 13
12. JUDGES 13
12.1 Judge attire 13
12.2 The role of a judge 13
13. SCORING 14
13.1 Points 14
13.2 Judges’ decisions 14
13.3 Official outcomes 14
13.4 The decision is final 14
APPENDIX 1 16
APPENDIX 2 17
APPENDIX 3 18
APPENDIX 4 19
APPENDIX 5 20
1. PURPOSE
1.1 The purpose of these rules is to supplement the requirements of the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Act 1985 and the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Regulations 2008 that apply to professional boxing contests in Victoria.
1.2 These rules are issued by the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board of Victoria in the interests of safety and integrity of professional boxing in Victoria.
1.3 Boxing is a full contact sport of fist fighting. The sport requires the use of boxing gloves and limiting legal blows to those striking above the waist and on the front or sides of the opponent.
2. DEFINITIONS
2.1 approved shorts means board shorts or other shorts approved by the Board.
2.2 the Board means the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Board as defined in section 14 of the Professional Boxing and Combat Sports Act 1985.
2.3 a foul means any of the following:
a. striking below the belt
b. Striking the opponent while they are down or in the process of getting up
c. Holding an opponent with one hand and striking with the other
d. Holding or deliberately maintaining a clinch
e. Wrestling, kicking, or roughing at the ropes
f. Butting with the head or shoulder or using the knee
g. Hitting with an open glove, butt of the hand, wrist or elbow, and all backhand blows
h. Hitting an opponent who is partly out of the ring and prevented by the ropes from assuming a position of defence
i. Intentionally going down without being hit
j. Intentionally striking at the kidney region
k. The use of the pivot blow or kidney punch
l. Jabbing at an opponent’s eyes with the thumb of the glove
m. Hitting on the break, or the back of the head or neck
n. Hitting after the bell ending the round has sounded
o. Pushing an opponent about the ring or onto the ropes
p. Persistently ducking below the waistline
q. Any dangerous or unsportsmanlike conduct
r. Intentionally spitting out the mouthguard
2.4 promoter means any person who promotes a professional contest.
2.5 promotion means an event consisting of one or more professional contests and includes any preliminary arrangements in connection with such an event.
2.6 recorder means a member of the Combat Sports Unit or a delegate appointed by the Unit who records the judges’ scores and provides final results to the announcer.
2.7 judge means a person who determines the points scored by each contestant in a professional contest and is appointed by the Board.
2.8 referee means a person who controls, or exercises any form of control, over the conduct of professional contestants during a professional contest and is appointed by the Board.
2.9 match-maker means a person who acts on behalf of a promoter to arrange professional contests between particular professional contestants.
2.10 seconds means a licensed trainer.
2.11 timekeeper means a person who measures time with the assistance of a clock or stopwatch for the purposes of signalling the beginning and end of a round of a professional contest and is appointed by the Board.
2.12 trainer means a person who supervises the training or instruction of a professional contestant or who accompanies a professional contestant in the ring to give advice or assistance during a professional contest.
3. WEIGHT DIVISIONS
3.1 Weight divisions are the currently recognised weight divisions for professional male and female boxing contestants in Victoria, as set by the Board.
3.2 Weight classes are defined in maximum allowable kilograms.
3.3 The current weight divisions for professional male and female boxing contestants in Victoria are listed in Appendix 1.
4. WEIGH-IN
4.1 There will be one official weigh-in unless otherwise approved by the Board.
4.2 The weigh-in will be held no more than 24 hours before the scheduled start time of the promotion unless otherwise approved by the Board.
4.3 If any bout of a promotion is postponed for more than 24 hours after the original scheduled date, all contestants for those bouts postponed must weigh in again.
4.4 Scales
a. The scales used for weigh-ins shall be provided by the Board.
4.5 A fight will not be allowed to proceed if the weight difference between matched contestants is as follows:
- If the lighter contestant’s weight is less than 57.15 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than two kilograms
- If the lighter contestant’s weight is between 57.15 and 72.57 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than five kilograms
- If the lighter contestant’s weight is between 72.57 and 79.38 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than six kilograms
- If the lighter contestant’s weight is between 79.38 and 90.72 kilograms then the difference in weight between the two contestants must be no more than eight kilograms
4.6 Contestants are allowed two hours after the official weigh-in commencement time to make the required weight and are allowed any number of times on the scales during that time.
4.7 If a contestant is unable to make the agreed weight, the trainer of that contestant’s opponent may accept or refuse the bout at their sole discretion.
4.8 For a title fight, if the title holder fails to make the weight after the allowed two hours, the fight can proceed as a non-title contest.
4.9 If the challenger fails to make the weight after the allowed two hours the fight can proceed with the following ramifications:
a. If the titleholder wins, the titleholder retains the title; and
b. If the challenger wins, the title will be declared vacant and the challenger cannot claim the title.
4.10 If the contest is for a vacant title and one of the co-challengers fails to make the weight, the contest will go forward as a championship contest, however, only the boxer who has made the weight can win the title if he/she wins the contest.
5. THE RING
5.1 All Professional combat sports contests in Victoria must be conducted in a ring.
5.2 Specifications of the ring
a. The ring used in a contest of professional combat sports must meet the following requirements:
i. not be less than 4.9 metres squared nor more than 6.1 metres squared by measurement taken inside the ropes.
ii. The platform must be strongly constructed level, free from any obstructing projections and extend for at least 0.5 metres outside the line to the ropes and not more than 1.2 metres above the floor.
- The ropes must:
i. be four in number and each not less than 0.025 metres in diameter;
ii. be tightly drawn from the corner post and heights at approximately 0.32 metres, 0.65 metres, 0.97 metres and 1.3 metres from the ring floor;
iii. be covered in a soft, smooth material; and
iv. where sisal or similar ropes are used they must be joined vertically on each side at equal distance by two pieces of close textured canvas 0.03 to 0.04 metres wide and must not slide along the ropes, the turnbuckle must be well padded.
- The platform must:
i. have a rubber (jig-saw mat) or similar material not less than 0.015 metres thick; and
ii. a canvas apron which must be stretched tightly and secured to the outer edges of the platform.
6. PROMOTERS
6.1 The promoter must ensure compliance with all of the conditions on their promotion permit.
6.2 The promoter must also ensure the following:
a. That the ring complies with the specifications outlined herein;
b. Proper steps are provided for contestants to enter the ring;
c. The contestant’s corners are marked red and blue or otherwise approved by the Board;
d. The contestant’s gloves are red or blue or otherwise approved by the Board;
e. All contestants are registered;
f. All trainers hold and display a current trainer’s licence;
g. All judges, the timekeeper and referee(s) are licensed and display their license with exception of the referee
h. That there is no more than four Seconds in a contestant’s corner at any one time;
i. Ringside security is maintained;
j. The lighting is adequate for the conduct of the contest;
k. A bucket is placed in each contestant’s corner;
l. A spinal board is kept ringside;
m. Sufficient number of clean buckets are available for the use of the contestants;
n. Any water or liquid spilt is wiped up between rounds; and
o. Stools are available for contestants between rounds.
7. CONTESTANTS
7.1 General requirements
a. Contestants must be over the age of 18 to compete in any professional combat sports contest.
b. At all times during a bout a contestant must wear a mouth guard as fitted by a dentist or an advanced dental technician.
c. All male competitors must wear an approved groin protector.
d. Contestants shall use no facial cosmetics and have their hair secured with soft and non-abrasive materials.
e. A contestant must not commit a foul during a bout.
f. No contestant will leave the ring during the rest period between rounds. If this occurs the fight is deemed to be over on the basis that the contestant is disqualified.
g. If a non-fight period (see section 10.7) is imposed by the medical practitioner or the Board, a contestant must not enter any contests during the non-fight period.
7.2 Contestant attire
a. The following items of clothing are prohibited during competition:
i. Gi
ii. Gi pants
iii. Shirts
iv. Long pants.
b. All females must compete in a sports bra, fitted lycra, rash guard or equivalent.
c. No clothing can be comprised of any solid or hard material of any kind.
7.3 Jewellery
- Contestants may not wear any jewellery or other piercings accessories while competing in a contest.
7.4 Hand wraps
a. A soft surgical bandage or similar material not exceeding 5 centimetres in width may be worn on each hand.
b. One layer of adhesive tape no more than 2.5 centimetres in width may be placed on the back of each hand to protect that part of the hand near the wrist but must not extend past the base of the knuckles when the hand is clenched to make a fist.
c. Adhesive tape up to 1.5 metres in length and 2.5 centimetres in width may be used to secure the bandage between the wrist and the knuckles but must not extend past the base of the knuckles when the hand is clenched to make a fist.
d. A thin strip of adhesive tape may be placed between the fingers to help keep the bandages in place
e. No liquid, powder or any other substance is to be applied to the hands before or after they are bandaged
f. All bandaging and taping must be performed in the dressing room and be approved and signed off by a Board member or a person delegated by the Board to perform this function.
7.5 Gloves
a. All contestants in weight divisions Super Welterweight and above must wear regulation 10 ounce (283 gram) gloves.
b. For fights in weight classes Welterweight and below contestants must wear regulation 8oz (227 gram) gloves.
c. The gloves must have attached thumbs and be clean and serviceable.
d. The gloves for all title bouts must be new or as new condition.
7.6 Ankle wraps
a. Ankle wrapping is not mandatory.
b. If used, ankle wrappings must be totally concealed by ankle supports.
c. For each ankle no more than 5 metres of soft surgical bandage no more than 5 centimetres wide is to be used.
d. No more than one metre of adhesive tape with a maximum width of 3 centimetres to be used to complete the wrappings for each ankle.
e. Instep padding can be used but must be approved by a Board member prior to the contest at the promotion.
8. TRAINERS
8.1 A trainer must display their license at all times during a promotion.
8.2 Only one trainer can accompany the contestant to the centre of the ring during the referee’s instructions.
8.3 During the round the trainers must be seated.
8.4 Before the round begins, one trainer must remove any towels, buckets, stools, etc. from the platform of the ring and wipe away all excess water from the platform.
8.5 Between rounds only one licensed trainer can enter the ring and communicate directly to the contestant.
8.6 The trainers must remain out of the ring between rounds.
8.7 A trainer may seek to terminate a bout when they consider their contestant to be in difficulty by throwing a towel into the ring however, the referee will be the final arbiter of the termination of the bout.
8.8 Trainers must ensure that no excessive use of grease or any other foreign substance is to be used on the face or body of a contestant.
9. TIMEKEEPERS
9.1 A timekeeper must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs whilst officiating.