N.Y. Boxing, Sparring and Wrestling Ch. 912/20 § 23: Regulation of conduct of matches or exhibitions

* § 23. Regulation of conduct of matches or exhibitions. 1. No boxing

or sparring match or exhibition shall be of more than twelve rounds in

length, such rounds to be not more than three minutes each; and no boxer

shall be allowed to participate in more than twelve rounds within

seventy-two consecutive hours. The commission may in respect to any bout

or in respect to any class of contestants limit the number of rounds of

a bout within the maximum of twelve rounds. At each boxing or sparring

match or exhibition except where the exhibitions are held solely for

training purposes, there shall be in attendance a duly licensed referee

who shall direct and control the same. Before starting such contest the

referee shall ascertain from each contestant the name of his chief

second, and shall hold such chief second responsible for the conduct of

his assistant seconds during the progress of the contest. The commission

shall have power in its discretion to declare forfeited any prize,

remuneration or purse, or any part thereof, belonging to the contestants

or one of them, or the share thereof of any manager if in its judgment,

such contestant or contestants are not honestly competing or the

contestant or manager of a contestant, as the case may be, has committed

an act in the premises in violation of any rule, order or regulation of

the commission. The amount so forfeited shall be paid within forty-eight

hours to the commission. There shall also be in attendance, except where

the exhibitions are held solely for training purposes, three duly

licensed judges who shall at the termination of each such boxing or

sparring match or exhibition render their decision. The winner shall be

determined in accordance with a scoring system prescribed by the

commission. Each contestant shall wear, during such contest, gloves

weighing not less than eight ounces, unless otherwise directed by the

commission. Thumbless boxing gloves (or gloves with the thumb section

locked, fastened, tied or immovably set to the balance of the glove) of

a type approved by the commission shall be used in all boxing matches or

exhibitions, provided, however, that this requirement may be waived at

the discretion of the commission for championship matches of at least

twelve scheduled rounds.

2. The commission may by rule, regulation or order, require the

presence of any medical equipment and personnel at each boxing or

sparring match or exhibition as is necessary or beneficial for the

safety and protection of the contestants; and may also require the

presence of an ambulance or other apparatus at the site of any such

match or exhibition or the promulgation of an emergency medical plan in

lieu thereof.

3. The commission shall prescribe by rule or regulation the

responsibilities of managers, trainers and seconds prior to, during and

after a boxing or sparring match or exhibition in order to promote the

safety of the contestants at all times.

4. The commission shall require by rule or regulation that any

professional boxer licensed under this chapter present to a designated

commission official, before each match or exhibition in which he fights

in this state, a license which shall include but not be limited to the

following information: (a) the boxer's name, photograph, social security

number, date of birth, and other identifying information; (b) the

boxer's prior fight history including the dates, location, and decision

of such fights; (c) the boxer's medical history, relating to any

physical condition, medical test or procedure which relates to his

ability to fight, and a record of all medical suspensions.

5. The commission shall prescribe by rule or regulation the

unsportsmanlike practices prohibited in all boxing or sparring matches

or exhibitions, which shall include the practice of biting.

* NB Repealed September 1, 2016