Rules for Professional Boxing

PURPOSE: This rule describes the authorized practices to be employed for professional boxing contests. (1) No bout may exceed twelve (12) rounds nor be less than four (4) rounds. Rounds shall be no more than three (3) minutes in length with a one (1) minute rest period in between rounds. Rounds involving females may be reduced to two (2) minutes in length with a one (1) minute rest period between rounds. (2) Before a contest permit will be issued, each professional boxing contest may include a scheduled main bout of at least eight (8) rounds and at least one (1) semi-main bout of at least six (6) rounds. The remaining bouts may not be less than four (4) rounds each. A contest should have a minimum of four (4) bouts totaling not less than twenty-four (24) rounds. The Office of Athletics may waive any of these restrictions at its discretion. (3) No professional boxing bout shall be advertised or promoted as a championship bout unless it has the specific approval of the office. (4) Contestants shall only fight contestants in their own weight category unless permission is granted by the office. In no instance may the office waive the weight category requirements, when the contestant’s weight span exceeds ten (10) pounds excluding the weight classifications in subsections (L) and (M) of this section. Following is the schedule of weight classification: (A) Flyweights 108–111 lbs. (B) Bantamweights 112–118 lbs. (C) Featherweights 119–126 lbs. (D) Jr. Lightweights 127–130 lbs. (E) Lightweights 131–135 lbs. (F) Jr. Welterweights 136–140 lbs. (G) Welterweights 141–147 lbs. (H) Jr. Middleweights 148–154 lbs. (I) Middleweights 155–160 lbs. (J) Super Middleweights 161–168 lbs. (K) Light Heavyweights 169–175 lbs. (L) Cruiserweights 176–200 lbs. (M) Heavyweights over 200 lbs. (5) Boxing Contestants. (A) For the purpose of engaging in professional boxing contests, a professional is defined as a person who seeks to profit or earn a livelihood by boxing. (B) No contestant under the age of eighteen (18) years shall be permitted to participate in a boxing contest. No contestant participating in his/her professional debut shall be permitted to box more than six (6) rounds in length for the first ten (10) professional bouts. Contestants may have to present a birth certificate or picture identification to the office or inspector. False statements of age or other information shall be cause for discipline of the contestant’s license. Contestants must complete all forms prescribed by the office. All contestants, upon request of the office or inspector, must furnish the office with a boxing passport or an identification card (ID) issued from his/her home state and a federal identification card issued by the Association of Boxing Commissions. (C) Contestants in all licensed professional boxing contests shall be examined by a licensed physician at a time approved by the office and physical examinations must be completed at least one (1) hour before the contest time. The weigh-in will be within forty-eight (48) hours prior to the contest. Contestants will then have two (2) hours to make weight. The weights of the contestants or the class in which they will box must be announced at the ringside. In case of a substitution in a bout, the substitute contestant shall be subject to the same physical examination as other contestants and must be approved by the physician and office. Contestants failing to appear at the appointed place and at the specified time to be examined and weighed, or who leave the area before weigh-ins or physical examinations are completed without permission of the office, may subject their license to discipline or may be denied the right to compete in the scheduled bout. (6) If a contestant claims to be injured due to an accidental foul during the bout, the referee, at their discretion, may stop the bout and request the physician to make an examination. If the physician decides that the contestant has been injured and should not continue, s/he should so advise the referee. If the physician decides that the injured contestant may be able to continue, s/he may order up to a five- (5-) minute recovery period, after which s/he will make another examination and again advise the referee of the injured contestant’s condition. (7) If a contestant falls due to fatigue, or is knocked down by his/her opponent, s/he will be allowed ten (10) seconds to rise unassisted. Following a contestant’s fall, his/her opponent shall go to the farthest neutral corner and remain there during the count. The referee shall stop counting if the opponent fails to go to the neutral corner, then resume the count where it was left off when the opponent goes to the neutral corner. A contestant who is knocked out or falls out of the ring and on to the floor is allowed up to twenty (20) seconds to return to the ring. (8) In case of a knockdown, the eight- (8-) count is mandatory. (9) The office may require a contestant to submit to any physical examination it deems necessary to determine if the contestant is in a physical condition that would allow him/her to participate as a boxing contestant in the future. (10) Preliminary contestants should be ready to enter the ring immediately after the finish of the preceding bout. Any contestant causing a delay by not being ready to immediately proceed when called may be subject to discipline or may be denied the right to compete in the scheduled bout. (11) Any boxing contestant who has participated in a professional bout anywhere will not participate in a boxing bout in Missouri for at least seven (7) days after the previous bout. Any boxing contestant who is currently on suspension or revocation from any boxing commission, domestic or foreign, shall not participate in any bout in Missouri until the suspension or revocation is lifted. (12) No person other than the contestants and the referee shall enter the ring during a bout. There should be no standing or other distractions by seconds while the bouts are in progress. Offenders may be removed from the corners and their license may be subject to discipline. The physician may enter the ring if asked by the referee to examine an injury to a contestant. (13) Handwraps shall not exceed the following restrictions: one (1) winding of surgeon’s adhesive tape, not over one and onehalf inches (1 1/2") wide, placed directly on the hand to protect the hand near the wrist. The tape may cross the back of the hand twice but shall not extend within one inch (1") of the knuckles when the hand is clenched to make a fist. Contestants shall use soft surgical bandage not over two inches (2") wide, held in place by not more than two feet (2') of surgeon’s adhesive tape for each hand. One (1) twenty- (20-) yard roll of bandage shall complete the wrappings for each hand. Bandages may be adjusted in the presence of an inspector and both contestants. Either contestant may waive the privilege of witnessing the bandaging of opponent’s hands. (14) Gloves shall not be twisted or manipulated in any way by the contestants or their seconds. If a glove breaks or a string becomes untied during the bout, the referee will instruct the timekeeper to take time-out while the glove is being adjusted. All gloves shall be at least eight (8) ounces, with the thumb attached. (15) Contestants must wear proper athletic attire and appropriate protective devices including mouthpiece and protective foul-proof cup. If the mouthpiece comes out during the fight, the referee may have the second replace the mouthpiece at the first lull in the action. (16) Only discretional use of petroleum jelly and nothing else will be allowed on the face, arms, or any part of the body. (17) Twenty (20) points may be the maximum number scored in any round. The round winner will receive ten (10) points and his/her opponent proportionately less. If the round is even, each contestant will receive ten (10) points. (18) A boxer will be deemed down when any part of the body other than the feet is on the floor or when s/he is hanging helplessly over or on the ring ropes (but even then s/he is not officially down until so pronounced by the referee, who may count him/her out on the ropes, on the floor, or while rising from a down position). (19) The following tactics or actions shall be fouls: (A) Hitting below the belt; (B) Hitting an opponent who is down or is getting up after being down; (C) Holding an opponent with one (1) hand and hitting with the other; (D) Holding or deliberately maintaining a clinch; (E) Wrestling or kicking; (F) Striking an opponent who is helpless as a result of blows but is supported by the ropes and does not fall; (G) Butting with the head or shoulder or using the knee; (H) Hitting with the open glove or with the butt of the hand, the wrist or the elbow, or backhand blows; (I) Purposely going down without being hit; AND INSURANCE (J) Deliberately striking the body over the kidneys; (K) Using the pivot blow or deliberately using the rabbit punch; (L) Jabbing the opponent’s eyes with the thumb of the glove; (M) Using abusive language in the ring; (N) Using any unsportsmanlike trick or action; (O) Hitting on the break; (P) Hitting after the bell has sounded ending the round; (Q) Roughing at the ropes; (R) Pushing an opponent about the ring or into the ropes; (S) Spitting out the mouthpiece intentionally; (T) Biting; and (U) Any other actions that are deemed fouls by the referee that are not described above and approved by the inspector may be called by the referee. (20) For the fouls listed in section (19), the referee may penalize a contestant by warning the contestant, taking a point(s), or disqualifying the contestant. (21) Injuries sustained by fouls include— (A) Intentional Fouls. 1. If an intentional foul causes an injury, and the injury is severe enough to terminate a bout immediately, the boxer causing the injury shall lose by disqualification. 2. If an intentional foul causes an injury and the bout is allowed to continue, the referee will notify the authorities and deduct two (2) points from the boxer who caused the foul. Point deductions for intentional fouls will be mandatory. 3. If an intentional foul causes an injury and the injury results in the bout being stopped in a later round, the injured boxer will win by technical decision if s/he is ahead on the scorecards or the bout will result in a technical draw if the injured boxer is behind or even on the scorecards. 4. If a boxer injures him/herself while attempting to intentionally foul his/her opponent, the referee will not take any action in his/her favor, and this injury will be the same as one produced by a fair blow. 5. If the referee feels that a boxer has conducted him/ herself in an unsportsmanlike manner s/he may stop the bout and disqualify the boxer. (B) Accidental Fouls. 1. If an accidental foul causes an injury severe enough for the referee to stop the bout immediately, the bout will result in a no contest if stopped before one-half (1/2) of the rounds are completed for bouts scheduled to last four (4) rounds through eight (8) rounds. In any bouts scheduled for nine (9) or more rounds, at least four (4) rounds must be completed. A round is complete when the bell rings signifying the end of the current round. 2. If an accidental foul causes an injury severe enough for the referee to stop the bout immediately, after four (4) rounds have been completed, the bout will result in a technical decision, awarded to the boxer who is ahead on the scorecards at the time the bout is stopped. A partial or incomplete round will be scored. If no action has occurred, the round should be scored as an even round. This is at the discretion of the judges. 3. A fighter who is hit with an accidental low blow may continue after a reasonable amount of time but no more than five (5) minutes or s/he will lose the fight by technical knockout. (22) In case of a cut, the referee may consult the physician to determine if the bout should be stopped or can continue. If the physician steps on the ring apron, the referee must have the injured contestant examined by the physician. Final authority rests with the referee. If the boxer who is cut by legal blows cannot continue, that boxer loses by technical knockout. (23) The office may discipline the license of any contestant, matchmaker, judge, second, or any official who is guilty of unfair dealings, unsportsmanlike conduct, protesting the decisions of the officials in an unsportsmanlike manner, or violating any rules. Any boxing second who acts in an unsportsmanlike manner may immediately be removed from their contestant’s corner. (24) Before a felled contestant resumes fighting after slipping, falling, or being knocked to the floor, the referee shall wipe the contestant’s gloves free of any foreign substance. (25) An individual who is making their professional debut as a boxer in Missouri will be required to have a minimum of six (6) sanctioned amateur bouts with a winning record prior to being permitted to compete as a professional boxing contestant in Missouri. AUTHORITY: sections 317.006 and 317.015, RSMo Supp. 2023.* This rule originally filed as 4 CSR 40-5.040. Original rule filed April 30, 1982, effective Sept. 11, 1982. Rescinded and readopted: Filed March 2, 1989, effective May 11, 1989. Amended: Filed July 25, 1994, effective Jan. 29, 1995. Rescinded and readopted: Filed Nov. 15, 2001, effective May 30, 2002. Moved to 20 CSR 2040-5.040, effective Aug. 28, 2006. Amended: Filed March 20, 2018, effective Sept. 30, 2018. Amended: Filed Jan. 25, 2019, effective Aug. 30, 2019. Amended: Filed July 19, 2021, effective Jan. 30, 2022. Amended: Filed April 2, 2024, effective Oct. 30, 2024. *Original authority: 317.006, RSMo 1983, amended 1996, 2007, 2018, and 317.015, RSMo 1996, amended 2007, 2020.