Ariz. Admin. Code § R19-2-D604 - Kickboxing

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

1. The ring shall be four-sided, not less than 17 feet nor more than 20 feet per side measured within the ropes.

2. The ring platform shall not be more than 4 feet above the surface upon which the ring is constructed and shall be provided with suitable steps for use of the contestants. Ring posts shall be of metal, not more than 4 inches in diameter, extending from the floor of the building to a height of 58 inches above the ring floor and shall be properly padded.

3. The floor shall be covered with shock-absorbent padding, as approved by the Commission, which shall extend beyond the ring ropes and over the edge of the platform.

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

5. There shall be four ropes, stretched and linked to four corner posts. The rope shall not be less than 1 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 and footpads.

1. World title bouts for men shall be fought with 8-ounce regulation gloves. All other male professional bouts may be fought with 8-ounce or 10-ounce gloves by agreement between the promoter and the contestants. All women's professional bouts, including world title bouts, and all amateur competitions shall be held with 10-ounce regulation gloves. Those contestants matched at a weight heavier than super welterweight may be required to wear gloves with more extensive padding than those contestants matched at a lighter weight.

2. All gloves must be nationally-approved brands or shall be submitted for approval to the Commission, and shall be in sanitary, safe, and good condition. Matched contestants shall wear padded protective equipment on the hands and feet of an identical size, shape, style and manufacture as provided by the promoter.

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

4. If footpads or shin guards are used, they shall be new and unbroken and shall be approved by the Commission.

C. Contestant's equipment and apparel.

1. For each bout, the promoter shall provide at least one clean water bucket in each corner, and shall provide the gloves for each contestant to ensure that matched contestants wear equipment of the same size, shape, style and manufacture.

2. Each contestant has the duty to provide the contestant's own hand bandaging, at least one light-colored and one dark-colored uniform, padded protective equipment to be worn on the feet, abdominal guard, breast protector (for women), mouthpiece, water bottle, and towel for use during an event. 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 contestants:

a. The combatants may not wear the same colors in the ring, without the approval of the Commission's representative. In bouts involving a champion currently recognized by the Commission, the champion shall choose which color uniform to wear. In all other bouts, the referee or the Commission representative in charge will designate which contestant will wear the light-colored uniform and which contestant will wear the dark-colored uniform.

b. All contestants must follow the World Kickboxing Association Dress Code approved for the discipline their bout is fought under.

c. Facial cosmetics shall be prohibited.

d. Male contestants must wear a foul-proof groin guard or abdominal guard. A plastic or aluminum cup with an athletic supporter is adequate. Female contestants must wear foul-proof breast guards. Plastic breast covers are adequate. Female contestants may also wear an abdominal guard.

D. Weight classes. No bout shall be scheduled when the weight difference between combatants exceeds an allowance of three and one-half percent of the division weight.

1. The following weight classes shall be used as a general guide for men:

Weights	Weight Range in Pounds
Strawweight	Less than 108
Atomweight	108-111.9
Flyweight	112-116.9
Bantamweight	117-121.9
Featherweight	122-126.9
Lightweight	127-131.9
Super Lightweight	132-136.9
Light Welterweight	137-141.9
Welterweight	142-146.9
Super Welterweight	147-152.9
Light Middleweight	153-158.9
Middleweight	159-164.9
Super Middleweight	165-171.9
Light Heavyweight	172-178.9
Light Cruiserweight	179-185.9
Cruiserweight	186-194.9
Super Cruiserweight	195-214.9
Heavyweight	215-234.9
Super Heavyweight	235+

2. The following weight classes shall be used as a general guide for women:

Weights	Weight Range in Pounds
Strawweight	Less than 108
Atomweight	108-111.9
Flyweight	112-116.9
Bantamweight	117-121.9
Featherweight	122-126.9
Lightweight	127-131.9
Super Lightweight	132-136.9
Light Welterweight	137-141.9
Welterweight	142-146.9
Super Welterweight	147-152.9
Light Middleweight	153-158.9
Middleweight	159-164.9
Super Middleweight	165-174.9
Cruiserweight	175-184.9
Super Cruiserweight	185-214.9
Heavyweight	215-234.9
Super Heavyweight	235+

E. Fair blows and fouls.

1. All punches must land with the knuckle part of the glove, and no other part of the glove or forearm can be used. All kicks must connect with the ball of the foot, the instep, the heel, side of the foot, or the shin from below the knee to the instep.

2. In professional kickboxing competition there is a minimum kick expectation of eight kicks per round, although kick counters will not be used. If the referee feels that a contestant is not kicking enough he or she may give a verbal warning. If the contestant continues without using enough kicks, the referee may deduct a point, and judges shall implement that deduction.

3. Contestants may kick or sweep to the inside or outside region of the leg. Any deliberate kick to the knee, groin, or hip joint shall be prohibited and shall constitute a foul. The referee may issue a warning, order point deductions from the judges scoring, or may disqualify the offending contestant for repeated violations.

4. In addition to the foul blows listed in R19-2-D601(W), the following practices are classified as fouls in kickboxing:

a. Knee strikes, elbow strikes, palm-heel strikes, slapping, or clubbing blows with the hands.

b. Striking the throat, collarbone, the kidneys, or a female contestant's breasts.

c. Hitting with the open glove, or with the wrist.

d. Kicking into the knee, or striking below the belt in any unauthorized manner.

e. Anti-joint techniques (i.e. striking or applying leverage against any joint).

f. Holding an opponent with one hand and hitting with the other.

g. Grabbing or holding onto an opponent's leg or foot.

h. Leg checking the opponent's leg (act of extending the leg or foot to stop the kick of an opponent) or stepping on the opponent's foot to prevent the opponent from moving or kicking.

i. Holding any part of the body or deliberately maintaining a clinch for any purpose.

j. Throwing or taking an opponent to the floor in any unauthorized manner.

k. Striking a downed opponent, or an opponent who is getting up after being down. A contestant is "downed" when any part of the contestant's body other than the soles of the feet touches the floor.

F. Intentional foul.

1. The referee shall have discretion as to the penalty for fouling. The referee may direct the deduction of one to two 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 that 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 bout is stopped because of an accidental foul, the referee shall determine whether or not the contestant who has been fouled can continue. The referee may consult with the attending physician. If the contestant's chances have not been seriously jeopardized as a result of the foul, the referee may order the bout continued after a reasonable interval.

2. On the other hand, if by reason of accidental foul a contestant shall be rendered unfit to continue the bout, it shall be terminated. The scorekeeper shall tally all scores, subtracting all penalties. If the injured contestant is behind on points in the majority opinion of the judges, then the referee shall declare the bout to be a technical draw. But if the injured contestant has a lead in points, then the referee shall declare the injured contestant to be the winner by technical decision.

3. Should an accidental foul terminate a bout during the first round, the referee shall declare the bout to be a technical draw.

H. Results specific to kickboxing.

1. When contestant is considered knocked down. A contestant shall be declared knocked down if any portion of the contestant's body, other than the feet touch the floor, or if the contestant hangs helplessly over the ropes. A contestant shall not be declared knocked down if he or she is pushed, thrown, or accidentally slips to the floor. The determination as to whether a contestant is pushed, thrown or slips to the floor, rather than being knocked down, shall be made by the referee.

2. Counting. Whenever a contestant is knocked down, the referee shall order the contestant's opponent to retire to the farthest neutral corner of the ring, pointing to the corner and immediately begin the count over the knocked down contestant. The time-keeper, through effective signaling, shall give the referee the correct one-second intervals for the count. The referee will audibly announce the passing of each one-second interval, indicating its passage with a downward motion of the arm. The referee's count is the only official count.

3. Length of Count.

a. Any time a contestant is knocked down, the referee shall automatically begin a mandatory 8 count and then, if the contestant appears able to continue, will allow the bout to resume.

i. The referee may, at his or her discretion, administer an 8 count to a contestant who has been stunned, but who remains standing. He or she shall direct the contestant's opponent to a neutral corner, then begin counting from 1 to 8, examining the stunned contestant as during the counts.

ii. If, after completing the standing 8 count, the referee determines that the contestant is able to continue, the referee shall order the bout to resume. But if the referee determines that the contestant is not able to continue, the referee shall stop the bout and declare the contestant's opponent to be the winner by technical knockout.

b. If the contestant taking the count is still down when the referee calls the count of 10, the referee shall wave both arms to indicate that the contestant has been knocked out and will signal that the contestant's opponent is the winner. A round's ending before the referee reached the count of 10 will have no bearing on the count. The contestant must still rise before the count of 10 to avoid a knockout.

c. Should a downed contestant rise before the count of 10 is reached and then go down again before being struck, the referee shall resume the count where he or she stopped counting.

d. Should both contestants go down at the same time, the referee shall continue to count as long as one of the contestants is down. If both contestants remain down until the count of 10, the bout will be stopped and the referee shall declare the bout to be a technical draw. But if one contestant rises before the count of 10 and the other contestant remains down, the first contestant to rise shall be declared the winner by knockout. Should both contestants rise before the count of 10, the round will continue.

4. Should a contestant be knocked down three times in one round from blows to the head, the referee shall stop the bout and declare the contestant's opponent to be the winner by technical knockout.

5. Whenever a contestant is knocked out primarily as a result of a kick, whether or not the kick occurred in combination with punches, the referee shall declare the contestant's opponent to be the winner by either kick knockout or technical kick knockout whichever is appropriate and shall be entered into the contestant's official record as a KKO.

6. A contestant who has been wrestled, pushed, or who has fallen through the ropes during the bout, may be helped back by anyone except the contestant's own seconds or manager. The referee shall allow reasonable time for the return. When on the ring platform outside the ropes, the contestant must enter the ring immediately. Should the contestant stall for time outside the ropes, the referee shall start the count without waiting for the contestant to re-enter the ring.

a. Once a fallen contestant re-enters the ring, the referee shall start the round from the moment that the contestant is back in the ring.

b. Whenever contestant falls through the ropes, the contestant's opponent must retire to the farthest neutral corner, as directed by the referee, and remain there until ordered to resume the bout.

c. A contestant who deliberately wrestles or throws an opponent from the ring, or who hits an opponent who is partly out of the ring and thus prevented by the ropes from assuming a position of defense, may be penalized.

7. Wiping gloves. Before a fallen contestant resumes competition, after having been knocked to, slipped to, or fallen to the floor, the referee shall wipe the contestant's gloves free of any foreign substance.

8. If after consulting with the physician, the referee decides that further contact below the belt, whether from fair or foul blow, will result in injury to a contestant's knee, the referee shall prohibit striking below the belt for the remainder of the bout.

I. Method of judging.

1. The judges shall score all bouts and determine the winner through the use of the 10-point must system. In this system the winner of each round receives 10 points and the opponent receives a proportionately smaller number. But in no circumstances shall a judge award the loser of each round with fewer than 7 points. If a round is judged even, each contestant shall receive 10 points. No fraction of points may be given.

2. Judges should base their scores on the relative effectiveness of each contestant in a given round. An official knockdown always demonstrates superior effectiveness. However, a contestant who is knocked down more from instability than from an opponent's blow, may be able to return from the knockdown and dominate the round by a large enough margin to be judged the winner. Also, the weight given to an official knockdown scored by one contestant must be equal to the weight given to an official knockdown scored by the contestant's opponent.

3. Generally, sweeps should not be given the same weight as an official knockdown. Judges should watch for the technique's effectiveness in slowing down an opponent.

4. A contestant who wins the round and does so with exceptional above-the-belt kicking technique, should be given a more favorable point advantage than the contestant who wins a round with a predominance of punching technique. Below-the-belt kicking technique should be given the same weight as punching techniques. A round should be awarded to the overall most effective above-the-waist kicker.

5. Further, a contestant who aggressively presses an opponent throughout a round, but cannot land a threatening kick or punch, should not be judged as favorably as the contestant who back pedals throughout the round but counter attacks with visible impact.

6. Judges shall award points to contestants on the basis of round by round outcomes and in accordance with the following scores:

a. 10 points to 10 points whenever neither contestant dominates the other with a superiority in effectiveness.

b. 10 points to 9 points whenever the winning contestant dominates the losing contestant with a marginal superiority in effectiveness.

c. 10 points to 8 points whenever the winning contestant dominates the losing contestant with exceptional above-the-waist kicking technique, or whenever the winning contestant dominates the losing contestant with a significant superiority in effectiveness as might be indicated by one knockdown.

d. 10 points to 7 points whenever the winning contestant dominates the losing contestant with an overwhelming superiority in effectiveness as must be indicated by more than one knockdown.

7. In the case of a professional or Pro Am title bout that ends in a draw, there shall be a tie-breaking extra round, that shall be decided by the referee.

J. Rounds.

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

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

Notes

Ariz. Admin. Code § R19-2-D604

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