Professional Boxing Safety Act of 1996
PL 104-272 (H.R.4167), enacted 10/09/1996

PUBLIC LAW 104-272—OCT. 9, 1996 
110 STAT. 3309 
Public Law 104-272 
104th Congress 
An Act 
To provide for the safety of 
journeymen boxers, and for other purposes. 
Oct. 9, 1996 
[H.R. 4167] 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
the United States of 
America in Congress assembled, 
Professional 
Boxing Safety 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
ISUSC^IIoi 
This Act may be cited as the "Professional Boxing Safety Act note. 
of 1996". 
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS. 
15USC6301. 
For purposes of this Act: 
(1) BOXER.—The term "boxer" means an individual who 
fights in a professional boxing match. 
(2) BOXING COMMISSION.—(A) The term "boxing commis-
sion" means an entity authorized under State law to regulate 
professional boxing matches. 
(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. 
(4) LICENSEE.—^The term "licensee" means an individual 
who serves as a trainer, second, or cut man for a boxer. 
(5) MANAGER.—^The term "manager" means a person who 
receives compensation for service as an agent or representative 
of a boxer. 
(6) MATCHMAKER.—^The term "matchmaker" means a per-
son that proposes, selects, and arranges the boxers to partici-
pate in a professional boxing match. 
(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. 
(8) PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCH.—The term "professional 
boxing match" means a boxing contest held in the United 
States between individuals for finsincial compensation. Such 
term does not include a boxing contest that is regulated by 
an amateur sports organization. 
(9) PROMOTER.—^The term "promoter" means the person 
primarily responsible for orgEuoizing, promoting, and producing 
a professional boxing match. 
(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. 
110 STAT. 3310 
PUBLIC LAW 104-272—OCT. 9, 1996 
15 use 6302. 
SEC. 3. PURPOSES. 
The purposes of this Act are— 
(1) to improve and expand the system of safety precautions 
that protects the welfare of professional boxers; and 
(2) to assist State boxing commissions to provide proper 
oversight for the professional boxing industry in the United 
States. 
15 use 6303. 
SEC. 4. BOXING MATCHES IN STATES WITHOUT BOXING COMMISSIONS. 
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 require-
ments of such other State. 
15 use 6304. 
SEC. 5. SAFETY STANDARDS. 
No person may arrange, promote, orgsmize, produce, or fight 
in a professional boxing match without meeting each of the following 
requirements or an alternative requirement in effect under regula-
tions of a boxing commission that provides equivalent protection 
of the health and safety of boxers: 
(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. 
(2) Except as otherwise expressly provided under regulation 
of a boxing commission promulgated subsequent to the enact-
ment of this Act, £in ambulance or medical personnel with 
appropriate resuscitation equipment continuously present on 
site. 
(3) A physician continuously present at ringside. 
(4) Health insurance for each boxer to provide medical 
coverage for any injuries sustained in the match. 
15 use 6305. 
SEC. 6. REGISTRATION. 
(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 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 2 years. 
PUBLIC LAW 104-272—OCT. 9, 1996 
110 STAT. 3311 
(3) PRESENTATION.—Each professional boxer shall present 
his or her identification card to the appropriate boxing commis-
sion not later than the time of the weigh-in for a professional 
boxing match. 
SEC. 7. REVIEW. 
15 USC 6306. 
(a) PROCEDURES.—Each boxing commission shall establish each 
of the following procedures: 
(1) Procedures to evaluate the professional records and 
physician's certification of each boxer participating in a profes-
sional boxing match in the State, and to deny authorization 
for a boxer to fight where appropriate. 
(2) Procedures to ensure tnat, except as provided in sub-
section (b), 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; or 
(D) the use of false aliases, or falsifying, or attempting 
to falsify, official identification cards or documents. 
(3) Procedures to review a suspension where appealed by 
a boxer, including an opportunity for a boxer to present 
contradictory evidence. 
(4) Procedures to revoke a suspension where a boxer— 
(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 condi-
tion; or 
(B) furnishes proof under subparagraph (C) or (D) of 
paragraph (2) that a suspension was not, or is no longer, 
merited by the facts. 
(b) SUSPENSION IN ANOTHER STATE.—A boxing commission may 
allow a boxer who is under suspension in £iny State to participate 
in a professional boxing match— 
(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 
(2) if the boxer appeals to the Association of Boxing 
Commissions, and the Association of Boxing Commissions deter-
mines 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. 8. REPORTING. 
15 USC 6307. 
Not later than 48 business hours after the conclusion of a 
professional boxing match, the supervising boxing commission shall 
report the results of such boxing match and any related suspensions 
to each boxer registry. 
SEC. 9. CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. 
15 USC 6308. 
No member or employee of a boxing commission, no person 
who administers or enforces State boxing laws, and no member 
of the Association of Boxing Commissions may belong to, contract 
with, or receive any compensation from, any person who sanctions, 
arranges, or promotes professional boxing matches or who otherwise 
110 STAT. 3312 
PUBLIC LAW 104-272—OCT. 9, 1996 
has a financial interest in an active boxer currently registered 
with a boxer registry. For purposes of this section, the term "com-
pensation" does not include funds held in escrow for payment to 
another person in connection with a professional boxing match. 
The 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. 
15 use 6309. 
SEC. 10. ENFORCEMENT. 
(a) INJUNCTIONS.—Whenever the Attorney General of the 
United States has reasonable cause to believe that a person is 
engaged in a violation of this Act, 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 injunc-
tion, 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 
pgirticipate in a professional boxing match in violation of this Act. 
(b) CRIMINAL PENALTIES.— 
(1) MANAGERS, PROMOTERS, MATCHMAKERS, AND LICENS-
EES.—^Any meinager, promoter, matchmaker, and licensee who 
knowingly violates, or coerces or causes any other person to 
violate, any provision of this Act shall, upon conviction, be 
imprisoned for not more than 1 year or fined not more than 
$20,000, or both. 
(2) CONFLICT OF INTEREST.—Any member or employee of 
a boxing commission, any person who administers or enforces 
State boxing laws, and any member of the Association of Boxing 
Commissions who knowingly violates section 9 of this Act shall, 
upon conviction, be imprisoned for noc more thgin 1 year or 
fined not more than $20,000, or both. 
(3) BOXERS.—Any boxer who knowingly violates any provi-
sion of this Act shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than 
$1,000. 
15 use 6310. 
SEC. 11. NOTIFICATION OF SUPERVISING BOXING COMMISSION. 
Each promoter who intends to hold a professional boxing match 
in a State that does not have a boxing commission shall, not 
later thein 14 days before the intended date of that match, provide 
written notification to the supervising boxing commission des-
ignated under section 4. Such notification shall contain each of 
the following: 
(1) Assurances that, with respect to that professional boxing 
match, all applicable requirements of this Act will be met. 
(2) The name of £iny person who, at the time of the submis-
sion of the notification— 
(A) is imder suspension from a boxing commission; 
and 
{B) will be involved in organizing or participating in 
the event. 
(3) For any individual listed under paragraph (2), the 
identity of the boxing commission that issued the suspension 
described in paragraph (2)(A). 
PUBLIC LAW 104-272—OCT. 9, 1996 
110 STAT. 3313 
SEC. 12. STUDIES. 
15 USC 6311. 
(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. 
(b) HEALTH, SAFETY AND EQUIPMENT.—The Secretary of Health 
and Human Services shall conduct a study to develop recommenda-
tions for health, safety, and equipment standards for boxers and 
for professional boxing matches. 
(c) REPORTS.—Not later thein one year after the date of enact-
ment 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 thein 180 days after the date of enact-
ment 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). 
SEC. 13. PROFESSIONAL BOXING MATCHES CONDUCTED ON INDIAN 
15 USC 6312. 
RESERVATIONS. 
(a) DEFINITIONS.—For purposes of this section, the following 
definitions shall apply: 
(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)). 
(2) RESERVATION.—The term "reservation" means the 
geographically defined area over which a tribal organization 
exercises governmental jurisdiction. 
(3) TRIBAL ORGANIZATION.—The term "tribal organization" 
has the same meaning as in section 4(1) of the Indian Self-
Determination 
and Education Assistance Act (25 U.S.C. 
450b(l)). 
(b) REQUIREMENTS.— 
(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding any other provision of 
law, a tribal organization of an Indian tribe may, upon the 
initiative of the tribal organization— 
(A) regulate professional boxing matches held within 
the reservation imder the jurisdiction of that tribal 
organization; and 
(B) carry out that regulation or enter into a contract 
with a boxing commission to cany out that regulation. 
(2) STANDARDS AND LICENSING.—If a tribal organization 
regulates professional boxing matches pursuant to paragraph 
(1), the tribal organization shall, by tribal ordinance or resolu-
tion, establish and provide for the implementation of health 
£ind safety standards, Kcensing requirements, and 
other 
requirements relating to the conduct of professional boxing 
matches that are at least as restrictive as— 
(A) the otherwise appUcable standards and require-
ments of a State in which the reservation is located; or 
(B) the most recently published version of the 
recommended regulatory guidelines certified and published 
by the Association of Boxing Commissions. 
SEC. 14. RELATIONSHIP WITH STATE LAW. 
15 USC 6313. 
Nothing in this Act shall prohibit a State fi"om 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. 
110 STAT. 3314 
PUBLIC LAW 104-272—OCT. 9, 1996 
15 u s e 6301 
SEC. 15. EFFECTIVE DATE. 
The provisions of this Act shall take effect on January 1, 
1997, except as follows: 
(i) Section 9 shall not apply to an otherwise authorized 
boxing commission in the Commonwealth of Virginia until July 
1,1998. 
(2) Sections 5 through 9 shall take effect on July 1, 1997. 
Approved October 9, 1996. 
LEGISLATIVE HISTORY—H.R. 4167 (H.R. 1186) (S. 187): 
HOUSE REPORTS: No. 104-833, Pt. 1 accompanying H.R. 1186 (Comm. on Com-
merce). 
SENATE REPORTS: No. 104-159 accompanying S. 187 (Comm. on Commerce, 
Science, and Transportation). 
CONGRESSIONAL RECORD: 
Vol. 141 (1995): Oct. 31, S. 187 considered and passed Senate. 
Vol. 142 (1996): Sept. 25, H.R. 4167 considered and passed House. 
Sept. 27, considered and passed Senate.