Compilation of Rules and Regulations of the State of Georgia › Department 85 - RULES OF GEORGIA ATHLETIC & ENTERTAINMENT COMMISSION › Chapter 85-1 - PROFESSIONAL BOXING › Rule 85-1-.08 - Conduct of Bout

Current through Rules and Regulations filed through June 27, 2024
(1)
Boxers
.
(a)
False
			 Name
. No boxer shall enter any agreement or contract with a promoter,
			 compete in any match, or otherwise participate in any capacity under any name
			 which does not appear on his or her Federal ID card.
(b)
Prohibition if Under
			 Suspension
. No boxer shall enter any agreement or contract with a
			 promoter, compete, or attempt to compete in any match in Georgia when such boxer
			 knows that his or her boxing license issued by this commission or by any other
			 boxing commission is under suspension.
(c)
Pregnancy
. No boxer shall
			 enter any agreement or contract with a promoter, compete, or attempt to compete
			 in any match in Georgia when such boxer knows that she is pregnant.
(d)
Weigh-In
.
1. Preliminary Weigh-In. All fighters must
			 video record a Preliminary Weigh-in one week prior to the Official weigh-in. That
			 video must be reported to the promoter.
a. The
			 promoter should save these recordings for 1 year.
b. Fighters are required to be within 10% of
			 their scheduled weight.
c. Should
			 either or both of the contestants weigh more than 10% above their scheduled
			 weight, the promoter may increase the weight class limit, with the consent of
			 both parties.
2. Official
			 Weigh In. In all contests or exhibitions, contestants shall weigh in at a
			 previously agreed upon time and in the presence of an authorized commission
			 representative, provided however that such weigh-in shall not take place less
			 than six hours nor more than 36 hours prior to the contest or exhibition.
a. All official weigh-ins, unless otherwise
			 agreed to in advance by the commission, shall be conducted outside the view of
			 the general public.
b. Ceremonial
			 weigh-ins may be conducted in such manner and at such place as agreed to by all
			 parties involved in the promotion or match.
c. The weigh in will last for 2 hours after the
			 agreed upon time.
d. Contestants who
			 have not arrived in the first hour will be placed on the clock and their hour to
			 cut weight will start. When the contestant arrives, and weighs in, the contestant
			 will only have the remaining time of the 2-hour weigh in window to cut any weight
			 if they missed their agreed upon weight.
3. Missing Weight
a. Any fighter who does not make weight at an
			 Official Weigh-In may be fined, and may further be subject to denial of
			 Commission approval to fight at the failed weight class during his/her next
			 bout.
b. Any fighter who twice does
			 not make weight at an Official Weigh-In may be fined, and may further be subject
			 to denial of Commission approval to fight at the failed weight class during
			 his/her next two bouts.
c. Any
			 fighter who does not make weight at an Official Weigh-In three times may be
			 fined, and may further be subject to denial of Commission approval to fight at
			 the failed weight class for all future fights.
(e)
Over-weight boxers
. The use of
			 any herbal, prescription or non-prescription diuretic by any boxer within twelve
			 hours prior to the weigh-in is strictly prohibited.
1.
(135/2)
No over-contract-weight
			 contestant appearing at the initial weigh-in and weighing 135 pounds or less will
			 be allowed to lose in excess of two pounds in order to make contract weight. Any
			 such boxer must be re-examined by the ringside physician and receive clearance
			 from the ringside physician prior to entering the ring.
2.
(160/3)
No over-contract-weight
			 contestant appearing at the initial weigh-in and weighing 135 pounds but less
			 than 160 pounds will be allowed to lose in excess of three pounds in order to
			 make contract weight. Any such boxer must be re- examined by the ringside
			 physician and receive clearance from the ringside physician prior to entering the
			 ring.
3.
(190/4)
No
			 over-contract-weight contestants appearing at the initial weigh-in and weighing
			 160 pounds but less than 190 pounds will be allowed to lose in excess of four
			 pounds in order to make contract weight. Any such boxer must be re- examined by
			 the ringside physician and receive clearance from the ringside physician prior to
			 entering the ring.
(f)
Weight Classes
. Weight classes for professional boxers shall be:
1. Flyweight-112 lbs. or under
2. Bantamweight-over 112 lbs.-118
			 lbs.
3. Featherweight-over 118
			 lbs.-126 lbs.
4. Lightweight-over 126
			 lbs.-135 lbs.
5. Welterweight-over
			 135 lbs.-147 lbs.
6.
			 Middleweight-over 147 lbs.-160 lbs.
7. Light Heavyweight-over 160 lbs.-175
			 lbs.
8. Cruiserweight-over 175
			 lbs-200 lbs.
9. Heavyweight-over 200
			 lbs.
Editor's Note: Championship Belts will be awarded
				according to the weigh classifications recognized by the sanctioning body
				awarding the belt
.
(g)
Weight Spread
. No boxing
			 contest or exhibition may be scheduled, and no boxer may engage in a boxing
			 contest or exhibition without the approval of the commission or the commission's
			 representative if the difference in weight between the boxers exceeds the
			 following allowance.
1. Up to 118 lbs-not more
			 than 3 pounds
2. 118 lbs to 126
			 lbs-not more than 5 pounds
3. 126
			 lbs.-135 lbs.-not more than 6 pounds
4. 135 lbs.-147 lbs.-not more than 7
			 pounds
5. 147 lbs.-200 lbs.-not more
			 than 9 pounds
6. 200 lbs. and over
			 (Heavyweight)-no limit
(i) Any agreement to
			 proceed with a boxing contest or exhibition where the weight spread exceeds the
			 limit established in this rule shall be entered on each participant's bout
			 contract and shall be initialed or signaled by such
			 participant.
(h)
Appearance Time
. All contestants must be in the dressing room at
			 least 60 minutes before the event is scheduled to begin.
(i)
Ring Attire
. Boxers shall
			 appear and compete in proper ring attire.
1. All
			 boxers will be required to wear such protective gear as deemed necessary by the
			 commission.
(i) Male boxers shall wear a
			 standard kidney protection belt designed for male boxers which includes a groin
			 protection cup of such construction as to prevent any claim of injury caused by
			 an unintentional blow.
(I) This gear shall be
			 firmly adjusted and tied prior to entering the ring.
(II) During the course of the match the upper
			 belt of this gear may not rise above the trunk waist line so as to protect the
			 boxer from normal body blows.
(III)
			 The use during any boxing match of a protective belt commonly referred to as a
			 training protective belt (which incorporates an oversized torso protection
			 shield) is prohibited.
(ii)
			 Female boxers may wear a standard kidney protection belt designed for female
			 boxers and which provides the necessary pelvic and ovary protection and shall
			 wear a sports bra with an interior pocket which can, at the option of the boxer,
			 hold an appropriately sized breast protector of a "turtle-shell" style.
(I) This gear shall be firmly adjusted and tied
			 prior to entering the ring.
(II)
			 During the course of the match the upper belt of this gear may not rise above the
			 trunk waist line so as to protect the boxer from normal body
			 blows.
2. The
			 belt-line of the trunks shall not extend above the waistline and the hem may not
			 extend below the knee.
3. Boxers in
			 the same match should wear different color trunks.
4. Each boxer shall use a mouthpiece and no
			 round may start without a boxer's mouthpiece in place. All amateur contestants
			 shall use a mouthpiece that uses dual arch technology or protects both the upper
			 and lower teeth
(i) If the mouthpiece is
			 dislodged during competition, the referee will call time and have the mouthpiece
			 replaced
at the first opportune moment
without
			 interfering with immediate action.
(ii) Points may be deducted by the referee, if
			 the referee feels the mouthpiece is purposely spit out.
5. Shoes shall be of soft material and shall
			 not be fitted with spikes, cleats, hard soles, or hard heels. Shoe lace knots
			 will be secured with adhesive tape.
6. When deemed necessary by the referee all
			 boxers shall have their hair secured in a manner that does not interfere with the
			 vision and safety of either contestant.
(i)
			 Provided however that no object can be worn to secure the contestant's hair which
			 may cause injury to either contestant.
7. The wearing of body jewelry will be strictly
			 prohibited during all contests.
8.
			 The wearing of any facial or body cosmetic is strictly prohibited during all
			 contests.
(j)
Profanity
. Use of profanity by a boxer or his or her manager or
			 second is prohibited and if indulged in after a warning by the referee or
			 commission representative the offender, if a boxer may be disqualified and the
			 match given to his or her opponent, or if a manager or second such person may be
			 ejected from the ring or arena and a penalty point may be deducted from the
			 boxer.
(k)
Contestants:
			 Entering Ring
. All contestants must be ready to enter the ring immediately
			 upon the conclusion of the preceding bout.
1.
			 Failure to enter the ring when requested and, after warning by the inspector or
			 commission representative supervising the match, may result in a fine not to
			 exceed one-half of the contracted purse amount.
(l)
Contestants: Demeanor During the
			 Round
. Each boxer shall take care to avoid fouling their opponent or
			 illegally striking their opponent.
1.
			 Regulations against fouls, as defined in these rules will be strictly
			 enforced.
2. Wrestling and/or
			 roughhousing in the ring will not be tolerated. Any boxer who intentionally lifts
			 his or her opponent and then drops such opponent on the ring floor will be
			 subject to immediate disqualification.
3. Boxers are at all times to follow the
			 instructions of the referee. Any call for a break should immediately result in a
			 clean break.
(m)
Penalty for Disqualification
. Any boxer who is disqualified for any
			 reason by the referee or the commission representative supervising the show and
			 is therefore unable to fulfill the terms of their contract will forfeit their
			 entire purse and will be subject to a fine not to exceed fifty percent (50%) of
			 the contracted amount of the purse.
1. Any
			 boxer who has forfeited their purse because of a loss by disqualification (LDSQ)
			 has a right to appeal during either the next two scheduled commission meetings,
			 and must so notify the commission in writing within fifteen days of the
			 disqualification of their intent to appeal. Failure to notify the commission
			 within the fifteen day period of the intention to appeal the forfeiture will be
			 tantamount to a waiver of any further appeal rights.
2. The contracted purse amount withheld from
			 any boxer because of disqualification will be held by the promoter or be held in
			 escrow by the commission until such time as the appeal is heard or waived.
(i) Monies held in escrow by the commission
			 pursuant to this rule are the property of the promoter unless after an
			 appropriate appeal an amount is awarded by the commission to the boxer.
(ii) After the appeal hearing or acceptance of
			 a waiver negating any appeal hearing monies held in escrow will be distributed
			 appropriately.
(n) Any boxer can be fined, have his or her
			 license suspended or have his or her license revoked in the event that a majority
			 of the commission determines that the boxer did not utilize his or her best
			 efforts in a match.