I

103D CONGRESS

2D SESSION H. R. 4753

To provide for the safety of journeymen boxers, and for other purposes.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JULY 13, 1994

Mr. TORRICELLI introduced the following bill; which was referred jointly to

the Committees on Education and Labor and Energy and Commerce

A BILL

To provide for the safety of journeymen boxers, and for

other purposes.

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Professional Boxing

5 Safety Act’’.

6 SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.

7 For purposes of this Act—

8 (1) the term ‘‘boxer’’ means a person who par9 ticipates in a professional boxing match;

10 (2) the term ‘‘manager’’ means a person or

11 business who helps arrange professional boxing
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1 matches for a boxer, and who serves as an advisor

2 or representative of a boxer in a professional capac3 ity;

4 (3) the term ‘‘professional boxing match’’

5 means a boxing contest held in the United States be6 tween individuals for compensation or a prize, and

7 does not include any amateur boxing match;

8 (4) the term ‘‘promoter’’ means a person or

9 business that organizes, holds, advertises, or other10 wise conducts a professional boxing match; and

11 (5) the term ‘‘State boxing commission’’ means

12 a State agency with authority to regulate profes13 sional boxing;

14 SEC. 3. PURPOSE.

15 The purposes of this Act are—

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

17 precautions that protects the welfare of professional

18 boxers; and

19 (2) to assist State boxing commissions to pro20 vide proper oversight for the professional boxing in21 dustry in the United States.

22 SEC. 4. PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCHES.

23 A professional boxing match may be held in the

24 United States only if—
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1 (1) the State where the professional boxing

2 match is to be held—

3 (A) has a State boxing commission ; or

4 (B) has entered into an agreement with a

5 State boxing commission of another State;

6 to oversee the match and to regulate each of its box7 ing matches; and

8 (2) the State boxing commission has established

9 procedures to carry out sections 5, 6, and 7.

10 SEC. 5. REGISTRATION.

11 (a) REQUIREMENT.—Each professional boxer shall

12 register with—

13 (1) the State boxing commission of the State in

14 which such boxer resides;

15 (2) in the case of a boxer who is a resident of

16 a State in which there is no State boxing commis17 sion, the State boxing commission described in sec18 tion 4(1)(B); or

19 (3) in the case of a boxer from a foreign coun20 try, any State that has a State boxing commission.

21 (b) IDENTIFICATION CARD.—

22 (1) ISSUANCE.—A State boxing commission

23 shall issue to each professional boxer who registers

24 in accordance with subsection (a), an identification

25 card that contains—
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1 (A) a recent photograph of the boxer;

2 (B) the social security number of the boxer

3 (or, in the case of a foreign boxer, any similar

4 citizen identification number or professional

5 boxer number from the country of residence of

6 the boxer); and

7 (C) the personal identification numbers as8 signed to the boxer by the boxing registries cer9 tified by the Association of Boxing Commis10 sioners.

11 (2) RENEWAL.—Each professional boxer shall

12 renew his or her identification card at least once

13 every 3 years.

14 (3) PRESENTATION.—Each professional boxer

15 shall present his or her identification card to the

16 State boxing commission not later than the time of

17 the weigh-in for a professional boxing match.

18 (c) RELATION TO STATE LAW.—Nothing in this sec19 tion shall be construed as preventing a State from apply20 ing additional registration requirements.

21 SEC. 6. REVIEW.

22 Each State boxing commission shall establish proce23 dures—
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1 (1) to evaluate the professional records of each

2 boxer participating in a boxing match in the State;

3 and

4 (2) to ensure that no boxer is permitted to box

5 while under suspension from any State boxing com6 mission for any reason, including—

7 (A) a recent knockout, injury, or

8 unfulfilled requirement for a medical procedure;

9 (B) administrative reasons, such as failure

10 to pay a State fee or fine, or improper conduct;

11 (C) falsification of, or attempts to falsify,

12 official identification cards or documents;

13 (D) failure of a drug test;

14 (E) inadequate boxing skills, or the inabil15 ity to safely compete; and

16 (F) violation of Federal or State gaming

17 laws.

18 SEC. 7. REPORTING.

19 (a) BOXING MATCH RESULTS.—Not later than 48

20 business hours (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) after

21 the conclusion of a professional boxing match, the results

22 of such match shall be reported to the professional boxing

23 registries certified by the Association of Boxing Commis24 sioners (ABC) and to the Florida State Athletic Commis25 sion.
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1 (b) SUSPENSIONS.—Not later than 48 business hours

2 (excluding Saturdays and Sundays) after a State boxing

3 commission orders the suspension of a boxer, promoter,

4 or manager, such suspension shall be reported to the pro5 fessional boxing registries certified by the Association of

6 Boxing Commissioners (ABC) and to the Florida State

7 Athletic Commission.

8 SEC. 8. ENFORCEMENT.

9 (a) INJUNCTIONS.—Whenever the United States At10 torney in a State has reasonable cause to believe that a

11 person or entity is engaged in a violation of this Act in

12 such State, the United States Attorney may bring a civil

13 action in the appropriate district court of the United

14 States requesting such relief, including a permanent or

15 temporary injunction, restraining order, or other order,

16 against the person or entity, as the United States Attor17 ney determines necessary to restrain the person or entity

18 from continuing to engage in, or to sanction, a profes19 sional boxing match in violation of this Act.

20 (b) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.—

21 (1) MANAGERS AND PROMOTERS.—Any man22 ager or promoter who knowingly and willfully vio23 lates any provision of this Act shall be imprisoned

24 for not more than 1 year or fined more than

25 $20,000, or both.
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1 (2) BOXERS.—Any professional boxer who

2 knowingly and willfully violates any provision of this

3 Act shall be fined not more than $1,000.

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