Chapter 06. Conduct of Boxing Contests

Flyweight ----------------------112 pounds or less;

Bantamweight -------------- over 112 to 118 pounds;

Featherweight ----------------over 118 to 126 pounds;

Junior lightweight ------------over 126 to 130 pounds;

Lightweight -------------------over 130 to 135 pounds;

Junior welterweight ---------over 135 to 140 pounds;

Welterweight -----------------over 140 to 147 pounds;

Junior middleweight ------- over 147 to 154 pounds;

Middleweight -----------------over 154 to 160 pounds;

Junior light heavyweight - over 160 to 168 pounds;

Light heavyweight -------- over 168 to 175 pounds;

Cruiserweight ------------ over 175 to 190 pounds;

Heavyweight ------------------------- over 190 pounds.

Flyweight -----------------------------3 pounds;

Bantamweight ------------------------4 pounds;

Featherweight -------------------------5 pounds;

Junior lightweight --------------------6 pounds;

Lightweight ---------------------------7 pounds;

Junior welterweight ------------------8 pounds;

Welterweight -------------------------10 pounds;

Junior middleweight -----------------11 pounds;

Middleweight -------------------------12 pounds;

Junior light heavyweight ----------13 pounds;

Light heavyweight -----------------15 pounds;

Cruiserweight -----------------------15 pounds;

Heavyweight -------------------------No limit.

Weighing of boxers for events shall take place not later than 12 noon on the day of the contest.

The boxer's weight shall be determined by a member of the Commission in the presence of the matchmaker, promoter, or manager of the boxers scheduled in a contest.

Opponents shall be weighed in the presence of each other.

A boxer shall be weighed wearing not more than trunks and socks.

Members of the press may be permitted to attend the weighing in.

Scales used for the weighing in shall be approved annually by the Division of Weights and Measures.

Passes the final physical; and

Meets the requirements of COMAR 09.14.03.02 and COMAR 09.14.04.

In all classes up to and including middleweights, bandages on the hands of a boxer shall be restricted to soft cloth not more than 10 yards in length and 2 inches in width that is held in place by not more than 4 feet of surgeon's tape for each hand.

In all other classes of boxer, bandages on the hands of a boxer shall meet the following requirements:

Bandages shall be adjusted in the dressing room in the presence of a Commission representative and both boxers.

Shoes shall be of soft material.

Shoes may not be fitted with spikes, cleats, hard soles, or hard heels.

Disqualified in a contest by the referee; and

Subject to disciplinary action under COMAR 09.14.02.07.

Hitting below the belt;

Hitting an opponent who is down or getting up after being down;

Holding;

Wrestling or kicking;

Striking an opponent who is helpless as a result of blows and supported by the ropes so that the opponent does not fall;

Butting with the head or shoulder or using the knee;

Hitting with the open glove, or with the butt of the hand, the wrist, or the elbow, and all backhand blows;

Going down without being hit;

Striking at that part of the body over the kidney;

The rabbit punch;

Jabbing the opponent's eye with the thumb of the glove;

Using abusive language in the ring;

Using an unsportsmanlike trick or action causing injury to an opponent;

Hitting on the break;

Hitting after the bell has sounded ending the round;

Roughing at the ropes;

Pushing an opponent about the ring or into the ropes; and

Biting.

The contest shall be declared a technical draw if the accidental foul occurs before the completion of half of the scheduled rounds; and

A technical decision shall be awarded to the boxer who is ahead on points if the accidental foul occurs after the completion of half of the scheduled rounds.

The contest shall be declared a technical draw if the bout is stopped before the completion of half of the scheduled rounds; and

A technical decision shall be awarded to the boxer who is ahead on points if the bout is stopped after the completion of half of the scheduled rounds.

Indicate on the official scorecard the number of points deducted from a boxer in any round a boxer is penalized; and

Notify the judges and both boxers of the number of points to be deducted at the conclusion of each round.

Part of the body other than the feet is on the ring floor;

Boxer is hanging helplessly over the ropes;

Boxer is rising from a down position; or

Boxer is knocked through the ropes.

The referee shall order the opponent to retire to the farthest corner of the ring by pointing to the corner and immediately begin the count over the boxer who is down;

The referee shall audibly announce the passing of the seconds by accompanying the count with motions of the arm with the downward motion indicating the end of each second;

A boxer who has suffered a knockdown may not resume boxing until the referee has finished a mandatory eight count;

A boxer may take the count either on the floor or standing;

The knockdown timekeeper, by effective signaling, shall give the referee the correct 1-second interval for the count; and

The referee's count shall be the official count.

If the boxer's opponent fails to stay in the farthest corner, the count may not continue until the opponent has returned to the proper corner;

If the boxer suffering the knockdown count rises during the count, the referee may stop the count to determine if the boxer is fit to continue; or

If the referee determines that the boxer can continue, the referee shall cease the count and order both boxers to continue the contest.

A referee's knockdown count may not be interrupted by the conclusion of the round; and

If the referee's knockdown count extends beyond the conclusion of the round, but the boxer suffering the knockdown rises before the count of ten and the referee determines that the boxer can continue, the referee shall give the command to box and the gong shall then be rung immediately to end the round.

The winner of each round receives ten points and the opponent a proportionately less number;

If a round is even, each boxer shall receive ten points; and

Fractions of points may not be awarded.

Knockdown;

Clean hits;

Effective aggressiveness;

Defense;

Ring generalship; and

Other relevant considerations.

Sportsmanlike actions in the ring;

Close adherence to the spirit as well as the letter of the regulations; and

Refraining from taking technical advantage of situations unfair to an opponent.

Persistent delays of a boxer by clinching; and

Lack of aggressiveness.

Each knockdown shall have a value of one point;

Points for each round shall be awarded immediately after the termination of the round;

Each judge shall:

The announcer shall collect the scorecards from the judges and deliver the scorecards to the Commission's representative for review;

The Commission's representative shall advise the announcer of the decision who shall, in turn, announce the decision to the audience;

A boxer receiving the decision from a majority of the judges shall be declared the winner of the contest; and

If neither boxer is granted the decision by a majority of the judges, the contest shall be declared to be a draw.

Before starting a contest, the referee shall ascertain from each boxer the name of the chief second.

The chief second shall be responsible for the conduct of the assistant seconds during the progress of the contest.

Seconds shall conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner throughout the contest;

Seconds shall remain seated during a round and may not assist a boxer in any manner during the round;

Seconds may not enter the ring until the timekeeper signals the conclusion of the round;

Seconds are prohibited from spraying or throwing water on a boxer at any time;

Seconds shall leave the ring enclosure upon the appropriate signal sounding 10 seconds before the beginning of each round; and

Seconds shall leave the ring platform promptly, removing all obstructions such as buckets and stools, when the gong signals the beginning of each round.

Violations of §C of this regulation, shall result in the ejection of a second from the boxer's corner.

Violations of §C of this regulation, may result in the disqualification of a boxer at the referee's discretion.

A minimum of 26 rounds of boxing; or

A maximum of 40 rounds of boxing.

The event includes a minimum of three professional matches, one of which consists of eight rounds or more;

The event includes a minimum of 20 rounds of professional boxing;

The event includes a minimum of eight rounds of amateur boxing;

The amateur contests all precede the professional contests, with the professional contests and amateur contests being separated by a 15-minute intermission; and

The promoter indicates on event tickets, as well as in advertisements pertaining to the event, that the event is a pro-am boxing event including both professional contests and amateur contests.

The boxer;

The boxer's manager;

The boxer's seconds; and

The Commission's representative.