Forbes Article
Nevada State Athletic Commission Home has two links for the revised statutes
Key Points:
The State Athletic Commission changed rules about gloves, ringside drinks and doctors, medical exams and trainers.
The commission also approved measures requiring more state funding, including increased drug testing, CT scans immediately after fights and other medical improvements. Those measures will be submitted Sept. 1 to state legislators for funding approval.
The heightened attention to boxer safety came after the 2005 deaths of Martin Sanchez in July and Leavander Johnson in September. It was the first time since 1933 that two fighters died in Nevada in the same year.
The deaths, coupled with two other Las Vegas bouts in which fighters suffered career-ending brain injuries, led the commission to establish the five-member advisory panel.
The new rules will allow approved sports drinks to be used ringside in addition to water to replenish dehydrated fighters, mandate three doctors at ringside instead of two and require all boxers to be examined in the ring immediately after bouts conclude.
The commission also will develop a test requiring trainers to know about nutrition, weight-loss, concussions and hydration before they are licensed. Previously, corner trainers needed only to complete a short application and pay $50. Commissioners also will consider punishing trainers for not sharing information about serious injuries during training.
Fighters 135 pounds and heavier will be required to use 10-ounce gloves. Previously, fighters 147 pounds and below could use 8-ounce gloves, which provide less padding and theoretically allow a boxer to punch harder.
Nevada already has been experimenting with some of the rule changes. An extra doctor will be ringside during Saturday's Fernando Vargas-Shane Mosley fight, and each fighter will be examined immediately afterward. The glove requirements will take effect in August.
The commission proposed tripling its budget and having the state pay for increased drug tests, CT scans for every boxer after every fight, a part-time commission doctor, a new medical advisory board and money for research. Commissioner Tony Alamo said the current annual budget is about $400,000.
Commissioners also supported the idea of fining boxers 10 percent of their purse if they fail to make a specified weight during their first attempted weigh-in. Weight management can be dangerous for fighters, who often dehydrate themselves, over- or under-eat or take other drastic measures to manipulate their weight.
Along with the changes, the commission is studying boxing gloves to see if some brands are safer than others. The group also will explore establishing health and pension funds for boxers, based on the panel's recommendations
Nevada State Athletic Commission Home has two links for the revised statutes
Key Points:
The State Athletic Commission changed rules about gloves, ringside drinks and doctors, medical exams and trainers.
The commission also approved measures requiring more state funding, including increased drug testing, CT scans immediately after fights and other medical improvements. Those measures will be submitted Sept. 1 to state legislators for funding approval.
The heightened attention to boxer safety came after the 2005 deaths of Martin Sanchez in July and Leavander Johnson in September. It was the first time since 1933 that two fighters died in Nevada in the same year.
The deaths, coupled with two other Las Vegas bouts in which fighters suffered career-ending brain injuries, led the commission to establish the five-member advisory panel.
The new rules will allow approved sports drinks to be used ringside in addition to water to replenish dehydrated fighters, mandate three doctors at ringside instead of two and require all boxers to be examined in the ring immediately after bouts conclude.
The commission also will develop a test requiring trainers to know about nutrition, weight-loss, concussions and hydration before they are licensed. Previously, corner trainers needed only to complete a short application and pay $50. Commissioners also will consider punishing trainers for not sharing information about serious injuries during training.
Fighters 135 pounds and heavier will be required to use 10-ounce gloves. Previously, fighters 147 pounds and below could use 8-ounce gloves, which provide less padding and theoretically allow a boxer to punch harder.
Nevada already has been experimenting with some of the rule changes. An extra doctor will be ringside during Saturday's Fernando Vargas-Shane Mosley fight, and each fighter will be examined immediately afterward. The glove requirements will take effect in August.
The commission proposed tripling its budget and having the state pay for increased drug tests, CT scans for every boxer after every fight, a part-time commission doctor, a new medical advisory board and money for research. Commissioner Tony Alamo said the current annual budget is about $400,000.
Commissioners also supported the idea of fining boxers 10 percent of their purse if they fail to make a specified weight during their first attempted weigh-in. Weight management can be dangerous for fighters, who often dehydrate themselves, over- or under-eat or take other drastic measures to manipulate their weight.
Along with the changes, the commission is studying boxing gloves to see if some brands are safer than others. The group also will explore establishing health and pension funds for boxers, based on the panel's recommendations
