Ariz. Admin. Code § R19-2-D602 - Boxing

A. The ring. The promoter is responsible for providing a safe ring in accordance with the following:

1. The ring shall be four sided, between 16 and 20 feet per side, with two feet outside the ropes, and securely assembled.

2. The floor shall be covered with shock-absorbent padding, such as Ensolite or the equivalent.

3. The padding shall be covered with tightly-stretched clean canvas securely laced to the platform.

4. There shall be four ropes, stretched and linked to four corner posts. The rope shall not be less than one inch in diameter, and shall be covered by a soft or cushioning material. Positioning and tensioning of the rope shall be approved by the Commission.

B. Gloves. The promoter is responsible for providing boxing gloves for contestants in accordance with the following:

1. Gloves shall be 8 ounces in weight for all divisions under 135 pounds; and 10 ounces in weight for all divisions over 135 pounds, except that fighters of weight between 135 to 147 pounds may mutually agree in writing to use 8-ounce gloves. The promoter shall have two extra sets of 8-ounce and 10-ounce gloves available during an event.

2. All gloves shall be nationally-approved brands or shall be submitted for approval to the Commission, and shall be in sanitary, safe, and good condition.

3. Gloves for title bouts shall be new and delivered to the Commission representative with the packaging unbroken.

C. Contestant's equipment and apparel. Each contestant has the duty to provide personal hand bandaging, uniforms, robe, boxing or combat shoes, abdominal guard, mouthpiece, water bottle, bucket, and towel for use during a bout, unless certain items are provided under the promoter/fighter contract. A contestant's equipment is subject to the approval of the Commission or its representative and the following requirements apply to the equipment and apparel of all contestants:

1. The contestants may not wear the same colors in the ring, without the approval of the Commission's representative. Each contestant shall have two uniforms in contrasting colors, with each uniform consisting of trunks for male contestants and a top and shorts for female contestants.

2. The belt of the trunks or shorts shall not extend above the waistline.

3. Facial cosmetics shall be prohibited.

4. Each contestant shall wear an abdominal guard that will protect him or her against injury from a foul blow. The abdominal guard shall not cover or extend above the umbilicus.

D. Weight classes. The following traditional weight classes shall be used as a general guide:

Weights	Weight Range in Pounds
Flyweight	Less than 118
Bantamweight	118-125.9
Featherweight	126-134.9
Lightweight	135-146.9
Welterweight	147-159.9
Middleweight	160-174.9
Light Heavyweight	175-199.9
Heavyweight	200+

E. Fair blows and fouls.

1. Fair blows are delivered by a combatant with the padded knuckle part of the glove to the front or sides of the head, shoulders, arms, and front torso above the belt line of an opponent.

2. All blows that are not fair as described in subsection (E)(1) above are fouls. In addition to the foul blows listed in R19-2-D601(W), the following practices are also classified as fouls in boxing:

a. Hitting an opponent who is down or in the process of getting up after being down;

b. Holding an opponent with one hand and hitting with the other, or duck so low that the contestant's head is below an opponent's belt line;

c. Holding or maintaining a clinch after directed by the referee to break, or failure to take a full step back when the referee breaks a clinch;

d. Pushing, tripping, kicking, or wrestling;

e. Hitting with elbows, shoulder, or forearm;

f. Hitting with an open glove, the inside of the glove, the wrist, the backhand, or the side of the hand; and

g. Punching an opponent's back or the kidneys (kidney punch).

F. Intentional foul.

1. The referee shall have discretion as to the penalty for fouling. The referee may direct the deduction of points, and may also disqualify the wrongdoer, in the case of persistent or major fouling, or where the foul prevents continuance of the bout. Normally, in the case of minor fouling, the referee is expected to issue a warning before imposing a penalty. Penalties shall be imposed during or immediately after the round in which the foul occurs. The referee shall personally advise the corners and each judge of the points deducted immediately upon imposition of the penalty.

2. If a contestant is injured (e.g., cut) by an intentional foul but can continue, the referee shall notify the judges and the Commission representative at ringside that if the foul-inflicted injury is subsequently aggravated to the point that the injured contestant cannot continue, a technical win will be rendered in favor of the injured contestant if the injured contestant is ahead on points, or the points are even, and a technical draw will be rendered if the injured contestant is behind on points.

G. Accidental foul.

1. If a contestant is accidentally fouled so that the contestant cannot continue, the referee shall stop the bout and a technical decision shall be rendered in favor of the contestant ahead on points. If the points are even, or if the foul occurs in the first three rounds, a no contest shall be declared.

2. If a contestant is injured by an accidental foul but can continue, the referee shall notify the judges and the Commission representative at ringside that if the foul-inflicted injury is subsequently aggravated to the point that the injured contestant cannot continue, the bout will be stopped and a technical win will be rendered in favor of the contestant ahead on points. If the points are even, or if the injury occurs in the first three rounds, a no contest shall be declared.

H. Results specific to boxing.

1. In addition to the type of results listed in R19-2-D601(R), the following results are specific to boxing:

a. When contestant is considered knocked down. A contestant is considered to be knocked down when any part of the contestant's body, other than the soles of the feet are on the canvas, or the contestant hangs helplessly on the ropes, unable to stand, or the contestant is knocked out of the ring.

b. Counting. When the contestant is knocked down the referee shall order the opponent to the farthest neutral corner of the ring, pointing to the corner. The count shall begin by the timekeeper immediately upon the knockdown. The timekeeper, by audible counting and hand signaling, shall give the referee the correct one-second interval for the count. The referee shall pick up and audibly announce the passing of the seconds, accompanying the count with appropriate hand motions. The referee's count is the official count.

c. Length of Count. A contestant who is knocked down shall not be allowed to resume boxing until the referee has finished counting 8 ("mandatory 8 count"). A contestant may take the count either on the floor or standing. If the contestant taking the count is not standing in a complete upright position when the referee calls the count of 10, the referee shall wave both arms indicating that the contestant has been knocked out.

d. No saving by bell. Except in the last round, there is no saving by the bell. If a contestant is knocked down during the last 10 seconds of a round, the count shall continue after the end of the round as if the round was not ended. The one-minute rest period will begin from the time the contestant rises after the knockdown. If a contestant is knocked down during a round, and counted out after the end of a round, the knockout shall be considered as having taken place during the round which was last finished.

e. Wiping gloves. Before a contestant resumes boxing after having been knocked down, or having slipped, to the floor, the referee shall wipe any foreign substance from the contestant's gloves before allowing the bout to resume.

f. Three knockdowns. When a contestant is knocked down for the third time in a round, the referee shall stop the bout. The opponent shall be declared the winner. This rule shall not apply to championship contests, unless both contestants and the Commission agree that it should apply.

g. Knocked out of ring. A contestant who is knocked or fallen out of the ring, may be helped back onto the ring apron by anyone except the contestant's manager or seconds. The contestant has a total of 20 seconds to get into the ring and rise.

I. Method of judging.

1. Three judges shall score all bouts. Under special circumstances two judges and the referee may score. The method of judging shall be the 10-point must system. In this system the better contestant receives 10 points and the opponent proportionately less, but not less than 7 points. If the round is even, each contestant receives 10 points. A fraction of points may not be given. Points for each round shall be awarded immediately after the termination of the round and not subsequently changed. Judges shall sign their scorecards.

2. After each round, the referee shall pick up the scorecards of the judges and then deliver the cards to the Commission representative assigned to check them for mathematical accuracy. When the Commission representative has completed checking the final scorecards, the representative shall advise the announcer of the decision, and the announcer shall then inform the audience of the decision over the speaker system. The Commission representative shall be present at the ring apron when checking the score-cards.

J. Rounds.

1. The number of rounds in a boxing bout shall not exceed a maximum of 12.

2. The duration of each round shall be a maximum of three minutes, followed by a one-minute rest period after each non-final round.

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R19-2-D602

Amended by final rulemaking at 24 A.A.R. 445, effective 2/7/2018.