W. Va. Code R. § 177-1-46
Current through Register Vol. XLI, No. 50, December 13, 2024
Section 177-1-46 - Rules for Two-Night Semi-Professional Elimination Style Tournaments46.1. The following Section shall apply to all semi-professional, elimination style contests held in the State of West Virginia except as provided in Section 46a of this Series. All other rules and regulations under this Series shall apply to semi-professional contests and licensees unless indicated under this Section. Participants are not to be considered professional boxers.46.2. Qualification of contestants: 46.2.a. All contestants shall be at least 18 years of age or older.46.2.b. Contestants cannot have any previous professional fighting experience and cannot have won over five sanctioned, amateur boxing, kickboxing, or MMA bouts.46.2.c. Contestants must pass a physical examination prior to each bout. Immediately upon the conclusion of each bout, a contestant shall be examined by a physician.46.3. Format: 46.3.a. Except as provided in Section 46a of this Series, all semi-professional bouts are two night events. The contestants shall be paired based on experience, height, weight, and conditioning.46.3.b. All contestants shall fight once the first night.46.3.c. The final night shall be elimination tournament where bouts will be set up by subsection 46.4 below.46.3.d. Bouts shall be staggered to allow for adequate rest time between bouts and to all contestants.46.3.e. Each fight will be scheduled for three (3) rounds of sixty (60) seconds each.46.3.f. There shall be one (1) minute rest period between rounds.46.3.g. If a contestant wins a bout but is unable or unwilling to fight in the next round due to medical or voluntary disqualification, the contestant's opponent for the next round shall be given a bye. Under no circumstances may a contestant who has lost a match on either day of the tournament serve as a substitute for a medically or voluntarily disqualified contestant.46.4. Sequence of events: 46.4.a. All contestants are selected and paired based on experience, height, weight and condition.46.4.b. No one shall be aware of who they fight until the matches are posted prior to the fight.46.4.c. The first night fighters shall fight one time.46.4.d. The second night fight in bouts, again based on experience, height, weight and condition, and will then eliminate down to the winners.46.4.e. During the elimination stage of the tournament, the chief deputy may grant a contestant a bye if it is necessary to properly set matches within a round in which there are an uneven number of available and medically qualified contestants. Except in the event that the bye is necessary under subsection 46.3.g. of this Section, the contestant who is given a bye will be selected randomly by a blind draw.46.4.f. Three (3) knockdown and standing eight count rules shall apply.46.4.g. The promoter shall provide and pay for trainers, who have been licensed by the Commission under West Virginia Code § 29-5A-20, to serve as the corner person for each contestant in a match. The promoter shall not assign a trainer to work a match if the trainer has previously trained either contestant.46.5. Safety and equipment: 46.5.a. All contestants shall wear cups and mouth pieces at all times.46.5.b. All contestants shall utilize proper and approved hand wraps and 16 oz. boxing gloves.46.5.c. Proper clothing and shoes as set forth in Section 41 of this Series shall be worn by contestants.46.6. Option for Boxing or Kickboxing:46.6.a. At the selection of the promoter, semi-professional tournaments or any portion of the tournament maybe conducted under either the current rules of boxing as adopted by the Association of Boxing Commissions or the Kickboxing Rules as set forth in Section 47 of this Series.46.6.b. If a promoter selects to conduct a tournament or any portion of the tournament under the Kickboxing Rules, contestants competing under the Kickboxing Rules shall comply with the equipment, attire, and technique rules set forth under Subsection 47.2.a-b. or Subsection 47.3.a-b. depending on whether the contest is conducted under the American Full Contact or International Rules.46.6.c. Semi-professional contestants competing under either the American Full Contact or International Rules are required to wear sixteen (16) ounce gloves as specified under Subsection 47.2.a.5. and 47.3.a.1.W. Va. Code R. § 177-1-46