Code of Maine Rules
99 - INDEPENDENT AGENCIES
650 - COMBAT SPORTS AUTHORITY OF MAINE (FORMERLY MIXED MARTIAL ARTS AUTHORITY OF MAINE)
Part 2 - Boxing rules
Chapter 5 - RULES GOVERNING REFEREES FOR BOXING CONTESTS
Section 650-2-5-5 - Referees' Duties
Universal Citation: 99 ME Code Rules ยง 650-2-5-5
Current through 2024-38, September 18, 2024
A. Referees shall be attired in apparel approved by the Authority.
B. Prior to commencement of a bout, a referee shall:
1. Inspect the mouthpiece of each
boxer, to ensure that mouthpieces are correctly inserted;
2. Inspect any dressing on a cut, wound,
abrasion, laceration, or blood swelling on the scalp or face, to determine
whether a boxer should be allowed to compete. Unless the dressing can be
removed and the injury, cut, or wound is not so serious as to endanger the
boxer, the referee shall not allow the boxer to compete;
3. Confirm boxers' identities;
4. Receive confirmation that each judge has
the correct identity of each boxer;
5. Meet with boxers and their chief seconds
in the dressing room to:
a. Warn the seconds
that violation of applicable rules may result in their disqualification,
disqualification of their boxers, and/or disciplinary action;
b. Identify the belt/hip line and clarify
that equipment shall not extend above that imaginary line;
c. Explain what to do when the warning
indicating that the end of a round is near sounds and when the bell ending the
round sounds;
d. Explain to the
chief second that he/she is expected to manage the corner,
e.g., clean up spills or ice, wipe off excess petroleum jelly,
and ensure that the boxer has his/her mouthpiece in place before the start of
each round;
e. Share how she/he
will direct the boxers to break,e.g., "punch" or "get out"
and, if necessary, "hold your punches" and step in and separate the
boxers;
f. Review fouls and how
she/he will issue cautions and/or deductions of points; and
g. Answer any questions from boxers and chief
seconds;
6. Meet with
each physician to:
a. Determine his/her
ringside experience;
b. Determine
where she/he will be located at ringside during the bout;
c. Remind the physician that he/she is not to
enter the ring unless directed to do so by the referee or the
Authority;
d. Specify the signal to
be used to call the physician into the ring;
e. Specify the signal to be used to call the
physician to a neutral corner;
f.
Direct the physician to mount the ring apron quickly if called to examine a
boxer, make a quick examination, and communicate with the referee;
g. Direct the physician not to make any
statement after examining a boxer that could change the dynamics of the bout,
e.g., "Let it go one more round"; and
h. Answer any questions from the physician;
and
7. Check the
condition of the ring to ensure that everything is ready for the bout (buckets
and stairs in red and blue corners, rope tension, ring floor, and canvas
condition, etc.).
C. When boxers enter the ring, a referee shall:
1. Make sure that no foreign substance
that might be detrimental to an opponent has been applied to the gloves or body
of a boxer;
2. Inspect gloves,
trunks, shoes (which must be double knotted and/or taped), hair, mouthpieces,
and safety equipment;
3.
Re-establish the belt line and check for jewelry;
4. After the announcer makes introductions,
call the boxers to center ring, give final instructions, direct boxers to
return to their corners, and clear the ring and ring apron in preparation for
the contest; and
5. Before
signaling the timekeeper to start the bout, check with each judge, the
timekeeper and the physician(s) to determine if they are
ready.
D. During a bout, a referee shall:
1. Ensure the safety of the
boxers;
2. Enforce all the rules
that apply to the conduct of a boxer's second;
3. Maintain control of the fight and issue
cautions and/or deduct points as appropriate;
4. Whenever the gloves of a boxer touch the
canvas floor, inspect the gloves and wipe them clean before the bout
proceeds;
5. If a boxer is cut, and
it is deemed appropriate, interrupt the bout to consult the ringside physician
to determine if the injured boxer can continue;
6. If a ringside physician steps onto the
ring apron, call time-out, and have the injured boxer examined by that
physician;
7. Immediately stop a
contest to inform the Authority and boxers of any injury caused by a head butt
or foul, determine if the act was intentional or accidental, and determine if
the bout can continue;
8. Instruct
the judges to mark their scorecards accordingly, when he/she has assessed a
foul;
9. If a boxer is still down
when the referee calls the count of ten or, in the opinion of the referee, a
boxer who has been knocked down is in no condition to continue, wave both arms
to indicate a knockout;
10. If both
boxers go down at the same time, continue the count as long as one of them is
still down. If both boxers remain down until the count of ten, stop the bout,
and the decision shall be a technical draw;
11. At the end of each round, pick up the
score cards from the judges and give them to the Authority, unless the
Authority has arranged some other procedure; and
12. Exercise exclusive and final authority to
stop or continue the bout, as deemed appropriate.
E. After a bout, a referee shall:
1. Pick up scorecards from the judges and
give them to the Authority;
3.
Inspect the hand wraps of both boxers after their gloves have been removed;
4. Call the boxers to center ring
and raise the hand of the winner after his/her name is announced; and
5. Maintain control of the ring, boxers, and
seconds, until the winner has been announced and all have exited the
ring.
Disclaimer: These regulations may not be the most recent version. Maine may have more current or accurate information. We make no warranties or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained on this site or the information linked to on the state site. Please check official sources.
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