You asked (1) if there have been any recent legislative efforts to narrow state regulation of boxing to only professional events, leaving amateur boxing unregulated by the state and (2) how Connecticut compares to our neighboring states in this regard.

SUMMARY

Connecticut generally subjects amateur boxing to the same regulation as professional boxing. There are, however, some more stringent standards, such as that concerning the maximum length of a bout. We did not discover any legislative efforts to change the law in the past 15 years.

Our surrounding states all have some type of exemption from state regulation for amateur boxing sponsored or supervised by certain boxing associations, schools, or charitable or religious organizations. Massachusetts requires all boxing matches to be licensed but allows amateur matches to follow the rules of a sponsoring organization recognized by the United States Olympic Committee. New York exempts from state regulation boxing matches sponsored by schools, the United States Amateur Boxing Association, or the Olympics. Rhode Island exempts matches sponsored by schools or religious or charitable organizations engaged in training youth.

CONNECTICUT

Connecticut gave the consumer protection commissioner the authority to regulate amateur boxing in 1967 (1967, P. A. 787). The law gave him the same authority over it that he already had concerning wrestling bouts. In addition, it authorized him to adopt necessary and desirable regulations for the conduct, supervision, and safety of amateur boxing exhibitions. It authorized him to require amateur boxers comply with all of the requirements that apply to professional boxers.

The act also limited amateur boxing exhibitions to three two-minutes rounds. It prohibited amateur boxers from (1) being compensated for more than their reasonable expenses, (2) fighting more often than once in a day, or (3) being less than 18 years old. It required them to wear protective headgear and 12 ounce or larger boxing gloves.

Apart from increasing the maximum length of a match to five three-minute rounds, the law is substantively unchanged. The only other change made, or even attempted in recent years, concerning amateur boxing occurred in 1998 when the Boxing Promotion Commission was established (PA 98-117). One of the purposes of the commission is to make recommendations to identify ways of developing young boxers through amateur boxing clubs and other programs. The commission is a part of the Department of Consumer Protection.

MASSACHUSETTS

Massachusetts requires all matches to obtain a license from the State Boxing Commission. The law allows the commission to issue a license without a fee to bouts held in accordance with the rules and regulations of amateur organizations that it approves (Mass. Gen. Laws. Ch. 147 § 32).

The law requires the commission to acknowledge and follow the rules of amateur boxing governing bodies for bouts sanctioned governing bodies that are appointed and recognized by the United States Olympic Committee. Further, it must license amateur referees, judges, and other amateur officials assigned to the bouts by the governing bodies. It requires the commission to cooperate fully with the governing bodies to assure that amateur boxers are eligible to participate and compete for selection to the United States Olympic boxing team (Mass. Gen. Law Ch. 147 § 35A).

The law prohibits amateur boxers from competing in more than two tournaments in a seven-day period or more than three contests between noon on one day and 12: 30 a. m. the next day. It sets a 12: 30 a. m. curfew for amateur matches. It requires amateur boxers to wear gloves that are eight ounces or larger (Mass. Gen. Laws Ch. 147 § 38).

NEW YORK

The New York State Boxing Commission has sole control and jurisdiction over all boxing, sparring, and wrestling matches except those that are specifically exempted (N. Y. Gen. Bus. Laws, § 8906). The law exempts amateur contests sponsored by or under the supervision of (1) a university, college, school, or other educational institution recognized by the state or (2) the U. S. Amateur Boxing Federation, its local affiliates, or the American Olympic Association (N. Y. Unconsol. , § 8931).

RHODE ISLAND

Rhode Island’s Division of Racing and Athletics has jurisdiction over all boxing, except amateur matches under the supervision and control of (1) an educational institution recognized by the state or (2) a religious or charitable organization or society engaged in training youth and recognized as such by the division (R. I. Gen. Laws, § 41-5-1).

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