Basic Rules for the Sport of Amateur Boxing

Guidelines

1. Good Sportsmanship- ALL boxers touch gloves before the first round.

2. All boxers compete in tournaments under their own name-No nicknames

 

3. Beginning in 2010, annual physicals will be REQUIRED.

4. Wearing glasses inside the boxing ring is prohibited.

 

5. Male boxers compete only with each other, and female boxers will only compete with other female boxers.  These boxers must be registered under their own name within USA Boxing and compete within their respected age and weight categories.

Age and Weight Class

1. There are five categories within USA Boxing.  There is the Junior Olympic Boxer, the Open Division, Under Nineteen/Junior Men Division, Master Division, and The International Boxer.

2. Within each category, there are divisions.  The Junior Olympic Category is open to boxer’s ages 8 to 16 years old.  The Open Division is open to boxer’s ages 17 to 34 years old.  The Under Nineteen/Junior Men Division is open to boxers between 17 and 18 years old.  The Master Division is open to boxers is open to boxers minimum age of 35.  There should be NO age difference greater than 10 years between fighters.  Finally, the International Category is open to boxer’s ages 17 to 34 years of age.

 

3. Restrictions for Amateur Boxing:

• No professional boxers are allowed to compete
• No Incarcerated boxer is allowed to compete or register
• Female boxers are limited to participation with additional medical restrictions.  If any of these
• conditions exist, the athlete may not compete:

1. Pregnancy-confirmed, or suspected
2. Painful pelvic disease
3. Abnormal vaginal bleeding
4. Recent secondary amenorrhea
5. Recent breast bleeding
6. Recently discovered breast masses
7. Recent breast dysfunctions previously not present

 

(Reference: USA Boxing Rulebook)

 

Scoring
The awarding of points comes in the form of directives.

1. Scoring Blows

1. Each round, a judge will assess the number of blows obtained by each fighter.  For the blow to have scoring value, it must land directly with the knuckle portion of the glove without being blocked or guarded with the weight of the body behind it on any part of the front or sides of the head or body above the belt.

2. Non-Scoring Blows

1. These are blows struck by the fighter
2. Lands outside the scoring area: arm, back, etc. or merely connect without the weight of the body on the shoulder.

 

Fouls

1. There are three symbols a judge uses to annotate a foul: “W,” “X,” and “J”
2. “W”-Referee’s Warning
3. “X”-Judge disagrees with the referee’s warning
4. “J”-Judges Warning

Decisions

1. Win On Points-At the end of the contest, the fighter who has been awarded majority of the judges shall be declared the winner.
2. AIDS Stoppage Rule-If both boxers are bleeding, or if one is bleeding and the other has an opened wound, the referee can stop the match, while a doctor assesses the situation.  If the bout (fight) is stopped, the boxer ahead by more points is declared the winner.
3. Winner By Retirement-If a boxer retires voluntarily or if a boxer fails to resume after resting in between rounds, the opponent is declared the winner.
4. Win By Referee Stopping the Contest (RSC)-If a boxer is receiving excessive blows or is “outclasses” the referee can call the fight and the opponent will be declared the winner, and the RSCO is only used with the computer system.  If a boxer has a 20-point advantage for open and under or a 15-point advantage for Junior Olympics.
5. Injury-If a Referee declares that a boxer is too injured to continue, the opponent is declared the winner.

 

Safety

1. Each boxer will be examined the day of competition before and after each bout.
2. The referee must be examined before officiating a competition
3. If a fighter is knocked out, no one is allowed to touch him or her until the physician has examined the fighter from inside the ring.
4. There are certain restriction periods.

• 30-Days if a fighter receives a head blows or demonstrates a lack of normal response but has not been knocked down nor has a loss of consciousness.
• 90-Days occurs when a boxer has been knocked unconscious and unresponsive from normal stimuli for less then two minutes.
• 180-Days occurs when a boxer has been knocked unconscious and us unresponsive to normal stimuli for at least two minutes

   _ 5. The terms KO-KO-H, and/or Knockout does not apply to amateur boxing.

Attire

1. Hair shall be cut or arranged so that it does not interfere with the fighter’s vision.
2. Boxers are not allowed to wear eyeglasses during competition, but soft contact lenses are allowed.
3. Boxers shall be dressed neat and tidy
4. Boxers (male and female) must wear sleeveless athletic shirts of a different color from the waistband of the trunks.
5. Male Boxers must wear protective cups
6. Female boxers may wear a well-fitting breast protector
7. Boxers must wear a pair of loose-fitting trunks that reach halfway down the thigh, no lower than the knees.
8. The belt-line of the trunks should not exceed above the waistline
9. Socks may be worn of any color and may extend to within one inch below the knee.
10. No metal, straps, buckles, jewelry, or any other object that can cause injury may be worn.
11.  Shoes must be worn, and they must be made of soft material, without spikes, cleats, or heels.
12. No Boxer is allowed to wear an emblem of any kind showing his or her club
13. Headgear is mandatory at all levels of USA Boxing
14. Mouthpieces must be worn during each round
15. Boxers should wear the gloves given to them by the organizers at their disposal.