§ 21.8. Boxers.
(a) Professional boxers shall be licensed by the Commission. The Commission will not license or renew the license of a professional boxer unless the license application is accompanied by a report from a Department of Health facility, a laboratory possessing a permit from the Department of Health under 28 Pa. Code § 5.11 (relating to permit, requirements, application and conditions) or a report from a laboratory licensed in another jurisdiction that meets the requirements to be issued a permit under 28 Pa. Code § 5.11, and is acceptable to the Commission, which indicates that the applicant has been tested for any virus, antibody, antigen or etiologic agent determined to cause or indicate the presence of human immunodeficiency virus and any other communicable disease and the results of those tests were negative. The tests shall have been initiated no more than 6 months prior to the date of filing the application. A boxer whose application for license has been denied has the right to a hearing before the Commission under 2 Pa.C.S. § § 501—508 (relating to practice and procedure of Commonwealth agencies). The applicant shall apply, in writing, to the Commission requesting a hearing. The Commission will conduct a hearing within 10 business days from the receipt of the written request.
(b) The Commission will require each professional boxer under contract to appear in a contest under its jurisdiction to be properly licensed and to be examined and certified by a physician appointed by the Executive Director to be physically sound before being permitted to engage in the contest. A commissioner, the Executive Director or the ringside physician, upon the individual’s own initiative as a safety precaution, may require a professional boxer under the jurisdiction of the Commission to undergo a general or an ad hoc physical or mental examination, or both, for the purpose of determining whether or not the boxer is fit to continue actively in the profession of boxing.
(c) Whenever a professional boxer considers himself unable by reason of illness or injury to participate in a contest for which he is under contract within the jurisdiction of the Commission, he, or his manager in his behalf, shall promptly notify both the Executive Director and the promoter of the event of the alleged condition of the boxer. The boxer shall immediately submit written medical verification to the Executive Director who may, if he deems fit, require the boxer at his own expense to undergo examination by a physician selected by the Executive Director for further substantiation of the averment of disability. If a contest to which a professional boxer is under contract has been canceled and no suitable opponent, as determined by the Executive Director, can be located, the boxer shall be entitled to reasonable expenses as determined by the Executive Director.
(d) A boxer shall be considered to have been knocked out in a contest if he is counted out and he may incur a suspension of up to 90 days. A suspension under this section shall be mandatory if the boxer has been knocked unconscious or has received a concussion. This mandatory suspension shall be removed only after the boxer has been pronounced fit after undergoing medical examination by a physician.
(1) A boxer may incur a suspension of up to 30 days if he experiences a technical knockout without head injuries.
(2) A boxer may incur additional suspension time upon recommendation of the ringside physician or the Commission’s Medical Advisory Board.
(3) A professional boxer who is defeated in six consecutive contests, either within or outside the jurisdiction of the Commission shall be required to undergo a medical examination by a physician approved by the Commission, pending inquiry by the Commission to determine the physical and mental ability of the boxer to continue safely in the boxing profession.
(e) The Commission will not license as a professional boxer an applicant under 18 years of age and the Commission will require conclusive proof of age of a boxer applying for the first time to be so licensed with the Commonwealth. An applicant for a boxing license who has never competed in a professional contest shall attach to his license application the results of a complete general physical on a form supplied by the Commission in the Medical/Safety Manual. The Commission will not license as a professional boxer an applicant over 36 years of age except by special action by the Commission. An applicant for a boxing license over 36 years of age shall attach to his license application the results of the following:
(1) A complete general physical on a form supplied by the Commission.
(2) An electrocardiogram (EKG).
(3) A stress echo test.
(4) An eye exam.
(f) The Commission will not permit a professional boxer to participate in a contest under its jurisdiction without first having signed with a licensed promoter a contract covering the participation that meets the requirements of sections 1101—1104 of the Athletic Code (relating to contracts) and this part. If the boxer is under contract to a manager, the manager is also required to sign the contract unless excused by the Commission. This does not mean that a boxer is not contractually bound by a commitment made in his behalf by his legally constituted manager even though the boxer may not have personally executed the instrument purporting to commit him.
(g) A boxer under the jurisdiction of the Commission may not be under contract to more than one manager at the same time without express approval of the Commission. A boxer under the jurisdiction of the Commission may not enter into a contract with a manager or combination of managers in which the boxer is obligated to the payment of more than the total of 40% of his earnings under the manager or combination of managers.
(h) A boxer whose manager has been suspended by the Commission or whose suspension in another jurisdiction is recognized by the Commission may box in this Commonwealth, independently of his managerial contract at the discretion of the Commission and will be permitted to contract individually under the circumstances and to collect the full amount of a purse or other moneys due to him; no part of the sum may be held or reserved for the suspended manager.
(i) Professional contests between boxers under contract to the same manager are prohibited without exception.
(j) The Commission may require either or both of the participants in a professional contest to guarantee appearance or the making of agreed weight, or both, by stipulated monetary forfeit to be posted with the Commission in cash or by certified check by a stated time prior to the contest under appropriate circumstances. The Commission may declare the sum posted by him forfeited in whole or in part if a boxer fails to appear or make the agreed weight, and the forfeited amount shall be distributed, as the Commission, in its discretion, will decide.
(k) A professional boxer who fails to appear promptly at the time and place set by the Executive Director for the official weigh-in for a contest in which he is under contract to participate shall be subject to a disciplinary action the Commission sees fit to impose. A professional boxer who fails to appear for a contest in which he is under contract to participate or having appeared, refuses to participate in a contest may be subject to a fine, suspension, revocation of license or one or all of these penalties at the discretion of the Commission.
(l) If either or both of the participants in a professional contest fail to satisfactorily put forth serious effort during the contest or persist in foul tactics in the judgment of the referee, the referee shall stop the contest after reasonable warning, disqualify the offending boxer and award the decision to the boxer making the serious effort. The Commission may impound moneys due to the offending boxer pending the outcome of a hearing, which the Commission will arrange.
(m) Participants in professional contests under the jurisdiction of the Commission shall:
(1) Be shaven clean except that the Commission may sanction the wearing of closely cropped mustaches or beards, or both, at its discretion.
(2) Wear their hair secured so that it does not interfere with the vision or safety of either contestant.
(3) Use no facial cosmetics.
(4) Wear conventional boxing trunks, smoothsole shoes, a foolproof abdominal guard or cup and an individually fitted mouthpiece, which shall be subject to examination and approval by the Commission. Female boxers shall also wear a chest protector, body shirt and blouse and comply with § 21.8(n) (relating to boxers). Female boxers are also required to follow all other general requirements applicable to male boxers.
(5) Adhere to the following requirements for gloves. Each glove used in a professional boxing contest under the jurisdiction of the Commission shall weigh at least 8 ounces of which no more than 1 ounce shall be in the wrist padding of the glove. At all times, boxers competing against each other shall wear gloves of the same weight. For boxers weighing 160 pounds or less, the boxing gloves cannot weigh less than 8 ounces each. For boxers weighing over 160 pounds, the boxing gloves shall weigh at least 10 ounces each.
(i) The gloves of each boxer shall be adjusted in the dressing quarters of the event under the supervision of a Commission representative and in the presence of a second of the opposing boxer, if the latter so desires. Gloves of the participants in the main contest may also be adjusted in the ring by the referee.
(ii) The ends of the lace of each glove shall be tied and knotted on the back of the wrist of the glove and a single strip of adhesive tape 1 inch in width shall be carefully and smoothly placed around the wrist of the glove over the lace and the knot.
(iii) The bandage for use on each hand and wrist shall be soft bandage or gauze not more than 2 inches in width and 10 yards in length, except that the bandage for the hand of a light heavyweight or heavyweight boxer may be 12 yards in length. The bandage shall be wrapped smoothly and evenly on each hand and shall be held in place by adhesive tape 1 inch in width around the wrist with overlap of not more than 1 inch to clinch the ends. Tape, cotton or a substance other than the approved bandage may not be used between the fingers or over the knuckles of the hand. Bandaging of the hands of a boxer shall be done in the dressing quarters under the supervision and subject to the inspection and approval of a Commission representative and in the presence of a second of the opposing boxer, if the latter so desires.
(n) A female boxer:
(1) May not engage in a contest with a male boxer.
(2) Shall provide the Commission with a negative pregnancy test result taken not more than 24 hours prior to the scheduled contest.
(o) A male boxer may not engage in a contest with a female boxer.
Authority The provisions of this § 21.8 amended under the Athletic Code, 5 Pa.C.S. § § 103(b)(1), 105(8), 501, 701, 901 and 912..
Source The provisions of this § 21.8 adopted March 11, 1946; amended through November 1, 1966; amended November 10, 1978, effective November 11, 1978, 8 Pa.B. 3094; amended March 6, 1998, effective March 7, 1998, 28 Pa.B. 1238; amended May 17, 2002, effective May 18, 2002, 32 Pa.B. 2443; amended September 23, 2005, effective September 24, 2005, 35 Pa.B. 5259; amended September 12, 2008, effective September 13, 2008. Immediately preceding text appears at serial pages (314481) to (314485).
Cross References This section cited in58 Pa. Code § 23.4 (relating to boxers).
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