61K1-4.017. Boxing Conduct of Bout; Rounds

(1) All matches are to be designated as amateur.

(a) If advertising is conducted, the advertising shall clearly indicate the matches are amateur.

(b) No event shall have both amateur and professional matches.

(2) Conduct of Bout for all age groups:

(a) Matches between a male amateur and female amateur are not permitted.

(b) Any individual who has competed anywhere in the world as a professional in combat sports, including, but not limited to boxing, mixed martial arts, Tough-Man competitions, kickboxing, and cage fighting, is prohibited from competing in amateur boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts in the State of Florida. 

(c) All amateurs must enter and compete in all matches under their own names. The use of a ring name or nickname is strictly prohibited.

(d) Matches between a minor (16 years and younger) and an adult (18 years and older) are prohibited. Amateur sanctioning organizations are responsible for verifying age prior to permitting amateurs to compete.

(e) Excessive coaching from corner is prohibited. Cornermen must remain seated in the designated chairs throughout the entire round.

(f) When a amateur is knocked out or injured by submission, no one is allowed in the ring until authorized by a referee or physician.

(g) In the event that a fighter is knocked down, the referee will send the standing fighter to the furthest neutral corner and count over the downed fighter. The referee is required to reach the count of eight prior to allowing the bout to continue. A knock down is anytime a part of the amateur’s body other than the soles of the feet touch the ground or would have touched the ground if the fighter had not grabbed the ropes or his opponent, as the result of a legal strike.

(h) In the event that a fighter is hurt, but not knocked down, and the referee is not in position to immediately determine if the bout should be stopped, he may stop the action and send the undamaged fighter to the furthest neutral corner and evaluate the damaged fighter while administering an eight count.

(i) Amateur sanctioning organizations shall not permit more than two amateurs to participate in any match.

(j) No one under the age of 8 years old shall be permitted to participate in amateur boxing.

(k) When matches involve a crossover of age classes, the length of the rounds will be that for the younger-aged amateur’s class.

(l) Amateurs may compete against amateurs from one age class above or below their age class. Amateurs under the age of sixteen (16) may not compete against amateurs with more than a 24 month difference in age, based on the amateurs’ actual birthdates.

(m) Advance notices for all amateur boxing events shall be filed by the amateur sanctioning organization, with the commission at least the (10) days before the date of each match.

(3) Conduct of Bout for Bantam Class:

(a) Amateurs aged eight (8), nine (9), and ten (10) are in the Bantam Class;

(b) Eight (8) year olds  can only box eight (8) and nine (9) year olds;

(c) Nine (9) year olds can only box eight (8), nine (9) and ten (10) year olds;

(d) Ten (10) year olds can only box nine (9) and ten (10) year olds;

(e) The rounds shall consist of three one (1) minute rounds, with one minute between each round.

(4) Conduct of Bout for Junior Class:

(a) Amateurs aged eleven (11) and twelve (12) are in the Junior Class;

(b) The rounds shall consist of three one (1) minute rounds, with one minute between each round.

(5) Conduct of Bout for Intermediate Class:

(a) Amateurs aged thirteen (13) and fourteen (14) are in the Intermediate Class;

(b) The rounds shall consist of three one-and-a-half (1.5) minute rounds, with one minute between each round.

(6) Conduct of Bout for Senior Class:

(a) Amateurs aged fifteen (15) and sixteen (16) are in the Senior Class;

(b) The rounds shall consist of three two (2) minute rounds, with one minute between each round.

(7) Conduct of Bout for Adult Class:

(a) Amateurs aged seventeen (17) through thirty-four (34) are in the Adult Class;

(b) The rounds shall consist of no more than three three-minute rounds or five two-minute rounds, with one minute between each round.

(8) Conduct of Bout for Master Class:

(a) Amateurs aged thirty-five (35) and up are in the Master Class;

(b) The rounds shall consist of three two-minute rounds, with one minute between each round.

(9) Fouls generally for all age groups include but are not limited to:

(a) All illegal techniques qualify as fouls, and shall be called by the referee and stopped immediately upon the referee calling the foul. Referees shall not permit amateurs to continue to foul opponents.

(b) A referee having any reason to believe that a foul has been committed, which said referee did not witness, may consult the judges and will make an appropriate decision according to the majority of the judges who saw the blow.

(10) Illegal Techniques (fouls) for all age classes:

(a) Hitting below the belt, holding, tripping, kicking and head butting;

(b) Hits or blows with head, shoulder, forearm, elbow, throttling of the opponent, pressing with arm or elbow in opponent’s face, pressing the head of the opponent back over the ropes;

(c) Hitting with open glove, the inside of the glove, wrist or side of the hand;

(d) Hits landing on the back of the opponent, and especially any blow on the back of the neck or head and kidney punch;

(e) Hitting while holding the ropes or making any unfair use of the ropes;

(f) Lying on, wrestling, and throwing in the clinch;

(g) Hitting an opponent who is down or who is in the act of rising;

(h) Holding;

(i) Holding and hitting or pulling and hitting;

(j) Holding, or locking, of the opponent’s arm or head, or pushing an arm underneath the arm of the opponent;

(k) Ducking below the belt of the opponent in a dangerous manner;

(l) Completely passive defense by means of double cover and intentionally failing to avoid a blow;

(m) Not stepping back when ordered to break;

(n) Attempting to strike opponent immediately after the referee has order, “break” and before taking a step back;

(o) Assaulting or behaving in an aggressive manner toward a referee at any time;

(p) Spitting out mouthpiece;

(q) Pushing, shoving.

(11) Rounds:

(a) No amateur shall be permitted to participate in any amateur match on more than one day in any seven. Exceptions may be made by the executive director or his designee for regularly sanctioned tournaments held in the same venue requiring two or more days to compete, so long as the matches are held within a reasonable time. Requests for approval shall be made to the commission office no later than 10 days prior to the matches.

(b) The duration of each round of a men’s boxing match shall be 3 minutes with 1-minute rest intervals between rounds.

(c) The duration of each round of a women’s boxing match shall be 2 minutes with 1-minute rest intervals between rounds.

(d) A boxing match may be scheduled for no more than five rounds.

(12) Participation in subsequent matches:

(a) Any amateur who loses by way of a TKO shall not participate in any match for a minimum of thirty (30) days, unless cleared by a neurologist to return sooner.

(b) Any amateur who loses by way of KO shall not participate in any match for a minimum of sixty (60) days.

(c) Amateurs shall receive a mandatory seven-day rest period after competing in a match.  Day 1 of the mandatory rest period shall commence on the first day following the event.

(d) If the physician suspends an amateur based on a post-match physical, the amateur shall comply with all the stipulations listed by the physician in the suspension, including clearance by a physician licensed as an M.D. or D.O., prior participating in further matches.

Rulemaking Authority 548.003(2) FS. Law Implemented 548.003, 548.0065, 548.057 FS. History–New 3-14-13.