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1 

39–010 

" ! SENATE 109TH CONGRESS

1st Session 

REPORT

2005

109–58 

Calendar No. 72 

THE PROFESSIONAL BOXING AMENDMENTS 

ACT OF 2005 

R E P O R T 

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND 

TRANSPORTATION 

ON

S. 148 

APRIL 13, 2005.—Ordered to be printed 


E:\Seals\Congress.#13
(II) 

SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION 

ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

TED STEVENS, Alaska, Chairman 

DANIEL K. INOUYE, Hawaii, Co-Chairman 

JOHN MCCAIN, Arizona 

CONRAD BURNS, Montana 

TRENT LOTT, Mississippi 

KAY BAILEY HUTCHISON, Texas 

OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine 

GORDON H. SMITH, Oregon 

JOHN ENSIGN, Nevada 

GEORGE ALLEN, Virginia 

JOHN E. SUNUNU, New Hampshire 

JIM DEMINT, South Carolina 

DAVID VITTER, Louisiana 

JOHN D. ROCKEFELLER IV, West Virginia 

JOHN F. KERRY, Massachusetts 

BYRON L. DORGAN, North Dakota 

BARBARA BOXER, California 

BILL NELSON, Florida 

MARIA CANTWELL, Washington 

FRANK LAUTENBERG, New Jersey 

E. BENJAMIN NELSON, Nebraska 

MARK PRYOR, Arkansas 

LISA SUTHERLAND, Staff Director 

CHRISTINE DRAGER KURTH, Deputy Staff Director 

DAVID RUSSELL, Chief Counsel 

MARGARET CUMMISKY, Democratic Staff Director and Chief Counsel 

SAMUEL WHITEHORN, Democratic Deputy Staff Director and General Counsel 

39–010 

Calendar No. 72 

109TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! SENATE 1st Session 109–58 

THE PROFESSIONAL BOXING AMENDMENTS ACT OF 2005 

APRIL 13, 2005.—Ordered to be printed 

Mr. STEVENS, from the Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation, submitted the following 

R E P O R T 

[To accompany S. 148] 

The Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, to 

which was referred the bill (S. 148) to establish a United States 

Boxing Commission to administer the Act, and for other purposes, 

having considered the same, reports favorably thereon without 

amendment and recommends that the bill do pass. 

PURPOSE OF THE BILL

S. 148 would amend the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 

(15 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.), as amended by the Muhammad Ali Boxing 

Reform Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106–210), to strengthen existing Federal boxing laws by standardizing certain health and safety requirements, establishing a centralized medical registry to be used 

by local boxing commissions to protect boxers, reducing arbitrary 

practices of sanctioning organizations, and providing uniformity in 

ranking criteria and contractual guidelines. The bill would also establish a Federal entity, the United States Boxing Commission 

(USBC), to promulgate minimum uniform standards for professional boxing and enforce Federal boxing laws. 

BACKGROUND AND NEEDS

Professional boxing is the only major sport in the United States 

without a strong, centralized association or league to establish and 

enforce uniform rules and practices. There is no widely-established 

union of boxers, no collective body of promoters or managers, and 

no consistent level of State regulation among State athletic commissions. This vacuum of effective public or private oversight has 

contributed to decades of scandals, controversies, and unethical 

2 

practices in professional boxing, in addition to gaps in health and 

safety protections. 

The professional boxing industry is regulated on a State-by-State 

basis, which results in varying degrees of oversight depending on 

the will and resources of each State’s athletic commission or boxing 

regulatory office. Due to the lack of uniform business practices or 

ethical standards, the sport of boxing has suffered from the physical and financial exploitation of its athletes. 

Specific examples of business misconduct in boxing include: promoters deducting large percentages of a boxer’s purse to enrich 

themselves; promoters coercing boxers into signing long-term, onerous contracts as a condition for competing; promoters forcing boxers to hire an associate or relative of the promoter; and illegitimate 

ratings systems wherein sanctioning organizations rank boxers and 

award ‘‘championship titles’’ based on boxers’ personal connections 

rather than win/loss records. Under the current system, business 

relationships between promoters and sanctioning organizations 

largely take precedence over the athletic merits of fighters. 

An area of particular concern with the professional boxing industry involves the role and conduct of sanctioning organizations. 

Rather than having a single, internationally-recognized ‘‘Heavyweight Champion’’ or ‘‘Welterweight Champion,’’ there are now 

more than a half dozen such ‘‘champions’’ as determined by a variety of boxing ratings organizations. The most prominent are the 

World Boxing Council (WBC), based in Mexico City; the World Boxing Association (WBA), based in Venezuela; the International Boxing Federation (IBF), based in New Jersey; and the World Boxing 

Union (WBU), based in England. Each of these organizations operates independently, and often their ratings are subjective judgments about the relative skills of boxers. In effect, they compete 

with one another, commonly ignoring the highly-rated boxer of a 

competing sanctioning body in order to promote their own ‘‘champion’’ and top contenders. Sanctioning organizations fund their activities by charging championship-level boxers 3–5 percent of their 

purse as a sanctioning fee. 

Sanctioning organizations are continuously criticized by members 

of the boxing industry, sportswriters, and boxing fans for diminishing the legitimacy of the title, ‘‘world champion,’’ and ranking 

boxers based on financial agreements rather than the skills of the 

fighters. These practices by sanctioning organizations often prevent 

boxing fans from seeing matches between the best fighters in each 

weight division. 

In 1996, the Professional Boxing Safety Act (PBSA) was enacted 

(P.L. 104–272). The PBSA was a bipartisan measure that sought 

to establish a minimum level of health and safety requirements to 

protect the welfare of professional boxers. Prior to the PBSA, while 

many States had boxing laws on the books, others did not require 

any public oversight of boxing, and the absence of enforcement of 

regulations resulted in fraudulent bouts, the exploitation of boxers, 

and a lack of adequate medical services at many events. 

The PBSA, among other things, requires State athletic commissions to oversee all professional boxing events; prohibits medicallysuspended fighters from participating in boxing events; assures 

that States are aware if a fighter has been suspended in another 

State; requires adequate medical services to be available at ringVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
3 

1 U.S. Gen. Accounting Office, Professional Boxing: Issues Related to the Protection of Boxers’ 

Health, Safety, and Economic Interests 4–6 (2003). 2 Id. at 7. 

3 Id. 

4 Id. at 5. 

side; and requires all boxers to be given an identification card 

issued by their State commission. The PBSA also includes a conflict-of-interest provision that prohibits State commissioners from 

receiving compensation from business interests in the industry. 

In 1998, Congress again sought to reform the professional boxing 

industry. The Senate passed another bipartisan measure, the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (Muhammad Ali Act), but the 

House did not act on it. The legislation was reintroduced during 

the 106th Congress, approved by the House and Senate, and signed 

into law in May 2000 (P.L. 106–210). The Muhammad Ali Act was 

designed to protect the rights and welfare of professional boxers by 

preventing exploitive, oppressive, and unethical business practices; 

to assist State boxing commissions in providing more effective public oversight of the sport; and to promote honorable competition to 

enhance the overall integrity of the boxing industry. The Muhammad Ali Act also addressed the manipulation of boxer ratings by 

requiring that sanctioning organizations disclose annually their 

ratings policies and bylaws by either posting the information on 

their Web sites or filing it with the Federal Trade Commission. 

While these laws have had a positive impact on professional boxing, the sport remains beset by a variety of problems, some beyond 

the scope of State and local regulation. Unfortunately, both the 

PBSA (as amended by the Muhammad Ali Act) and State laws 

have not been adequately enforced by Federal and State law enforcement officials. The primary reasons for this lack of enforcement have been either a lack of resources in Federal and State 

budgets or simply a lack of interest. 

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) confirmed the 

inconsistency of State and federal enforcement in its July 2003 report on professional boxing regulation, in which it concluded that, 

because professional boxing is regulated predominantly on a Stateby-State basis, there is a varying degree of oversight depending on 

the resources and priorities of each State or tribal commission.1

The report also indicated that the lack of consistency in compliance 

with federal boxing law among State and tribal commissions ‘‘does 

not provide adequate assurance that professional boxers are receiving the minimum protections established in federal law.’’ 2 In sum, 

State and tribal commissions are not upholding minimum contractual and safety standards to provide boxers with adequate protection in their workplace, the ring.3

The report also concluded that federal action under the PBSA, as 

amended by the Ali Act, has been ‘‘limited,’’ and, per the U.S. Department of Justice (DoJ), that ‘‘there were no records of cases 

brought by the U.S. Attorneys’ offices under the federal boxing legislation during fiscal years 1996 through 2002 and * * * no referrals from law enforcement agencies were made.’’ 4 The explanation 

provided by the DoJ when questioned about the lack of prosecutions under federal boxing law is that violations of these laws are 

4 

5 Id. 

misdemeanors, which do not receive significant resources from the 

DoJ.5

SUMMARY OF PROVISIONS

S. 148 would amend the PBSA to: (1) establish and maintain a 

confidential (except for the use by boxing commissions) medical registry that would contain comprehensive medical records and medical suspension information for every licensed professional boxer; 

(2) make uniform certain ‘‘safety standards’’ for all boxing commissions, including a requirement that emergency medical personnel 

and an ambulance be continually present at all professional boxing 

matches; (3) require testing for infectious diseases (e.g., hepatitis); 

(4) require promoters to post some form of security (e.g., performance bond, cashiers check, etc.) prior to a match with the appropriate boxing commission to ensure payment of purse monies to 

boxers who participate and are contractually entitled to receive it; 

(5) make several changes to definitions, including the term ‘‘boxing 

commission’’ to include tribal organizations; (6) authorize tribal organizations to establish boxing commissions as long as a certain 

level of safety standards and other requirements are established; 

(7) mandate that sanctioning organizations adopt and follow ratings guidelines/criteria; (8) require that judges and referees be assigned for each match by the appropriate boxing commission without interference from sanctioning organizations; (9) require a 

newly-created regulatory entity, in consultation with the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC), to develop guidelines for minimal contractual provisions that should be included in all bout 

agreements and boxer/manager contracts; and, (10) require more 

stringent financial disclosures (within a specified period) by promoters and sanctioning organizations. 

S. 148 also would create the USBC, a Federal entity located 

within the Department of Commerce, to promulgate minimum uniform standards for professional boxing and enforce Federal boxing 

laws. The USBC would be comprised of three members, each of 

whom would be required to be a U.S. citizen with extensive experience in professional boxing activities or a field directly related to 

professional sports. Each member would be required to have outstanding character and integrity, and selected without regard to 

political affiliation. At least one member would be a former local 

boxing member, and, if practicable, one member would be a physician. Members would be precluded from any dealings in the boxing 

industry, and not more than two members would be from the same 

political party or reside in the same geographical region (split by 

the Mississippi River). The USBC would be authorized to employ 

an executive director to implement the policies of the USBC, a general counsel, and any additional staff as needed to carry out the 

Commission’s statutory mandate. 

The USBC’s primary functions would be to protect the health, 

safety, and general interests of boxers. The USBC, among other 

things, would oversee and administer Federal boxing laws, and 

work with those who participate in professional boxing to improve 

the sport. The USBC would promulgate minimum uniform standards for boxing (in consultation with the ABC and sanctioning orVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
5 

ganizations). The USBC would also ensure, through the U.S. Attorney General and the chief law enforcement officer of a State, that 

Federal and State boxing laws are vigorously, effectively and fairly 

enforced. The USBC would require all boxers to be licensed every 

4 years, as is currently required under the Federal identification 

system, but would also require all promoters, managers, and sanctioning organizations to be licensed by the USBC every 2 years. 

The USBC would be authorized to charge reasonable fees for licensing and all fees and fines collected by the USBC would be deposited in a revolving fund to be used to offset the USBC’s appropriation. After notice and opportunity for a hearing, the USBC 

would be permitted to suspend or revoke any license issued under 

the PBSA if it finds that action is necessary to protect the health 

or safety of a boxer, or there are reasonable grounds to believe that 

a USBC standard is not being met or another unlawful act has occurred. The USBC also would be granted authority to conduct investigations, subpoena, administer oaths and affirmations, require 

the production of information, and seek injunctions to further the 

purposes of the PBSA. 

The USBC would maintain a unified national computerized registry for collecting, storing and retrieving information related to 

professional boxing. The USBC would be required to consult with 

local boxing commissions before establishing any regulation or 

standard under the PBSA. The USBC would be required to submit 

to Congress an annual report containing a detailed description of 

its activities, including, within 12 months of enactment, the results 

of a USBC study to determine the appropriate definition of the 

term ‘‘promoter.’’ 

LEGISLATIVE HISTORY

On January 25, 2005, Senator McCain introduced S. 148, the 

Professional Boxing Amendments Act, along with co-sponsors Senators Stevens and Dorgan. On February 1, 2005, Congressmen 

King, Osborne, and Pickering introduced a House companion bill 

(H.R. 468). In addition, Congressman Stearns introduced a bill 

(H.R. 1065) on March 2, 2005, that also would create a national 

boxing commission, though Mr. Stearns’s bill would not include the 

health and safety title that is contained in both S. 148 and its 

House companion bill. H.R. 468 was referred jointly to both the 

House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Education and 

Workforce Committee. 

ESTIMATED COSTS

In compliance with subsection (a)(3) of paragraph 11 of rule 

XXVI of the Standing Rules of the Senate, the Committee states 

that, in its opinion, it is necessary to dispense with the requirements of paragraphs (1) and (2) of that subsection in order to expedite the business of the Senate. 

In accordance with paragraph 11(a) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate and section 403 of the Congressional Budget 

Act of 1974, the Committee provides the following cost estimate, 

prepared by the Congressional Budget Office: 

6 

S. 148—Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2005 

Summary: S. 148 would establish the United States Boxing Commission (USBC) within the Department of Commerce. The commission would protect the safety and interests of boxers and would 

govern the business of professional boxing by regulating boxing 

contracts, licensing and registering boxing participants, and issuing 

guidelines for ranking boxers. 

Assuming the appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates that implementing S. 148 would cost $7 million in 2006 and 

$34 million over the 2006–2010 period. 

S. 148 also would make violations of certain provisions of the 

Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996 federal crimes. CBO estimates that this provision would not have a significant effect on direct spending or revenues. 

By placing requirements on boxing commissions run by state and 

tribal governments, S. 148 would impose intergovernmental mandates as defined in the Unfunded Mandates Reform Act (UMRA). 

CBO estimates that the cost of those mandates would not be significant and would not exceed the threshold established in UMRA 

($62 million in 2005, adjusted annually for inflation). 

S. 148 would impose several private-sector mandates as defined 

in UMRA on the boxing industry. CBO estimates that the total direct cost of those mandates would fall below the annual threshold 

established by UMRA for private-sector mandates ($123 million in 

2005, adjusted annually for inflation). 

Estimated cost to the Federal Government: The estimated budgetary impact of S. 148 is shown in the following table. The costs 

of this legislation fall within budget function 370 (commerce and 

housing credit). 

By fiscal year, in millions of dollars— 

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 

CHANGES IN SPENDING SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION 1

Estimated Authorization Level ...................................................................... 8 8 7 6 6 

Estimated Outlays ......................................................................................... 7 8 7 6 6 

1 S. 148 Also could increase direct spending and revenues, but CBO estimates that any such effects would be less than $500,000 a year. 

Basis of estimate: CBO estimates that implementing S. 148 

would cost $34 million over the 2006–2010 period, assuming appropriation of the necessary amounts. For this estimate, we assume 

that the bill will be enacted before the start of 2006 and that the 

amounts estimated to be necessary will be appropriated for each 

year beginning in fiscal year 2006. Enacting the bill could increase 

both direct spending and revenues, but CBO estimates that the 

amounts of any such changes would not be significant. 

Spending subject to appropriation 

S. 148 would authorize the appropriation of such sums as necessary for establishing a boxing commission to regulate professional boxing matches and those individuals involved in the sport. 

Based on information from the Department of Commerce, CBO estimates that those activities would cost $7 million in 2006 and $34 

million over the 2006–2010 period, assuming appropriation of the 

necessary amounts. 

7 

Currently, tribal and state boxing commissions act as governing 

bodies—issuing licenses, ensuring boxing safety, and monitoring 

boxing contracts and fights within their jurisdiction. The USBC 

would not replace those entities or the activities they undertake; 

however, the bill would specify the minimum safety standards and 

licensing requirements those entities must maintain. S. 148 would 

create a separate, federal entity to govern the spot of boxing with 

national, minimal standards and requirements for the business of 

professional boxing. 

United States Boxing Administration. S. 148 would create the 

USBC within the Department of Commerce. It would be headed by 

a three-person commission to be appointed by the President. In addition to those positions, the bill would allow the hiring of the necessary staff to fulfill the requirements of the bill. The USBC would 

monitor compliance with provision in the bill that would establish 

minimum safety standards for matches and would require medical 

testing and disclosures. The USBC would issue regulations concerning the ranking of boxers by sanctioning organization, contractual requirements, and other issues. Finally, the USBC would have 

to process submitted contracts for boxing matches and approve certain types of boxing matches before they could occur. 

Assuming the appropriation of the necessary amounts, CBO estimates the costs of the USBC would be about $4 million in 2006 and 

about $24 million over the 2006–2010 period. 

Licensing and Registration. S. 148 would require the USBC to license boxers, managers, and promoters every two to four years. 

CBO assumes that license fees would be similar to those now currently charged by state boxing commissions. The bill would require 

the USBC to maintain a registry with the names of licensed boxers, 

managers, and promoters as well as boxing judges and referees. 

Based on spending for similar registries, CBO estimates that the 

cost of developing the boxing registry would be about $2 million 

over the 2006–2009 period, assuming the appropriation of the necessary amounts. CBO estimates that the licensing fees (considered 

offsetting collections) would offset the cost of maintaining the registry by about 2009. 

Medical Registry. S. 148 also would establish a medical registry 

that would contain information about the health of each boxer, including medical records and incidents of medical suspensions. CBO 

estimates that developing and maintaining the medical registry 

would cost about $2 million in 2006 and about $8 million over the 

2006–2010 period, assuming the appropriation of the necessary 

amounts. 

Direct spending and revenues 

The bill would allow the Attorney General of the United States 

to pursue criminal actions for violations of laws related to the boxing industry. The law already allows criminal prosecution of managers, promoters, matchmakers, and licensees. Because those prosecuted and convicted under S. 148 could be subject to criminal 

fines, the federal government might collect additional fines if the 

bill is enacted. Collections of such fines are recorded in the budget 

as governmental revenues, deposited in the Crime Victims Fund, 

and spent in subsequent years. CBO expects that any additional reVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00009 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
8 

ceipts and direct spending would total less than $500,000 each 

year. 

Estimated impact on state, local, and tribal governments: S. 148 

contains intergovernmental mandates as defined in UMRA because 

state and tribal boxing commissions would be required to meet certain health and safety standards and reporting requirements. Currently, most boxing commissions maintain various levels of health 

and safety standards. This bill would make those standards uniform. It would require boxers to be tested for infectious disease and 

require commissions to make health and safety disclosures to boxers when they are registered as well as expand safety requirements 

for boxing matches. Boxing commissions would be required to report all registries of boxers to the USBC and to meet uniform 

standards to be set by the USBC. 

Information from tribes involved in professional boxing and from 

the Association of Boxing Commissions indicates that many state 

and tribal boxing commissions already regulate boxing matches 

using standards similar to those that would be required by this 

bill. CBO therefore expects any costs associated with additional 

health and safety measures and other USBC reporting requirements to be minimal. 

S. 148 also would give the USBC authority to subpoena witnesses and evidence from any place in the United States, including 

Indian land. This authority would be considered a mandate under 

UMRA, but because it probably would be used rarely, it would not 

be likely to impose significant costs. 

CBO estimates that the cost of complying with all of the intergovernmental mandates in the bill would not be significant and, 

therefore, would not exceed the threshold established in UMRA 

($62 million in 2005, adjusted annually for inflation). 

Estimated impact on the private sector: S. 148 would impose several private-sector mandates as defined in UMRA on the boxing industry. CBO estimates that the total direct cost of those mandates 

would fall below the annual threshold established by UMRA for 

private-sector mandates ($123 million in 2005, adjusted annually 

for inflation). 

The bill would require boxers, managers, promoters, referees, 

judges, and sanctioning organizations to be licensed by the United 

States Boxing Commission established in the bill. According to representatives of the boxing industry, license fees would most likely 

cost the industry less than $1 million per year. 

The bill also would impose mandates on the industry by requiring additional safety standards, standard clauses for contracts, and 

the filing of reports. The bill would require boxers, managers, promoters, and sanctioning organizations to meet certain uniform 

standards addressing the health and safety of boxers. The bill 

would require certain contract provisions to be included in each 

bout agreement, boxer-manager contract, and promotional agreement and would require those agreements to be filed with the 

USBC. Sanctioning organizations would be required to adopt guidelines to be promulgated by the USBC for the rating of professional 

boxers. Under the bill, promoters, broadcasters, judges, referees, 

and sanctioning organizations would be required to report certain 

information about boxing matches to the USBC. Based on information from the Department of Labor and representatives of the boxVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00010 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
9 

ing industry, a majority of the industry already complies in large 

part with the above requirements under state boxing commission 

regulations. Therefore, CBO estimates that the incremental cost for 

the boxing industry to comply with those mandates would fall well 

below the annual threshold established in UMRA. 

In addition, entities in the private sector, if subpoenaed, would 

be required to attend and provide testimony, evidence, or materials 

related to any investigations the USBC may conduct. Such a requirement would be a private-sector mandate under UMRA. CBO 

expects that the Commission would likely exercise its subpoena 

power sparingly and that the costs to comply with a subpoena 

would not be significant. 

Estimate prepared by: Federal Costs: Melissa E. Zimmerman; 

Impact on State, Local, and Tribal Governments: Sara Puro; Impact on the Private Sector: Paige Piper/Bach. 

Estimate approved by: Peter H. Fontaine, Deputy Assistant Director for Budget Analysis. 

REGULATORY IMPACT STATEMENT

In accordance with paragraph 11(b) of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, the Committee provides the following evaluation of the regulatory impact of the legislation, as reported: 

NUMBER OF PERSONS COVERED

The legislation would apply to professional boxers, local boxing 

commissions, boxing promoters, boxing managers, boxing judges 

and referees, ringside physicians, boxing registries, sanctioning organizations, as well as premium or other cable or satellite program 

service providers, casinos, hotels, resorts, and other commercial establishments that may act as promoters. The legislation would not 

apply to amateur boxing. 

ECONOMIC IMPACT

The economic impact of this legislation would be minimal. 

PRIVACY

The impact on the personal privacy of the persons covered by 

this legislation is expected to be minimal. The USBC, in establishing and maintaining a medical registry for all licensed professional boxers, is expected to take appropriate action to ensure the 

confidentiality of such records. 

PAPERWORK

The impact on paperwork is difficult to determine prior to the 

formation of the USBC. Local boxing commissions may be required 

by the USBC to perform minimal processing of licensing and boxing data. 

SECTION-BY-SECTION ANALYSIS

Section 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Section 1 would provide that this Act may be cited as the ‘‘Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2005.’’ This section also provides a table of contents for this Act. 

10 

Section 2. Amendment of Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996. 

Section 2 would provide that all references to amendments to, or 

repeal of, certain sections, are to be considered to be made to a section or other provision of the Professional Boxing Safety Act of 

1996 (PBSA) (15 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.). 

Section 3. Definitions. 

Subsection (a) would amend section 2 of the PBSA by providing 

several changes to definitions. Most notable, the term ‘‘boxing commission’’ would be revised to include entities authorized under tribal law to regulate professional boxing. Only State commissions are 

considered ‘‘boxing commissions’’ under current law. In addition, 

the terms ‘‘bout agreement’’ and ‘‘promotional agreement’’ would be 

modified to provide a distinction between them. 

Subsection (b) would amend section 21 of the PBSA with respect 

to professional boxing matches conducted on Indian lands. This 

provision would provide authority to a tribal organization to establish a boxing commission to regulate professional boxing held on 

tribal land. Should a tribal organization establish a boxing commission, the standards adopted by the tribal organization should be at 

least as restrictive as the requirements of the State in which the 

tribal organization is located, or the guidelines established by the 

United States Boxing Commission (USBC). 

Section 4. Purpose. 

Section 4 would amend section 3(2) of the PBSA by striking 

‘‘State’’ in ‘‘State boxing commissions’’ to allow tribal organizations 

to be included as boxing commissions. 

Section 5. Matches in jurisdictions without commissions. 

Section 5 would amend section 4 of the PBSA to provide that no 

person may arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight in a professional boxing match in the United States without approval by 

the USBC and held in a State or by a tribal commission that regulates professional boxing matches in accordance with standards established by the USBC. Approval by the USBC is presumed unless 

the USBC has been informed of a violation of the PBSA and has 

notified the supervising boxing commission that it does not approve, the match is advertised as a championship match, the match 

is scheduled for 10 rounds or more, or a boxer in the match has 

suffered 10 consecutive defeats or has been knocked out five consecutive times. This section authorizes the USBC to delegate its 

approval authority to a local commission. 

Section 6. Safety standards. 

Section 6 would amend section 5 of the PBSA to require that the 

physical examination currently required by the PBSA include testing for infectious diseases in accordance with standards established 

by the USBC. This section also would require that an ambulance 

and medical personnel with appropriate resuscitation equipment be 

continuously present on the site of professional boxing matches. 

Current law requires either an ambulance or medical personnel 

with appropriate resuscitation equipment to be on site. 

11 

Section 7. Registration. 

Section 7 would amend section 6 of the PBSA to require that 

State and tribal boxing commissions provide professional boxers 

with a health and safety disclosure when issuing a boxer a Federal 

identification card currently required under the PBSA. This disclosure is a ‘‘Sense of the Congress’’ in the PBSA. This section also 

would require that boxing commissions furnish to the USBC a copy 

of each professional boxer’s registration, as well as the registrations 

of boxing promoters, managers, and sanctioning organizations. 

Section 8. Review. 

Section 8 would amend section 7 of the PBSA to clarify the appeal procedure should a boxing commission impose a summary suspension on a professional boxer. Current law creates an inference 

that not only must a boxing commission establish appeal procedures regarding the suspension of a boxer, but it must also establish procedures to enable a boxer to have a second hearing regarding the revocation of the suspension. This section would clarify the 

intent of the current law and require that a boxing commission establish procedures to provide a hearing in the event a boxer seeks 

to contest the imposition of a summary suspension. 

Section 9. Reporting. 

Section 9 would amend section 8 of the PBSA by requiring that 

supervising boxing commissions report the results of a professional 

boxing match to the USBC within 2 business days. Under current 

law, supervising boxing commissions must report results to each 

boxer registry not later than 48 business hours. 

Section 10. Contract requirements. 

Section 10 would amend section 9 of the PBSA. 

Subsection (a) would authorize the USBC, in consultation with 

the ABC, to develop minimum contractual provisions to be included 

in all bout agreements, boxer-manager contracts, and promotional 

agreements. Boxing commissions would be required to ensure that 

the minimum provisions are included in such agreements or contracts. 

Subsection (b) would require managers or promoters to submit a 

copy of each boxer-manager contract and each promotional agreement between the manager or promoter and the boxer to the 

USBC. This subsection also would prohibit a boxing commission 

from approving a professional boxing match unless a copy of the 

bout agreement related to the match is filed with and approved by 

the Commission. 

Subsection (c) would prohibit a boxing commission from approving a professional boxing match unless the promoter of that match 

posts a surety bond, cashier’s check, letter of credit, cash, or other 

security acceptable to the boxing commission. This is intended to 

ensure that the boxer is paid at the conclusion of each match. 

Section 11. Coercive contracts. 

This section would amend section 10 of the PBSA to establish 

minimum guidelines for bout agreements, boxer-manager contracts, 

and promotional agreements. 

12 

Section 12. Sanctioning organizations. 

This section would amend section 11 of the PBSA. 

Subsection (a) would require within 1 year after the date of enactment that the USBC develop guidelines for written criteria for 

rating professional boxers based on their athletic merits. Within 90 

days of the promulgation of the guidelines, each sanctioning organization would be required to adopt the guidelines and follow them. 

Subsection (b) would require sanctioning organizations, when 

making ratings changes, to post, within 7 days and for a period of 

not less than 30 days, a copy of the new ratings on its Internet 

website or homepage with an explanation of the change posted for 

a period not less than 30 days, provide a copy of the rating change 

and an explanation to the boxer and the USBC, provide the boxer 

an opportunity to appeal the ratings change, and apply the ratings 

guidelines required under subsection (a) of this section. 

Subsection (c) would require sanctioning organizations that receive inquiries from boxers challenging ratings decisions to provide 

to the boxer, within 7 days, a written explanation of the sanctioning organizations rating criteria, its rating of the boxer, and its 

rationale or basis for its rating, and submit a copy of its explanation to the ABC and the USBC. 

Section 13. Required disclosures by sanctioning organizations. 

Section 13 would amend section 12 of the PBSA, which bars a 

sanctioning organization from receiving compensation from a boxing match until it provides the supervising boxing commission with 

a statement of fees assessed to the fighter or received for the fight. 

This section would be modified to require sanctioning organizations 

to provide, within 7 days after a professional boxing match of 10 

rounds or more, a statement of all fees that a sanctioning organization ‘‘has assessed, or will assess’’ to any boxer in the match, a 

written statement of fees that a sanctioning organization ‘‘has received, or will receive’’ from all sources affiliated with a boxing 

event, and any other information that the supervising boxing commission may require. 

Section 14. Required disclosures by promoters and broadcasters. 

Section 14 would amend section 13 of the PBSA, which bars a 

promoter from receiving compensation from a boxing match until 

it provides the supervising boxing commission with certain financial information regarding the match. This section would require 

promoters to provide to the supervising boxing commission, within 

7 days after a professional boxing match of 10 rounds or more, that 

same financial information. This section also would require promoters to make similar financial disclosures to each boxer in the 

match within 7 days after a professional boxing match of 10 rounds 

or more, including what the promoter has paid, or agreed to pay, 

to any other person in connection with the match. 

This section also would require a broadcaster that owns television broadcast rights to a professional boxing match of 10 rounds 

or more to provide to the USBC within 7 days subsequent to the 

match a statement of any fee owed to a promoter in connection 

with the match, a copy of any contract the broadcaster has with a 

boxer in the match, and a list identifying sources of income received from the broadcast of the match. This section would require 

13 

that the information disclosed by the broadcaster would be held as 

confidential by the USBC or local commission. 

Section 15. Judges and referees. 

Section 15 would amend section 16 of the PBSA. 

Subsection (a) would require that no person may arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight in a professional match unless the 

referees and judges participating in the match have been ‘‘selected’’ 

by the supervising boxing commission. Current law requires that 

all referees and judges participating in the match are ‘‘certified and 

approved’’ by the supervising boxing commission. 

Subsection (b) would require in addition to subsection (a) that no 

person may arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight in a professional match advertised to the public as a championship match 

or in a match scheduled for 10 rounds or more unless the referees 

and judges participating in the match have been licensed by the 

USBC. 

Subsection (c) would prohibit sanctioning organizations from influencing, directly or indirectly, the selection of judges and referees, 

but would allow the organizations to provide a list of judges or referees that the sanctioning organization deems qualified. 

Subsection (d) would permit a boxing commission to assign 

judges and referees who reside outside a commission’s jurisdiction. 

Subsection (e) would require that a judge or referee provide to a 

supervising boxing commission a statement of all consideration, including reimbursement for expenses, that the judge or referee has 

received, or will receive, from any source for participation in the 

match. This statement also would be provided to the USBC if the 

match is scheduled for 10 rounds or more. 

Section 16. Medical registry. 

Section 16 would create a new section 14 in the PBSA. 

Subsection (a) would require that the USBC establish and maintain, or certify a third party to establish and maintain, a medical 

registry to contain the comprehensive medical records and medical 

denials or suspensions for every licensed boxer in the United 

States. 

Subsection (b) would direct the USBC to determine the nature of 

the medical records to be forwarded to the USBC and the time 

within which they are to be submitted to the registry. 

Subsection (c) would require the USBC to establish confidentiality standards for the disclosure of personally-identifiable information to boxing commissions to ensure that the information is 

used for the intended purpose, which is to protect the health and 

safety of professional boxers, and that it is not publicly disclosed. 

Section 17. Conflicts of interest. 

Section 17 would amend section 17(a) of the PBSA by including 

officers and employees of the USBC in the current list of persons 

who may not hold office, contract with, or receive any compensation 

from, any person who sanctions, arranges, or promotes professional 

boxing matches or who otherwise has a financial interest in an active boxer currently registered with a boxer registry. This section 

also would preclude a boxer from owning or controlling an entity 

that promotes the boxer’s bouts in certain instances. 

14 

Section 18. Enforcement. 

Section 18 would amend section 18 of the PBSA. Under the 

PBSA, the United States Attorney General has the authority to 

bring a civil action in the appropriate district court to prevent or 

punish a violation of the PBSA. This section would expand that authority to include criminal actions. This section also would make officers and employees of the USBC subject to civil or criminal action 

for violation of the PBSA. This section would allow the chief law 

enforcement officer of a State to bring an action if that officer has 

reason to believe that a person ‘‘has engaged in, or is engaging’’ in 

conduct that violates the PBSA. Current law only allows the chief 

law enforcement officer of a State to act while the violator is engaging in, but not after, the unlawful conduct. 

Section 19. Repeal of deadwood. 

Section 19 would repeal section 20 of the PBSA, which required 

the Secretary of Labor to conduct a study on the feasibility and cost 

of a national pension system for professional boxers and report the 

results to Congress. Section 20 of the PBSA also required the Secretary of Health and Human Services ‘‘to conduct a study to develop recommendations for health, safety, and equipment standards for boxers and for professional boxing matches.’’ The expiration of these deadlines makes this language no longer necessary in 

the PBSA. 

Section 20. Recognition of tribal law. 

Section 20 would amend section 22 of the PBSA by allowing tribal organizations, not just States, to adopt or enforce supplemental 

or more stringent laws or regulations not inconsistent with the 

PBSA, or criminal, civil, or administrative fines for violations of 

such laws or regulations. 

Section 21. Establishment of United States Boxing Commission. 

Subsection (a) would amend the PBSA by adding a new title II 

establishing the USBC, as follows: 

Section 201. Purpose. 

This section states that the purpose of the USBC is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of boxers and to ensure 

fairness in the sport of professional boxing. 

Section 202. Establishment of United States Boxing Commission. 

Subsection (a) would establish the United States Boxing 

Commission as a commission within the Department of Commerce. 

Subsection (b) would provide that the USBC would consist of 

three members appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate. Each member would be required to be a U.S. citizen with extensive experience in professional boxing activities or a field directly related to professional sports. Each member would be required to have outstanding character and integrity, and selected without regard 

to political affiliation. At least one member would be a former 

local boxing member, and, if practicable, one member would be 

15 

a physician. Members would be precluded from any dealings in 

the boxing industry, and not more than two members would be 

from the same political party or reside in the same geographical region (split by the Mississippi River). Members 

would serve three-year terms, with the possibility of reappointment. 

Subsection (b) would require the USBC to employ an executive director to perform the administrative functions of the 

Commission. In addition, the Commission would be required to 

hire a general counsel and any additional staff as needed to 

carry out the functions of the Commission. 

Section 203. Functions. 

Subsection (a) would provide the primary functions of the 

USBC. 

Subsection (b) lists the specific functions of the USBC. 

Subsection (c) would provide that the USBC may not promote boxing events or rank professional boxers; or provide 

technical assistance to, or authorize the use of the name of the 

USBC by, boxing commissions that do not comply with the requirements of the USBC. 

Subsection (d) would provide that the USBC shall have the 

exclusive right to the name ‘‘United States Boxing Commission.’’ This subsection also provides that any person who uses 

the name, USBC, without permission is subject to a civil action 

by the Commission under the Trademark Act of 1946. 

Section 204. Licensing and registration of boxing personnel. 

Subsection (a) would require that boxers, managers, promoters, and sanctioning organizations be licensed by the USBC 

to participate in a professional boxing match. The USBC shall 

establish procedures and fees for applying for, granting, and 

issuing licenses. Licenses issued by the USBC are for 4-year 

terms for professional boxers and 2-year terms for any other 

person. The USBC may issue licenses through boxing commissions. 

Subsection (b) would authorize the USBC to prescribe and 

charge reasonable licensing fees. In setting fees, this subsection cautions that, to the maximum extent possible, the 

USBC should ensure that club boxing is not adversely affected, 

sanctioning organizations and promoters pay the largest portion of the fees, and boxers pay as small a portion as possible. 

The USBC may collect fees through boxing commissions. 

Section 205. National registry of boxing personnel. 

Subsection (a) would require the USBC to establish (or certify a third party to establish) a national registry of boxing personnel. This registry is to include relevant information about 

boxers, as well as information on promoters, matchmakers, 

managers, trainers, cut men, referees, judges, physicians, and 

any other professional boxing personnel deemed appropriate by 

the USBC. 

16 

Section 206. Consultation requirements. 

This section would require the USBC to consult with the 

ABC before prescribing any regulation or establishing any 

standard, and not less than once each year regarding matters 

related to professional boxing. 

Section 207. Misconduct. 

Subsection (a) would authorize the USBC, after notice and 

opportunity for a hearing, to suspend or revoke any license 

issued under this title if the USBC finds that such action is 

necessary to protect health and safety or is otherwise in the 

public interest; there are reasonable grounds to believe that a 

USBC standard is not being met or that certain criminal acts 

have occurred; or the licensee has violated a provision of the 

PBSA. The USBC would determine the period of suspension. In 

the case of a revocation of the license of a boxer, the revocation 

would be for a period of not less than one year. 

Subsection (b) would authorize the USBC to conduct investigations and seek injunctions to further the purposes of the 

PBSA. This subsection also would authorize the USBC to subpoena, administer oaths and affirmations, and require the production of information. 

Subsection (c) would authorize the USBC to intervene or file 

an amicus brief on behalf of the public interest in any civil action relating to professional boxing filed in a United States district court. 

Subsection (d) would require that hearings conducted by the 

USBC be public and may be held before any officer of the 

USBC or before a boxing commission that is a member of the 

ABC. 

Section 208. Noninterference with local boxing commissions. 

Subsection (a) would provide that nothing in this title shall 

prohibit any boxing commission from exercising its powers, duties, or functions with respect to the regulation or supervision 

of professional boxing to the extent such exercises is not inconsistent with this title. 

Subsection (b) would provide that nothing in this title prohibits any boxing commission from enforcing local standards or 

requirements that exceed those promulgated by the USBC. 

Section 209. Assistance from other agencies. 

This section would authorize the USBC to request that any 

employee of an entity be detailed to the USBC on a reimbursable or non-reimbursable basis with the employees’ consent. 

Section 210. Reports. 

Subsection (a) would require the USBC to submit an annual 

report to the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on Energy 

and Commerce. The report shall include a detailed discussion 

of the activities of the USBC and an overview of the licensing 

and enforcement activities of boxing commissions. 

Subsection (b) would require the USBC to publish and publicize an annual report regarding the progress made by the 

17 

Commission to reform professional boxing at the Federal and 

State levels, including on Indian lands, and comment on continuing concerns of the USBC. 

Subsection (c) would require that the first annual report be 

submitted not later than 2 years after the effective date of this 

title. 

Section 211. Initial implementation. 

Subsection (a) would provide that the licensing requirements 

of this title do not apply to boxers, judges or referees, or any 

other activity in relation to professional boxing, if the person 

is licensed by a boxing commission to perform that activity as 

of the effective date of this title. 

Subsection (b) would provide that the exemption in subsection (a) expires on the earlier of the date on which the license expires, or the date that is 2 years after the date of enactment of this legislation. 

Section 212. Authorization of appropriations. 

Subsection (a) would authorize to be appropriated for the 

USBC for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary to 

perform its functions for that fiscal year. 

Subsection (b) would provide that any fee collected under 

this title be credited as offsetting collections to the account 

that finances the USBC. 

Subsection (c) would provide several conforming amendments. 

Section 22. Study and report on definition of promoter. 

Section 22 of S. 148 would require the USBC to conduct a study 

of how the term ‘‘promoter’’ should be defined for the purposes of 

the Professional Boxing Safety Act and report back to the House 

and Senate committees of jurisdiction within 12 months of the enactment of this legislation. 

Section 23. Effective date. 

Section 23 of S. 148 would provide that the amendments made 

by this legislation would take effect on the date of enactment of 

this legislation, except for the provisions creating the USBC, which 

will take effect one year after the date of enactment of this legislation. 

CHANGES IN EXISTING LAW

In compliance with paragraph 12 of rule XXVI of the Standing 

Rules of the Senate, changes in existing law made by the bill, as 

reported, are shown as follows (existing law proposed to be omitted 

is enclosed in black brackets, new material is printed in italic, existing law in which no change is proposed is shown in roman): 

18 

PROFESSIONAL BOXING SAFETY ACT OF 1996 

[15 U.S.C. 6301 et seq.] 

øSECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. [15 U.S.C. 6301 note] 

øThis Act may be cited as the ‘‘Professional Boxing Safety Act of 

1996’’.¿ 

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the ‘Professional Boxing Safety Act’. 

(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents for this Act is as 

follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

Sec. 2. Definitions. 

TITLE I—PROFESSIONAL BOXING SAFETY 

Sec. 101. Purposes. 

Sec. 102. Approval or sanction requirement. 

Sec. 103. Safety standards. 

Sec. 104. Registration. 

Sec. 105. Review. 

Sec. 106. Reporting. 

Sec. 107. Contract requirements. 

Sec. 108. Protection from coercive contracts. 

Sec. 109. Sanctioning organizations. 

Sec. 110. Required disclosures to State boxing commissions by sanctioning organizations. 

Sec. 111. Required disclosures by promoters and broadcasters. 

Sec. 112. Medical registry. 

Sec. 113. Confidentiality. 

Sec. 114. Judges and referees. 

Sec. 115. Conflicts of interest. 

Sec. 116. Enforcement. 

Sec. 117. Professional boxing matches conducted on Indian lands. 

Sec. 118. Relationship with State or Tribal law. 

TITLE II—UNITED STATES BOXING COMMISSION 

Sec. 201. Purpose. 

Sec. 202. United States Boxing Commission. 

Sec. 203. Functions. 

Sec. 204. Licensing and registration of boxing personnel. 

Sec. 205. National registry of boxing personnel. 

Sec. 206. Consultation requirements. 

Sec. 207. Misconduct. 

Sec. 208. Noninterference with boxing commissions. 

Sec. 209. Assistance from other agencies. 

Sec. 210. Reports. 

Sec. 211. Initial implementation. 

Sec. 212. Authorization of appropriations. 

øSEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. [15 U.S.C. 6301] 

øFor purposes of this Act: 

ø(1) BOXER.—The term ‘‘boxer’’ means an individual who 

fights in a professional boxing match. 

ø(2) BOXING COMMISSION.—(A) The term ‘‘boxing commission’’ means an entity authorized under State law to regulate 

professional boxing matches. 

ø(3) BOXER REGISTRY.—The term ‘‘boxer registry’’ means any 

entity certified by the Association of Boxing Commissions for 

the purposes of maintaining records and identification of boxers. 

19 

ø(4) LICENSEE.—The term ‘‘licensee’’ means an individual 

who serves as a trainer, second, or cut man for a boxer. 

ø(5) MANAGER.—The term ‘‘manager’’ means a person who 

receives compensation for service as an agent or representative 

of a boxer. 

ø(6) MATCHMAKER.—The term ‘‘matchmaker’’ means a person 

that proposes, selects, and arranges the boxers to participate 

in a professional boxing match. 

ø(7) PHYSICIAN.—The term ‘‘physician’’ means a doctor of 

medicine legally authorized to practice medicine by the State 

in which the physician performs such function or action. 

ø(8) PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCH.—The term ‘‘professional 

boxing match’’ means a boxing contest held in the United 

States between individuals for financial compensation. Such 

term does not include a boxing contest that is regulated by an 

amateur sports organization. 

ø(9) PROMOTER.—The term ‘‘promoter’’ means the person primarily responsible for organizing, promoting, and producing a 

professional boxing match. The term ‘‘promoter’’ does not include a hotel, casino, resort, or other commercial establishment 

hosting or sponsoring a professional boxing match unless— 

ø(A) the hotel, casino, resort, or other commercial establishment is primarily responsible for organizing, promoting, and producing the match; and 

ø(B) there is no other person primarily responsible for 

organizing, promoting, and producing the match. 

ø(10) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 50 States, 

Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and any territory or possession of the United States, including the Virgin Islands. 

ø(11) EFFECTIVE DATE OF THE CONTRACT.—The term ‘‘effective date of the contract’’ means the day upon which a boxer 

becomes legally bound by the contract. 

ø(12) BOXING SERVICE PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘boxing service 

provider’’ means a promoter, manager, sanctioning body, licensee, or matchmaker. 

ø(13) CONTRACT PROVISION.—The term ‘‘contract provision’’ 

means any legal obligation between a boxer and a boxing service provider. 

ø(14) SANCTIONING ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘sanctioning 

organization’’ means an organization that sanctions professional boxing matches in the United States— 

ø(A) between boxers who are residents of different 

States; or 

ø(B) that are advertised, otherwise promoted, or broadcast (including closed circuit television) in interstate commerce. 

ø(15) SUSPENSION.—The term ‘‘suspension’’ includes within 

its meaning the revocation of a boxing license.¿ 

SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 

In this Act: 

(1) COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘Commission’’ means the United 

States Boxing Commission. 

(2) BOUT AGREEMENT.—The term ‘‘bout agreement’’ means a 

contract between a promoter and a boxer that requires the boxer 

20 

to participate in a professional boxing match for a particular 

date. 

(3) BOXER.—The term ‘‘boxer’’ means an individual who 

fights in a professional boxing match. 

(4) BOXING COMMISSION.—The term ‘‘boxing commission’’ 

means an entity authorized under State or tribal law to regulate professional boxing matches. 

(5) BOXER REGISTRY.—The term ‘‘boxer registry’’ means any 

entity certified by the Commission for the purposes of maintaining records and identification of boxers. 

(6) BOXING SERVICE PROVIDER.—The term ‘‘boxing service provider’’ means a promoter, manager, sanctioning body, licensee, 

or matchmaker. 

(7) CONTRACT PROVISION.—The term ‘‘contract provision’’ 

means any legal obligation between a boxer and a boxing service provider. 

(8) INDIAN LANDS; INDIAN TRIBE.—The terms ‘‘Indian lands’’ 

and ‘‘Indian tribe’’ have the meanings given those terms by 

paragraphs (4) and (5), respectively, of section 4 of the Indian 

Gaming Regulatory Act (25 U.S.C. 2703). 

(9) LICENSEE.—The term ‘‘licensee’’ means an individual who 

serves as a trainer, corner man, second, or cut man for a boxer. 

(10) MANAGER.—The term ‘‘manager’’ means a person other 

than a promoter who, under contract, agreement, or other arrangement with a boxer, undertakes to control or administer, 

directly or indirectly, a boxing-related matter on behalf of that 

boxer, including a person who is a booking agent for a boxer. 

(11) MATCHMAKER.—The term ‘‘matchmaker’’ means a person 

that proposes, selects, and arranges for boxers to participate in 

a professional boxing match. 

(12) PHYSICIAN.—The term ‘‘physician’’ means a doctor of 

medicine legally authorized to practice medicine by the State in 

which the physician performs such function or action and who 

has training and experience in dealing with sports injuries, 

particularly head trauma. 

(13) PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCH.—The term ‘‘professional 

boxing match’’ means a boxing contest held in the United States 

between individuals for financial compensation. The term ‘‘professional boxing match’’ does not include a boxing contest that 

is regulated by a duly recognized amateur sports organization, 

as approved by the Commission. 

(14) PROMOTER.—The term ‘‘promoter’’— 

(A) means the person primarily responsible for organizing, promoting, and producing a professional boxing 

match; but 

(B) does not include a hotel, casino, resort, or other commercial establishment hosting or sponsoring a professional 

boxing match unless— 

(i) the hotel, casino, resort, or other commercial establishment is primarily responsible for organizing, 

promoting, and producing the match; and 

(ii) there is no other person primarily responsible for 

organizing, promoting, and producing the match. 

(15) PROMOTIONAL AGREEMENT.—The term ‘‘promotional 

agreement’’ means a contract, for the acquisition of rights relatVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00022 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
21 

ing to a boxer’s participation in a professional boxing match or 

series of boxing matches (including the right to sell, distribute, 

exhibit, or license the match or matches), with— 

(A) the boxer who is to participate in the match or 

matches; or 

(B) the nominee of a boxer who is to participate in the 

match or matches, or the nominee is an entity that is 

owned, controlled or held in trust for the boxer unless that 

nominee or entity is a licensed promoter who is conveying 

a portion of the rights previously acquired. 

(16) STATE.—The term ‘‘State’’ means each of the 50 States, 

Puerto Rico, the District of Columbia, and any territory or possession of the United States, including the Virgin Islands. 

(17) SANCTIONING ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘sanctioning organization’’ means an organization, other than a boxing commission, that sanctions professional boxing matches, ranks professional boxers, or charges a sanctioning fee for professional 

boxing matches in the United States— 

(A) between boxers who are residents of different States; 

or 

(B) that are advertised, otherwise promoted, or broadcast 

(including closed circuit television) in interstate commerce. 

(18) SUSPENSION.—The term ‘‘suspension’’ includes within its 

meaning the temporary revocation of a boxing license. 

(19) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘tribal organization’’ 

has the same meaning as in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(l)). 

TITLE I—PROFESSIONAL BOXING 

SAFETY 

SEC. ø3.¿ 101. PURPOSES. [15 U.S.C. 6302] 

The purposes øof this Act¿ of this title are— 

(1) to improve and expand the system of safety precautions 

that protects the welfare of professional boxers; and 

(2) to assist øState¿ boxing commissions to provide proper 

oversight for the professional boxing industry in the United 

States. 

øSEC. 4. BOXING MATCHES IN STATES WITHOUT BOXING COMMISSIONS. [15 U.S.C. 6303] 

ø(a) No person may arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight 

in a professional boxing match held in a State that does not have 

a boxing commission unless the match is supervised by a boxing 

commission from another State and subject to the most recent 

version of the recommended regulatory guidelines certified and 

published by the Association of Boxing Commissions as well as any 

additional relevant professional boxing regulations and requirements of such other State. 

ø(b) For the purpose øof this Act,¿ of this title, if no State commission is available to supervise a boxing match according to subsection (a), then— 

ø(1) the match may not be held unless it is supervised by an 

association of boxing commissions to which at least a majority 

of the States belong; and 

22 

ø(2) any reporting or other requirement relating to a supervising commission allowed under this section.¿ 

SEC. 102. APPROVAL OR SANCTION REQUIREMENT. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—No person may arrange, promote, organize, 

produce, or fight in a professional boxing match within the United 

States unless the match— 

(1) is approved by the Commission; and 

(2) is held in a State, or on tribal land of a tribal organization, that regulates professional boxing matches in accordance 

with standards and criteria established by the Commission. 

(b) APPROVAL PRESUMED.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—For purposes of subsection (a), the Commission shall be presumed to have approved any match other 

than— 

(A) a match with respect to which the Commission has 

been informed of an alleged violation of this title and with 

respect to which it has notified the supervising boxing commission that it does not approve; 

(B) a match advertised to the public as a championship 

match; 

(C) a match scheduled for 10 rounds or more; or 

(D) a match in which 1 of the boxers has— 

(i) suffered 10 consecutive defeats in professional boxing matches; or 

(ii) has been knocked out 5 consecutive times in professional boxing matches. 

(2) DELEGATION OF APPROVAL AUTHORITY.—Notwithstanding 

paragraph (1), the Commission shall be presumed to have approved a match described in subparagraph (B), (C), or (D) of 

paragraph (1) if— 

(A) the Commission has delegated its approval authority 

with respect to that match to a boxing commission; and 

(B) the boxing commission has approved the match. 

(3) KNOCKED-OUT DEFINED.—Except as may be otherwise provided by the Commission by rule, in paragraph (1)(D)(ii), the 

term ‘‘knocked out’’ means knocked down and unable to continue after a count of 10 by the referee or stopped from continuing because of a technical knockout. 

SEC. ø5.¿ 103. SAFETY STANDARDS. [15 U.S.C. 6304] 

No person may arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight in 

a professional boxing match without meeting each of the following 

ørequirements or an alternative requirement in effect under regulations of a boxing commission that provides equivalent protection 

of the health and safety of boxers:¿ requirements: 

(1) A physical examination of each boxer by a physician certifying whether or not the boxer is physically fit to safely compete, copies of which must be provided to the boxing commission. The examination shall include testing for infectious diseases in accordance with standards established by the Commission. 

ø(2) Except as otherwise expressly provided under regulation 

of a boxing commission promulgated subsequent to the enactment of this Act, an ambulance or medical personnel with apVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00024 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
23 

propriate resuscitation equipment continuously present on 

site.¿ 

(2) An ambulance continuously present on site. 

(3) Emergency medical personnel with appropriate resuscitation equipment continuously present on site. 

ø(3)¿ (4) A physician continuously present at ringside. 

ø(4)¿ (5) Health insurance for each boxer to provide medical 

coverage for any injuries sustained in the ømatch.¿ match in 

an amount prescribed by the Commission. 

SEC. ø6.¿ 104. REGISTRATION. [15 U.S.C. 6305] 

(a) REQUIREMENTS.—Each boxer shall register with— 

(1) the boxing commission of the State in which such boxer 

resides; or 

(2) in the case of a boxer who is a resident of a foreign country, or a State in which there is no boxing commission, the boxing commission of any State or Indian tribe that has such a 

commission. 

(b) IDENTIFICATION CARD.— 

(1) ISSUANCE.—A boxing commission shall issue to each professional boxer who registers in accordance with subsection (a), 

an identification card that contains each of the following: 

(A) A recent photograph of the boxer. 

(B) The social security number of the boxer (or, in the 

case of a foreign boxer, any similar citizen identification 

number or professional boxer number from the country of 

residence of the boxer). 

(C) A personal identification number assigned to the 

boxer by a boxing registry. 

(2) RENEWAL.—Each professional boxer shall renew his or 

her identification card at least once every 4 years. 

(3) PRESENTATION.—Each professional boxer shall present 

his or her identification card to the appropriate boxing commission not later than the time of the weigh-in for a professional 

boxing match. 

(c) HEALTH AND SAFETY DISCLOSURES.—øIt is the sense of the 

Congress that a boxing commission should, upon issuing an identification card to a boxer under subsection (b)(1), make a health and 

safety disclosure to that boxer as that commission considers appropriate.¿ A boxing commission shall, in accordance with requirements established by the Commission, make a health and safety disclosure to a boxer when issuing an identification card to that boxer. 

The health and safety disclosure øshould¿ shall, at a minimum, include the health and safety risks associated with boxing, and, in 

particular, the risk and frequency of brain injury and the advisability that a boxer periodically undergo medical procedures designed to detect brain injury. 

(d) COPY OF REGISTRATION AND IDENTIFICATION CARDS TO BE

SENT TO COMMISSION.—A boxing commission shall furnish a copy 

of each registration received under subsection (a), and each identification card issued under subsection (b), to the Commission. 

SEC. ø7.¿ 105. REVIEW. [15 U.S.C. 6306] 

ø(a) PROCEDURES.—¿Each boxing commission shall establish 

each of the following procedures: 

24 

(1) Procedures to evaluate the professional records and physician’s certification of each boxer participating in a professional boxing match in the State, and to deny authorization for 

a boxer to fight where appropriate. 

(2) Procedures to ensure øthat, except as provided in subsection (b), no¿ that no boxer is permitted to box while under 

suspension from any boxing commission due to— 

(A) a recent knockout or series of consecutive losses; 

(B) an injury, requirement for a medical procedure, or 

physician denial of certification; 

(C) failure of a drug test; 

(D) the use of false aliases, or falsifying, or attempting 

to falsify, official identification cards or documents; or 

(E) unsportsmanlike conduct or other inappropriate behavior inconsistent with generally accepted methods of 

competition in a professional boxing match. 

ø(3) Procedures to review a suspension where appealed by a 

boxer, licensee, manager, matchmaker, promoter, or other boxing service provider, including an opportunity for a boxer, licensee, manager, matchmaker, promoter, or other boxing service provider to present contradictory evidence. 

ø(4) Procedures to revoke a suspension where a boxer— 

ø(A) was suspended under subparagraph (A) or (B) of 

paragraph (2) of this subsection, and has furnished further 

proof of a sufficiently improved medical or physical condition; or 

ø(B) furnishes proof under subparagraph (C) or (D) of 

paragraph (2) that a suspension was not, or is no longer, 

merited by the facts.¿ 

(3) Procedures to review a summary suspension when a hearing before the boxing commission is requested by a boxer, licensee, manager, matchmaker, promoter, or other boxing service 

provider which provides an opportunity for that person to 

present evidence. 

ø(b) SUSPENSION IN ANOTHER STATE.—A boxing commission may 

allow a boxer who is under suspension in any State to participate 

in a professional boxing match— 

ø(1) for any reason other than those listed in subsection (a) 

if such commission notifies in writing and consults with the 

designated official of the suspending State’s boxing commission 

prior to the grant of approval for such individual to participate 

in that professional boxing match; or 

ø(2) if the boxer appeals to the Association of Boxing Commissions, and the Association of Boxing Commissions determines that the suspension of such boxer was without sufficient 

grounds, for an improper purpose, or not related to the health 

and safety of the boxer or the purposes of this Act.¿ 

SEC. ø8.¿ 106. REPORTING. [15 U.S.C. 6307] 

Not later than ø48 business hours¿ 2 business days after the conclusion of a professional boxing match, the supervising boxing commission shall report the results of such øbxoing¿ boxing match and 

any related suspensions to øeach boxer registry.¿ the Commission. 

25 

øSEC. 9. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. [15 U.S.C. 6307a] 

øWithin 2 years after the date of the enactment of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, the Association of Boxing Commissions 

(ABC) shall develop and shall approve by a vote of no less than a 

majority of its member State boxing commissioners, guidelines for 

minimum contractual provisions that should be included in bout 

agreements and boxing contracts. It is the sense of the Congress 

that State boxing commissions should follow these ABC guidelines.¿ 

SEC. 107. CONTRACT REQUIREMENTS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, in consultation with the Association of Boxing Commissions, shall develop guidelines for minimum contractual provisions that shall be included in each bout 

agreement, boxer-manager contract, and promotional agreement. 

Each boxing commission shall ensure that these minimal contractual provisions are present in any such agreement or contract submitted to it. 

(b) FILING AND APPROVAL REQUIREMENTS.— (1) COMMISSION.—A manager or promoter shall submit a 

copy of each boxer-manager contract and each promotional 

agreement between that manager or promoter and a boxer to the 

Commission, and, if requested, to the boxing commission with 

jurisdiction over the bout. 

(2) BOXING COMMISSION.—A boxing commission may not approve a professional boxing match unless a copy of the bout 

agreement related to that match has been filed with it and approved by it. 

(c) BOND OR OTHER SURETY.—A boxing commission may not approve a professional boxing match unless the promoter of that 

match has posted a surety bond, cashier’s check, letter of credit, 

cash, or other security with the boxing commission in an amount acceptable to the boxing commission. 

SEC. ø10.¿ 108. PROTECTION FROM COERCIVE CONTRACTS. [15 U.S.C. 

6307b] 

(a) GENERAL RULE.— (1)(A) A contract provision shall be considered to be in restraint of trade, contrary to public policy, and unenforceable 

against any boxer to the extent that it— 

(i) is a coercive provision described in subparagraph (B) 

and is for a period greater than 12 months; or 

(ii) is a coercive provision described in subparagraph (B) 

and the other boxer under contract to the promoter came 

under that contract pursuant to a coercive provision described in subparagraph (B). 

(B) A coercive provision described in this subparagraph is a 

contract provision that grants any rights between a boxer and 

a promoter, or between promoters with respect to a boxer, if 

the boxer is required to grant such rights, or a boxer’s promoter is required to grant such rights with respect to a boxer 

to another promoter, as a condition precedent to the boxer’s 

participation in a professional boxing match against another 

boxer who is under contract to the promoter. 

(2) This subsection shall only apply to contracts entered into 

after the date of the enactment of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act. 

26 

ø(3) No subsequent contract provision extending any rights or 

compensation covered in paragraph (1) shall be enforceable against 

a boxer if the effective date of the contract containing such provision is earlier than 3 months before the expiration of the relevant 

time period set forth in paragraph (1).¿ 

(b) PROMOTIONAL RIGHTS UNDER MANDATORY OR ELIMINATION

BOUT CONTRACTS.—No boxing service provider may require a boxer 

to grant any future promotional rights as a requirement of competing in a professional boxing match that is a mandatory or elimination bout under the rules of a sanctioning organization. 

(c) PROTECTION FROM COERCIVE CONTRACTS WITH BROADCASTERS.—Subsection (a) of this section applies to any contract between a commercial broadcaster and a boxer, or granting any 

rights with respect to that boxer, involving a broadcast in or affecting interstate commerce, regardless of the broadcast medium. For 

the purpose of this subsection, any reference in subsection (a)(1)(B) 

to ‘‘promoter’’ shall be considered a reference to ‘‘commercial broadcaster’’. 

øSEC. 11. SANCTIONING ORGANIZATIONS. [15 U.S.C. 6307c] 

ø(a) OBJECTIVE CRITERIA.—Within 2 years after the date of the 

enactment of the Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act, the Association of Boxing Commissions shall develop and shall approve by a 

vote of no less than a majority of its member State boxing commissioners, guidelines for objective and consistent written criteria for 

the ratings of professional boxers. It is the sense of the Congress 

that sanctioning bodies and State boxing commissions should follow 

these ABC guidelines. 

ø(b) APPEALS PROCESS.—A sanctioning organization shall not be 

entitled to receive any compensation, directly or indirectly, in connection with a boxing match, until it provides the boxers with notice that the sanctioning organization shall, within 7 days after receiving a request from a boxer questioning that organization’s rating of the boxer— 

ø(1) provide to the boxer a written explanation of the organization’s criteria, its rating of the boxer, and the rationale or 

basis for its rating (including a response to any specific questions submitted by the boxer); and 

ø(2) submit a copy of its explanation to the Association of 

Boxing Commissions. 

ø(c) NOTIFICATION OF CHANGE IN RATING.—A sanctioning organization shall not be entitled to receive any compensation, directly or 

indirectly, in connection with a boxing match, until, with respect 

to a change in the rating of a boxer previously rated by such organization in the top 10 boxers, the organization— 

ø(1) posts a copy, within 7 days of such change, on its Internet website or home page, if any, including an explanation of 

such change, for a period of not less than 30 days; and 

ø(2) provides a copy of the rating change and explanation to 

an association to which at least a majority of the State boxing 

commissions belong. 

ø(d) PUBLIC DISCLOSURE.— 

ø(1) FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION FILING.—A sanctioning organization shall not be entitled to receive any compensation directly or indirectly in connection with a boxing match unless, 

27 

not later than January 31 of each year, it submits to the Federal Trade Commission and to the ABC— 

ø(A) a complete description of the organization’s ratings 

criteria, policies, and general sanctioning fee schedule; 

ø(B) the bylaws of the organization; 

ø(C) the appeals procedure of the organization for a boxer’s rating; and 

ø(D) a list and business address of the organization’s officials who vote on the ratings of boxers. 

ø(2) FORMAT; UPDATES.—A sanctioning organization shall— 

ø(A) provide the information required under paragraph 

(1) in writing, and, for any document greater than 2 pages 

in length, also in electronic form; and 

ø(B) promptly notify the Federal Trade Commission of 

any material change in the information submitted. 

ø(3) FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION TO MAKE INFORMATION

AVAILABLE TO PUBLIC.—The Federal Trade Commission shall 

make information received under this subsection available to 

the public. The Commission may assess sanctioning organizations a fee to offset the costs it incurs in processing the information and making it available to the public. 

ø(4) INTERNET ALTERNATIVE.—In lieu of submitting the information required by paragraph (1) to the Federal Trade Commission, a sanctioning organization may provide the information to the public by maintaining a website on the Internet 

that— 

ø(A) is readily accessible by the general public using 

generally available search engines and does not require a 

password or payment of a fee for full access to all the information; 

ø(B) contains all the information required to be submitted to the Federal Trade Commission by paragraph (1) 

in an easy to search and use format; and 

ø(C) is updated whenever there is a material change in 

the information.¿ 

SEC. 109. SANCTIONING ORGANIZATIONS. 

(a) OBJECTIVE CRITERIA.—Within 1 year after the date of enactment of the Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2005, the Commission shall develop guidelines for objective and consistent written 

criteria for the rating of professional boxers based on the athletic 

merits and professional record of the boxers. Within 90 days after 

the Commission’s promulgation of the guidelines, each sanctioning 

organization shall adopt the guidelines and follow them. 

(b) NOTIFICATION OF CHANGE IN RATING.—A sanctioning organization shall, with respect to a change in the rating of a boxer previously rated by such organization in the top 10 boxers— 

(1) post a copy, within 7 days after the change, on its Internet 

website or home page, if any, including an explanation of the 

change, for a period of not less than 30 days; 

(2) provide a copy of the rating change and a thorough explanation in writing under penalty of perjury to the boxer and the 

Commission; 

(3) provide the boxer an opportunity to appeal the ratings 

change to the sanctioning organization; and 

28 

(4) apply the objective criteria for ratings required under subsection (a) in considering any such appeal. 

(c) CHALLENGE OF RATING.—If, after disposing with an appeal 

under subsection (b)(3), a sanctioning organization receives a petition from a boxer challenging that organization’s rating of the 

boxer, it shall (except to the extent otherwise required by the Commission), within 7 days after receiving the petition— 

(1) provide to the boxer a written explanation under penalty 

of perjury of the organization’s rating criteria, its rating of the 

boxer, and the rationale or basis for its rating (including a response to any specific questions submitted by the boxer); and 

(2) submit a copy of its explanation to the Association of Boxing Commissions and the Commission for their review. 

SEC. ø12.¿ 110. REQUIRED DISCLOSURES TO STATE BOXING COMMISSIONS BY SANCTIONING ORGANIZATIONS. [15 U.S.C. 6307d] 

øA sanctioning organization shall not be entitled to receive any 

compensation directly or indirectly in connection with a boxing 

match until it provides to the boxing commission responsible for 

regulating the match in a State a statement of—¿ 

Within 7 days after a professional boxing match of 10 rounds or 

more, the sanctioning organization, if any, for that match shall provide to the Commission, and, if requested, to the boxing commission 

in the State or on Indian land responsible for regulating the match, 

a written statement of— 

(1) all charges, fees, and costs the organization øwill assess¿ 

has assessed, or will assess, any boxer participating in that 

match; 

(2) all payments, benefits, complimentary benefits, and fees 

the organization øwill receive¿ has received, or will receive, for 

its affiliation with the event, from the promoter, host of the 

event, and all other sources; and 

(3) such additional information as the commission may require. 

SEC. ø13.¿ 111. REQUIRED DISCLOSURES FOR øPROMOTERS.¿ PROMOTERS AND BROADCASTERS. [15 U.S.C. 6307e] 

ø(a) DISCLOSURES TO THE BOXING COMMISSIONS.—A promoter 

shall not be entitled to receive any compensation directly or indirectly in connection with a boxing match until it provides to the 

boxing commission responsible for regulating the match in a State 

a statement of—¿ 

(a) DISCLOSURES TO BOXING COMMISSIONS AND THE COMMISSION.—Within 7 days after a professional boxing match of 10 

rounds or more, the promoter of any boxer participating in that 

match shall provide to the Commission, and, if requested, to the 

boxing commission in the State or on Indian land responsible for 

regulating the match— 

(1) a copy of any agreement in øwriting¿ writing, other than 

a bout agreement previously provided to the commission, to 

which the promoter is a party with any boxer participating in 

the match; 

(2) a statement made under penalty of perjury that there are 

no other agreements, written or oral, between the promoter 

and the boxer with respect to that match; and 

(3)(A) øall fees, charges, and expenses that will be¿ a written 

statement of all fees, charges, and expenses that have been, or 

29 

will be, assessed by or through the promoter on the boxer pertaining to the event, including any portion of the boxer’s purse 

that the promoter will receive, and training expenses; 

(B) a written statement of all payments, gifts, or benefits the 

promoter is providing to any sanctioning organization affiliated 

with the event; and 

(C) a statement of any reduction in a boxer’s purse contrary 

to a previous agreement between the promoter and the boxer 

or a purse bid held for the event. 

(b) DISCLOSURES TO THE BOXER.—øA promoter shall not be entitled to receive any compensation directly or indirectly in connection 

with a boxing match until it provides to the boxer it promotes—¿ 

Within 7 days after a professional boxing match of 10 rounds or 

more, the promoter of the match shall provide to each boxer participating in the bout or match with whom the promoter has a bout or 

promotional agreement a statement of— 

(1) the amounts of any compensation or consideration that a 

promoter has contracted to receive from such ømatch;¿ match, 

and that the promoter has paid, or agreed to pay, to any other 

person in connection with the match; 

(2) all fees, charges, and expenses that will be assessed by 

or through the promoter on the boxer pertaining to the event, 

including any portion of the boxer’s purse that the promoter 

will receive, and training expenses; and 

(3) any reduction in a boxer’s purse contrary to a previous 

agreement between the promoter and the boxer or a purse bid 

held for the event. 

(c) INFORMATION TO BE AVAILABLE TO STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL.—A promoter shall make information required to be disclosed 

under this section available to the chief law enforcement officer of 

the State in which the match is to be held upon request of such 

officer. 

(d) REQUIRED DISCLOSURES BY BROADCASTERS.— (1) IN GENERAL.—A broadcaster that owns the television 

broadcast rights for a professional boxing match of 10 rounds 

or more shall, within 7 days after that match, provide to the 

Commission— 

(A) a statement of any advance, guarantee, or license fee 

paid or owed by the broadcaster to a promoter in connection with that match; 

(B) a copy of any contract executed by or on behalf of the 

broadcaster with— 

(i) a boxer who participated in that match; or 

(ii) the boxer’s manager, promoter, promotional company, or other representative or the owner or representative of the site of the match; and 

(C) a list identifying sources of income received from the 

broadcast of the match. 

(2) COPY TO BOXING COMMISSION.—Upon request from the 

boxing commission in the State or Indian land responsible for 

regulating a match to which paragraph (1) applies, a broadcaster shall provide the information described in paragraph (1) 

to that boxing commission. 

(3) CONFIDENTIALITY.—The information provided to the Commission or to a boxing commission pursuant to this subsection 

30 

shall be confidential and not revealed by the Commission or a 

boxing commission, except that the Commission may publish an 

analysis of the data in aggregate form or in a manner which 

does not disclose confidential information about identifiable 

broadcasters. 

(4) TELEVISION BROADCAST RIGHTS.—In paragraph (1), the 

term ‘‘television broadcast rights’’ means the right to broadcast 

the match, or any part thereof, via a broadcast station, cable 

service, or multichannel video programming distributor as such 

terms are defined in section 3(5), 602(6), and 602(13) of the 

Communications Act of 1934 (47 U.S.C. 153(5), 602(6), and 

602(13), respectively). 

øSEC. 14. REQUIRED DISCLOSURES FOR JUDGES AND REFEREES. [15 

U.S.C. 6307f] 

øA judge or referee shall not be entitled to receive any compensation, directly or indirectly, in connection with a boxing match until 

it provides to the boxing commission responsible for regulating the 

match in a State a statement of all consideration, including reimbursement for expenses, that will be received from any source for 

participation in the match.¿ 

SEC. 112. MEDICAL REGISTRY. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall establish and maintain, 

or certify a third party entity to establish and maintain, a medical 

registry that contains comprehensive medical records and medical 

denials or suspensions for every licensed boxer. 

(b) CONTENT; SUBMISSION.—The Commission shall determine— 

(1) the nature of medical records and medical suspensions of 

a boxer that are to be forwarded to the medical registry; and 

(2) the time within which the medical records and medical 

suspensions are to be submitted to the medical registry. 

(c) CONFIDENTIALITY.—The Commission shall establish confidentiality standards for the disclosure of personally identifiable information to boxing commissions that will— 

(1) protect the health and safety of boxers by making relevant 

information available to the boxing commissions for use but not 

public disclosure; and 

(2) ensure that the privacy of the boxers is protected. 

SEC. ø15.¿ 113. CONFIDENTIALITY. [15 U.S.C. 6307g] 

ø(a) IN GENERAL.—Neither a boxing commission or an Attorney 

General may disclose to the public any matter furnished by a promoter under section 13 except to the extent required in a legal, administrative, or judicial proceeding.¿ 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Except to the extent required in a legal, administrative, or judicial proceeding, a boxing commission, an Attorney 

General, or the Commission may not disclose to the public any matter furnished by a promoter under section 111. 

(b) EFFECT OF CONTRARY STATE LAW.—If a State law governing 

a boxing commission requires that information that would be furnished by a promoter under øsection 13¿ section 111 shall be made 

public, then a promoter is not required to file such information 

with such State if the promoter files such information with the 

ABC. 

31 

SEC. ø16.¿ 114. JUDGES AND REFEREES. [15 U.S.C. 6307h] 

(a) LICENSING AND ASSIGNMENT REQUIREMENT.—No person may 

arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight in a professional boxing match unless all referees and judges participating in the match 

have been øcertified and approved¿ selected by the boxing commission responsible for regulating the match in the State or Indian 

lands where the match is held. 

(b) CHAMPIONSHIP AND 10-ROUND BOUTS.—In addition to the requirements of subsection (a), no person may arrange, promote, organize, produce, or fight in a professional boxing match advertised to 

the public as a championship match or in a professional boxing 

match scheduled for 10 rounds or more unless all referees and 

judges participating in the match have been licensed by the Commission. 

(c) ROLE OF SANCTIONING ORGANIZATION.—A sanctioning organization may provide a list of judges and referees deemed qualified by 

that organization to a boxing commission, but the boxing commission shall select, license, and appoint the judges and referees participating in the match. 

(d) ASSIGNMENT OF NONRESIDENT JUDGES AND REFEREES.—A 

boxing commission may assign judges and referees who reside outside that commission’s State or Indian land. 

(e) REQUIRED DISCLOSURE.—A judge or referee shall provide to 

the boxing commission responsible for regulating a professional boxing match in a State or on Indian land a statement of all consideration, including reimbursement for expenses, that the judge or referee has received, or will receive, from any source for participation 

in the match. If the match is scheduled for 10 rounds or more, the 

judge or referee shall also provide such a statement to the Commission. 

SEC. ø17.¿ 115. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. [15 U.S.C. 6308] 

(a) REGULATORY PERSONNEL.—No member or employee of a boxing commission, no person who administers or øenforces State boxing laws,¿ implements State or tribal boxing laws, no officer or employee of the Commission, and no member of the Association of Boxing Commissions may øbelong to,¿ hold office in, contract with, or 

receive any compensation from, any person who sanctions, arranges, or promotes professional boxing matches or who otherwise 

has a financial interest in an active boxer currently registered with 

a boxer registry. For purposes of this section, the term ‘‘compensation’’ does not include funds held in escrow for payment to another 

person in connection with a professional boxing match. øThe prohibition set forth in this section shall not apply to any contract entered into, or any reasonable compensation received, by a boxing 

commission to supervise a professional boxing match in another 

State as described in section 4.¿ 

ø(b) FIREWALL BETWEEN PROMOTERS AND MANAGERS.— 

ø(1) IN GENERAL.—It is unlawful for— 

ø(A) a promoter to have a direct or indirect financial interest in the management of a boxer; or 

ø(B) a manager— 

ø(i) to have a direct or indirect financial interest in 

the promotion of a boxer; or 

ø(ii) to be employed by or receive compensation or 

other benefits from a promoter, except for amounts reVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00033 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6601 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
32 

ceived as consideration under the manager’s contract 

with the boxer. 

ø(2) EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraph (1)— 

ø(A) does not prohibit a boxer from acting as his own 

promoter or manager; and 

ø(B) only applies to boxers participating in a boxing 

match of 10 rounds or more.¿ 

(b) BOXERS.—A boxer may not own or control, directly or indirectly, an entity that promotes the boxer’s bouts if that entity is responsible for— 

(1) executing a bout agreement or promotional agreement 

with the boxer’s opponent; or 

(2) providing any payment or other compensation to— 

(A) the boxer’s opponent for participation in a bout with 

the boxer; 

(B) the boxing commission that will regulate the bout; or 

(C) ring officials who officiate at the bout. 

(c) SANCTIONING ORGANIZATIONS.— (1) PROHIBITION ON RECEIPTS.—Except as provided in paragraph (2), no officer or employee of a sanctioning organization 

may receive any compensation, gift, or benefit, directly or indirectly, from a promoter, boxer, or manager. 

(2) EXCEPTIONS.—Paragraph (1) does not apply to— 

(A) the receipt of payment by a promoter, boxer, or manager of a sanctioning organization’s published fee for sanctioning a professional boxing match or reasonable expenses 

in connection therewith if the payment is reported to the 

responsible boxing commission; or 

(B) the receipt of a gift or benefit of de minimis value. 

SEC. ø18.¿ 116. ENFORCEMENT. [15 U.S.C. 6309] 

ø(a) INJUNCTIONS.—¿ (a) ACTIONS BY ATTORNEY GENERAL.— Whenever the Attorney General of the United States has reasonable cause to believe that a person is engaged in a violation øof this 

Act,¿ of this title, the Attorney General may bring a civil action in 

the appropriate district court of the United States requesting such 

relief, including a permanent or temporary injunction, restraining 

order, or other order, against the person, as the Attorney General 

determines to be necessary to restrain the person from continuing 

to engage in, sanction, promote, or otherwise participate in a professional boxing match in violation øof this Act.¿ of this title. (b) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.— 

(1) MANAGERS, PROMOTERS, MATCHMAKERS, AND LICENSEES.— 

Any manager, promoter, matchmaker, and licensee who knowingly violates, or coerces or causes any other person to violate, 

any provision øof this Act,¿ of this title other than section 

ø9(b), 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 16,¿ 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, or 114, 

shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned for not more than 1 year 

or fined not more than $20,000, or both. 

(2) VIOLATION OF ANTIEXPLOITATION, SANCTIONING ORGANIZATION, OR DISCLOSURE PROVISIONS.—Any person who knowingly 

violates any provision of section ø9(b), 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, or 16 

of this Act¿ 107, 108, 109, 110, 111, or 114 of this title shall, 

upon conviction, be imprisoned for not more than 1 year or 

fined not more than— 

(A) $100,000; and 

33 

(B) if a violation occurs in connection with a professional 

boxing match the gross revenues for which exceed 

$2,000,000, an additional amount which bears the same 

ratio to $100,000 as the amount of such revenues compared to $2,000,000, or both. 

(3) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—Any member or employee of a 

boxing commission, any person who administers or enforces 

State boxing laws, any officer or employee of the Commission, 

and any member of the Association of Boxing Commissions 

who knowingly violates øsection 17(a) of this Act¿ section 

115(a) of this title shall, upon conviction, be imprisoned for not 

more than 1 year or fined not more than $20,000, or both. 

(4) BOXERS.—Any boxer who knowingly violates any provision øof this Act¿ of this title shall, upon conviction, be fined 

not more than $1,000. 

(c) ACTIONS BY STATES.—Whenever the chief law enforcement officer of any State has reason to believe that a person or organization has engaged in or is engaging in practices which violate any 

requirement øof this Act,¿ of this title, the State, as parens patriae, 

may bring a civil action on behalf of its residents in an appropriate 

district court of the United States— 

(1) to enjoin the holding of any professional boxing match 

which the practice involves; 

(2) to enforce compliance with this Act; 

(3) to obtain the fines provided under øsubsection (b)¿ subsection (b), a civil penalty, or appropriate restitution; or 

(4) to obtain such other relief as the court may deem appropriate. 

(d) PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION.—Any øboxer¿ person who suffers 

economic injury as a result of a violation of any provision øof this 

Act¿ of this title may bring an action in the appropriate Federal or 

State court and recover the damages suffered, court costs, and reasonable attorneys fees and expenses. 

(e) ENFORCEMENT AGAINST øFEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION,¿ 

UNITED STATES BOXING COMMISSION, STATE ATTORNEYS GENERAL, 

ETC.—Nothing in this Act authorizes the enforcement of— 

(1) any provision øof this Act¿ of this title against the øFederal Trade Commission,¿ United States Boxing Commission, 

the United States Attorney General, or the chief legal officer 

of any State for acting or failing to act in an official capacity; 

(2) subsection (d) of this section against a State or political 

subdivision of a State, or any agency or instrumentality thereof; or 

(3) øsection 10¿ section 108 against a boxer acting in his capacity as a boxer. 

øSEC. 19. NOTIFICATION OF SUPERVISING BOXING COMMISSION. [15 

U.S.C. 6310] 

øEach promoter who intends to hold a professional boxing match 

in a State that does not have a boxing commission shall, not later 

than 14 days before the intended date of that match, provide written notification to the supervising boxing commission designated 

under section 4. Such notification shall contain each of the following: 

34 

ø(1) Assurances that, with respect to that professional boxing 

match, all applicable requirements øof this Act¿ of this title 

will be met. 

ø(2) The name of any person who, at the time of the submission of the notification— 

ø(A) is under suspension from a boxing commission; and 

ø(B) will be involved in organizing or participating in the 

event. 

ø(3) For any individual listed under paragraph (2), the identity of the boxing commission that issued the suspension described in paragraph (2)(A).¿ 

øSEC. 20. STUDIES. [15 U.S.C. 6311] 

ø(a) PENSION.—The Secretary of Labor shall conduct a study on 

the feasibility and cost of a national pension system for boxers, including potential funding sources. 

ø(b) HEALTH, SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT.—The Secretary of Health 

and Human Services shall conduct a study to develop recommendations for health, safety, and equipment standards for boxers and for 

professional boxing matches. 

ø(c) REPORTS.—Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of Labor shall submit a report to 

the Congress on the findings of the study conducted pursuant to 

subsection (a). Not later than 180 days after the date of enactment 

of this Act, the Secretary of Health and Human Services shall submit a report to the Congress on the findings of the study conducted 

pursuant to subsection (b).¿ 

øSEC. 21. PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCHES CONDUCTED ON INDIAN 

RESERVATIONS. [15 U.S.C. 6312] 

ø(a) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the following 

definitions shall apply: 

ø(1) INDIAN TRIBE.—The term ‘‘Indian tribe’’ has the same 

meaning as in section 4(e) of the Indian Self-Determination 

and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(e)). 

ø(2) RESERVATION.—The term ‘‘reservation’’ means the geographically defined area over which a tribal organization exercises governmental jurisdiction. 

ø(3) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term ‘‘tribal organization’’ 

has the same meaning as in section 4(l) of the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 450b(l)). 

ø(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 

ø(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 

law, a tribal organization of an Indian tribe may, upon the initiative of the tribal organization— 

ø(A) regulate professional boxing matches held within 

the reservation under the jurisdiction of that tribal organization; and 

ø(B) carry out that regulation or enter into a contract 

with a boxing commission to carry out that regulation. 

ø(2) STANDARDS AND LICENSING.—If a tribal organization regulates professional boxing matches pursuant to paragraph (1), 

the tribal organization shall, by tribal ordinance or resolution, 

establish and provide for the implementation of health and 

safety standards, licensing requirements, and other requireVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00036 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6602 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
35 

ments relating to the conduct of professional boxing matches 

that are at least as restrictive as— 

ø(A) the otherwise applicable standards and requirements of a State in which the reservation is located; or 

ø(B) the most recently published version of the recommended regulatory guidelines certified and publsihed by 

the Association of Boxing Commissions.¿ 

SEC. 117. PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCHES CONDUCTED ON INDIAN 

LANDS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a 

tribal organization may establish a boxing commission to regulate 

professional boxing matches held on Indian land under the jurisdiction of that tribal organization. 

(b) STANDARDS AND LICENSING.—A tribal organization that establishes a boxing commission shall, by tribal ordinance or resolution, 

establish and provide for the implementation of health and safety 

standards, licensing requirements, and other requirements relating 

to the conduct of professional boxing matches that are at least as 

restrictive as— 

(1) the otherwise applicable requirements of the State in 

which the Indian land on which the professional boxing match 

is held is located; or 

(2) the guidelines established by the United States Boxing 

Commission. 

(c) APPLICATION OF ACT TO BOXING MATCHES ON TRIBAL

LANDS.—The provisions of this title apply to professional boxing 

matches held on tribal lands to the same extent and in the same 

way as they apply to professional boxing matches held in any State. 

SEC. ø22.¿ 118. RELATIONSHIP WITH STATE OR TRIBAL LAW. [15 U.S.C. 

6313] 

Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a State or Indian tribe from 

adopting or enforcing supplemental or more stringent laws or regulations not inconsistent with this Act, or criminal, civil, or administrative fines for violations of such laws or regulations. 

TITLE II—UNITED STATES BOXING 

COMMISSION 

SEC. 201. PURPOSE. 

The purpose of this title is to protect the health, safety, and welfare of boxers and to ensure fairness in the sport of professional boxing. 

SEC. 202. UNITED STATES BOXING COMMISSION. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—The United States Boxing Commission is established as a commission within the Department of Commerce. 

(b) MEMBERS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall consist of 3 members 

appointed by the President, by and with the advice and consent 

of the Senate. 

(2) QUALIFICATIONS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the Commission shall 

be a citizen of the United States who— 

36 

(i) has extensive experience in professional boxing activities or in a field directly related to professional 

sports; 

(ii) is of outstanding character and recognized integrity; and 

(iii) is selected on the basis of training, experience, 

and qualifications and without regard to political 

party affiliation. 

(B) SPECIFIC QUALIFICATIONS FOR CERTAIN MEMBERS.— At least 1 member of the Commission shall be a former 

member of a local boxing authority. If practicable, at least 

1 member of the Commission shall be a physician or other 

health care professional duly licensed as such. 

(C) DISINTERESTED PERSONS.—No member of the Commission may, while serving as a member of the Commission— 

(i) be engaged as a professional boxer, boxing promoter, agent, fight manager, matchmaker, referee, 

judge, or in any other capacity in the conduct of the 

business of professional boxing; 

(ii) have any pecuniary interest in the earnings of 

any boxer or the proceeds or outcome of any boxing 

match; or 

(iii) serve as a member of a boxing commission. 

(3) BIPARTISAN MEMBERSHIP.—Not more than 2 members of 

the Commission may be members of the same political party. 

(4) GEOGRAPHIC BALANCE.—Not more than 2 members of the 

Commission may be residents of the same geographic region of 

the United States when appointed to the Commission. For purposes of the preceding sentence, the area of the United States 

east of the Mississippi River is a geographic region, and the 

area of the United States west of the Mississippi River is a geographic region. 

(5) TERMS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The term of a member of the Commission shall be 3 years. 

(B) REAPPOINTMENT.—Members of the Commission may 

be reappointed to the Commission. 

(C) MIDTERM VACANCIES.—A member of the Commission 

appointed to fill a vacancy in the Commission occurring before the expiration of the term for which the member’s predecessor was appointed shall be appointed for the remainder 

of that unexpired term. 

(D) CONTINUATION PENDING REPLACEMENT.—A member 

of the Commission may serve after the expiration of that 

member’s term until a successor has taken office. 

(6) REMOVAL.—A member of the Commission may be removed 

by the President only for cause. 

(c) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR.— (1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall employ an Executive 

Director to perform the administrative functions of the Commission under this Act, and such other functions and duties of the 

Commission as the Commission shall specify. 

(2) DISCHARGE OF FUNCTIONS.—Subject to the authority, direction, and control of the Commission the Executive Director 

37 

shall carry out the functions and duties of the Commission 

under this Act. 

(d) GENERAL COUNSEL.—The Commission shall employ a General 

Counsel to provide legal counsel and advice to the Executive Director and the Commission in the performance of its functions under 

this Act, and to carry out such other functions and duties as the 

Commission shall specify. 

(e) STAFF.—The Commission shall employ such additional staff 

as the Commission considers appropriate to assist the Executive Director and the General Counsel in carrying out the functions and 

duties of the Commission under this Act. 

(f) COMPENSATION.— (1) MEMBERS OF COMMISSION.— (A) IN GENERAL.—Each member of the Commission shall 

be compensated at a rate equal to the daily equivalent of 

the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level IV of the 

Executive Schedule under section 5315 of title 5, United 

States Code, for each day (including travel time) during 

which such member is engaged in the performance of the 

duties of the Commission. 

(B) TRAVEL EXPENSES.—The members of the Commission 

shall be allowed travel expenses, including per diem in lieu 

of subsistence, at rates authorized for employees of agencies 

under subchapter I of chapter 57 of title 5, United States 

Code, while away from their homes or regular places of 

business in the performance of services for the Commission. 

(2) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR AND STAFF.—The Commission shall 

fix the compensation of the Executive Director, the General 

Counsel, and other personnel of the Commission. The rate of 

pay for the Executive Director, the General Counsel, and other 

personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of title 5, United States 

Code. 

SEC. 203. FUNCTIONS. 

(a) PRIMARY FUNCTIONS.—The primary functions of the Commission are— 

(1) to protect the health, safety, and general interests of boxers 

consistent with the provisions of this Act; and 

(2) to ensure uniformity, fairness, and integrity in professional boxing. 

(b) SPECIFIC FUNCTIONS.—The Commission shall— 

(1) administer title I of this Act; 

(2) promulgate uniform standards for professional boxing in 

consultation with the Association of Boxing Commissions; 

(3) except as otherwise determined by the Commission, oversee all professional boxing matches in the United States; 

(4) work with the boxing commissions of the several States 

and tribal organizations— 

(A) to improve the safety, integrity, and professionalism 

of professional boxing in the United States; 

(B) to enhance physical, medical, financial, and other 

safeguards established for the protection of professional 

boxers; and 

(C) to improve the status and standards of professional 

boxing in the United States; 

38 

(5) ensure, in cooperation with the Attorney General (who 

shall represent the Commission in any judicial proceeding 

under this Act), the chief law enforcement officer of the several 

States, and other appropriate officers and agencies of Federal, 

State, and local government, that Federal and State laws applicable to professional boxing matches in the United States are 

vigorously, effectively, and fairly enforced; 

(6) review boxing commission regulations for professional boxing and provide assistance to such authorities in meeting minimum standards prescribed by the Commission under this title; 

(7) serve as the coordinating body for all efforts in the United 

States to establish and maintain uniform minimum health and 

safety standards for professional boxing; 

(8) if the Commission determines it to be appropriate, publish 

a newspaper, magazine, or other publication and establish and 

maintain a website consistent with the purposes of the Commission; 

(9) procure the temporary and intermittent services of experts 

and consultants to the extent authorized by section 3109(b) of 

title 5, United States Code, at rates the Commission determines 

to be reasonable; and 

(10) promulgate rules, regulations, and guidance, and take 

any other action necessary and proper to accomplish the purposes of, and consistent with, the provisions of this title. 

(c) PROHIBITIONS.—The Commission may not— 

(1) promote boxing events or rank professional boxers; or 

(2) provide technical assistance to, or authorize the use of the 

name of the Commission by, boxing commissions that do not 

comply with requirements of the Commission. 

(d) USE OF NAME.—The Commission shall have the exclusive 

right to use the name ‘‘United States Boxing Commission’’. Any person who, without the permission of the Commission, uses that name 

or any other exclusive name, trademark, emblem, symbol, or insignia of the Commission for the purpose of inducing the sale or exchange of any goods or services, or to promote any exhibition, performance, or sporting event, shall be subject to suit in a civil action 

by the Commission for the remedies provided in the Act of July 5, 

1946 (commonly known as the ‘‘Trademark Act of 1946’’; 15 U.S.C. 

1051 et seq.). 

SEC. 204. LICENSING AND REGISTRATION OF BOXING PERSONNEL. 

(a) LICENSING.— 

(1) REQUIREMENT FOR LICENSE.—No person may compete in 

a professional boxing match or serve as a boxing manager, boxing promoter, or sanctioning organization for a professional 

boxing match except as provided in a license granted to that 

person under this subsection. 

(2) APPLICATION AND TERM.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—The Commission shall— 

(i) establish application procedures, forms, and fees; 

(ii) establish and publish appropriate standards for 

licenses granted under this section; and 

(iii) issue a license to any person who, as determined 

by the Commission, meets the standards established by 

the Commission under this title. 

39 

(B) DURATION.—A license issued under this section shall 

be for a renewable— 

(i) 4-year term for a boxer; and 

(ii) 2-year term for any other person. 

(C) PROCEDURE.—The Commission may issue a license 

under this paragraph through boxing commissions or in a 

manner determined by the Commission. 

(b) LICENSING FEES.— 

(1) AUTHORITY.—The Commission may prescribe and charge 

reasonable fees for the licensing of persons under this title. The 

Commission may set, charge, and adjust varying fees on the 

basis of classifications of persons, functions, and events determined appropriate by the Commission. 

(2) LIMITATIONS.—In setting and charging fees under paragraph (1), the Commission shall ensure that, to the maximum 

extent practicable— 

(A) club boxing is not adversely effected; 

(B) sanctioning organizations and promoters pay comparatively the largest portion of the fees; and 

(C) boxers pay as small a portion of the fees as is possible. 

(3) COLLECTION.—Fees established under this subsection may 

be collected through boxing commissions or by any other means 

determined appropriate by the Commission. 

SEC. 205. NATIONAL REGISTRY OF BOXING PERSONNEL. 

(a) REQUIREMENT FOR REGISTRY.—The Commission shall establish and maintain (or authorize a third party to establish and 

maintain) a unified national computerized registry for the collection, storage, and retrieval of information related to the performance 

of its duties. 

(b) CONTENTS.—The information in the registry shall include the 

following: 

(1) BOXERS.—A list of professional boxers and data in the 

medical registry established under section 114 of this Act, 

which the Commission shall secure from disclosure in accordance with the confidentiality requirements of section 114(c). 

(2) OTHER PERSONNEL.—Information (pertinent to the sport of 

professional boxing) on boxing promoters, boxing matchmakers, 

boxing managers, trainers, cut men, referees, boxing judges, 

physicians, and any other personnel determined by the Commission as performing a professional activity for professional boxing matches. 

SEC. 206. CONSULTATION REQUIREMENTS. 

The Commission shall consult with the Association of Boxing 

Commissions— 

(1) before prescribing any regulation or establishing any 

standard under the provisions of this title; and 

(2) not less than once each year regarding matters relating to 

professional boxing. 

SEC. 207. MISCONDUCT. 

(a) SUSPENSION AND REVOCATION OF LICENSE OR REGISTRATION.— 

40 

(1) AUTHORITY.—The Commission may, after notice and opportunity for a hearing, suspend or revoke any license issued 

under this title if the Commission finds that— 

(A) the license holder has violated any provision of this 

Act; 

(B) there are reasonable grounds for belief that a standard prescribed by the Commission under this title is not 

being met, or that bribery, collusion, intentional losing, 

racketeering, extortion, or the use of unlawful threats, coercion, or intimidation have occurred in connection with a license; or 

(C) the suspension or revocation is necessary for the protection of health and safety or is otherwise in the public interest. 

(2) PERIOD OF SUSPENSION.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—A suspension of a license under this 

section shall be effective for a period determined appropriate by the Commission except as provided in subparagraph (B). 

(B) SUSPENSION FOR MEDICAL REASONS.—In the case of 

a suspension or denial of the license of a boxer for medical 

reasons by the Commission, the Commission may terminate 

the suspension or denial at any time that a physician certifies that the boxer is fit to participate in a professional 

boxing match. The Commission shall prescribe the standards and procedures for accepting certifications under this 

subparagraph. 

(3) PERIOD OF REVOCATION.—In the case of a revocation of the 

license of a boxer, the revocation shall be for a period of not less 

than 1 year. 

(b) INVESTIGATIONS AND INJUNCTIONS.— (1) AUTHORITY.—The Commission may— 

(A) conduct any investigation that it considers necessary 

to determine whether any person has violated, or is about 

to violate, any provision of this Act or any regulation prescribed under this Act; 

(B) require or permit any person to file with it a statement in writing, under oath or otherwise as the Commission shall determine, as to all the facts and circumstances 

concerning the matter to be investigated; 

(C) in its discretion, publish information concerning any 

violations; and 

(D) investigate any facts, conditions, practices, or matters 

to aid in the enforcement of the provisions of this Act, in 

the prescribing of regulations under this Act, or in securing 

information to serve as a basis for recommending legislation concerning the matters to which this Act relates. 

(2) POWERS.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—For the purpose of any investigation 

under paragraph (1) or any other proceeding under this 

title— 

(i) any officer designated by the Commission may administer oaths and affirmations, subpena or otherwise 

compel the attendance of witnesses, take evidence, and 

require the production of any books, papers, corVerDate Aug 04 2004 04:58 Apr 16, 2005 Jkt 039010 PO 00000 Frm 00042 Fmt 6659 Sfmt 6603 E:\HR\OC\SR058.XXX SR058
41 

respondence, memoranda, or other records the Commission considers relevant or material to the inquiry; and 

(ii) the provisions of sections 6002 and 6004 of title 

18, United States Code, shall apply. 

(B) WITNESSES AND EVIDENCE.—The attendance of witnesses and the production of any documents under subparagraph (A) may be required from any place in the 

United States, including Indian land, at any designated 

place of hearing. 

(3) ENFORCEMENT OF SUBPOENAS.— (A) CIVIL ACTION.—In case of contumacy by, or refusal to 

obey a subpoena issued to, any person, the Commission 

may file an action in any district court of the United States 

within the jurisdiction of which an investigation or proceeding is carried out, or where that person resides or carries on business, to enforce the attendance and testimony of 

witnesses and the production of books, papers, correspondence, memorandums, and other records. The court may 

issue an order requiring the person to appear before the 

Commission to produce records, if so ordered, or to give testimony concerning the matter under investigation or in 

question. 

(B) FAILURE TO OBEY.—Any failure to obey an order 

issued by a court under subparagraph (A) may be punished 

as contempt of that court. 

(C) PROCESS.—All process in any contempt case under 

subparagraph (A) may be served in the judicial district in 

which the person is an inhabitant or in which the person 

may be found. 

(4) EVIDENCE OF CRIMINAL MISCONDUCT.— 

(A) IN GENERAL.—No person may be excused from attending and testifying or from producing books, papers, contracts, agreements, and other records and documents before 

the Commission, in obedience to the subpoena of the Commission, or in any cause or proceeding instituted by the 

Commission, on the ground that the testimony or evidence, 

documentary or otherwise, required of that person may tend 

to incriminate the person or subject the person to a penalty 

or forfeiture. 

(B) LIMITED IMMUNITY.—No individual may be prosecuted or subject to any penalty or forfeiture for, or on account of, any transaction, matter, or thing concerning the 

matter about which that individual is compelled, after having claimed a privilege against self-incrimination, to testify 

or produce evidence, documentary or otherwise, except that 

the individual so testifying shall not be exempt from prosecution and punishment for perjury committed in so testifying. 

(5) INJUNCTIVE RELIEF.—If the Commission determines that 

any person is engaged or about to engage in any act or practice 

that constitutes a violation of any provision of this Act, or of 

any regulation prescribed under this Act, the Commission may 

bring an action in the appropriate district court of the United 

States, the United States District Court for the District of Columbia, or the United States courts of any territory or other 

42 

place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, to enjoin 

the act or practice, and upon a proper showing, the court shall 

grant without bond a permanent or temporary injunction or restraining order. 

(6) MANDAMUS.—Upon application of the Commission, the 

district courts of the United States, the United States District 

Court for the District of Columbia, and the United States courts 

of any territory or other place subject to the jurisdiction of the 

United States, shall have jurisdiction to issue writs of mandamus commanding any person to comply with the provisions 

of this Act or any order of the Commission. 

(c) INTERVENTION IN CIVIL ACTIONS.— 

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Commission, on behalf of the public interest, may intervene of right as provided under rule 24(a) of 

the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure in any civil action relating 

to professional boxing filed in a district court of the United 

States. 

(2) AMICUS FILING.—The Commission may file a brief in any 

action filed in a court of the United States on behalf of the public interest in any case relating to professional boxing. 

(d) HEARINGS BY COMMISSION.—Hearings conducted by the Commission under this Act shall be public and may be held before any 

officer of the Commission. The Commission shall keep appropriate 

records of the hearings. 

SEC. 208. NONINTERFERENCE WITH BOXING COMMISSIONS. 

(a) NONINTERFERENCE.—Nothing in this Act prohibits any boxing 

commission from exercising any of its powers, duties, or functions 

with respect to the regulation or supervision of professional boxing 

or professional boxing matches to the extent not inconsistent with 

the provisions of this Act. 

(b) MINIMUM STANDARDS.—Nothing in this Act prohibits any boxing commission from enforcing local standards or requirements that 

exceed the minimum standards or requirements promulgated by the 

Commission under this Act. 

SEC. 209. ASSISTANCE FROM OTHER AGENCIES. 

Any employee of any executive department, agency, bureau, board, 

commission, office, independent establishment, or instrumentality 

may be detailed to the Commission, upon the request of the Commission, on a reimbursable or nonreimbursable basis, with the consent of the appropriate authority having jurisdiction over the employee. While so detailed, an employee shall continue to receive the 

compensation provided pursuant to law for the employee’s regular 

position of employment and shall retain, without interruption, the 

rights and privileges of that employment. 

SEC. 210. REPORTS. 

(a) ANNUAL REPORT.—The Commission shall submit a report on 

its activities to the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and 

Transportation and the House of Representatives Committee on 

Commerce each year. The annual report shall include— 

(1) a detailed discussion of the activities of the Commission 

for the year covered by the report; and 

(2) an overview of the licensing and enforcement activities of 

the State and tribal organization boxing commissions. 

43 

(b) PUBLIC REPORT.—The Commission shall annually issue and 

publicize a report of the Commission on the progress made at Federal and State levels and on Indian lands in the reform of professional boxing, which shall include comments on issues of continuing 

concern to the Commission. 

(c) FIRST ANNUAL REPORT ON THE COMMISSION.—The first annual report under this title shall be submitted not later than 2 years 

after the effective date of this title. 

SEC. 211. INITIAL IMPLEMENTATION. 

(a) TEMPORARY EXEMPTION.—The requirements for licensing 

under this title do not apply to a person for the performance of an 

activity as a boxer, boxing judge, or referee, or the performance of 

any other professional activity in relation to a professional boxing 

match, if the person is licensed by a boxing commission to perform 

that activity as of the effective date of this title. 

(b) EXPIRATION.—The exemption under subsection (a) with respect 

to a license issued by a boxing commission expires on the earlier 

of— 

(1) the date on which the license expires; or 

(2) the date that is 2 years after the date of the enactment of 

the Professional Boxing Amendments Act of 2005. 

SEC. 212. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS. 

(a) IN GENERAL.—There are authorized to be appropriated for the 

Commission for each fiscal year such sums as may be necessary for 

the Commission to perform its functions for that fiscal year. 

(b) RECEIPTS CREDITED AS OFFSETTING COLLECTIONS.—Notwithstanding section 3302 of title 31, United States Code, any fee collected under this title— 

(1) shall be credited as offsetting collections to the account 

that finances the activities and services for which the fee is imposed; 

(2) shall be available for expenditure only to pay the costs of 

activities and services for which the fee is imposed; and 

(3) shall remain available until expended. 

UNITED STATES CODE 

TITLE 5, PART III, SUBPART D 

CHAPTER 53. PAY RATES AND SYSTEMS

§ 5315. Positions at level IV 

Level IV of the Executive Schedule applies to the following positions, for which the annual rate of basic pay shall be the rate determined with respect to such level under chapter 11 of title 2, as 

adjusted by section 5318 of this title: 

* * * * * * * 

Members of the United States Boxing Commission. 

Æ