Section 29-143j-71a - Knockdowns and counting, professional boxing(a) A knockdown occurs when, as a result of a legal blow or series of legal blows, any part of the boxer's body other than boxer's feet touches the ring floor; the boxer is being held up by the ropes; or the boxer is hanging on, through or over the ring ropes without the ability to protect himself or herself and cannot fall to the floor. In the event of a knockdown, the downed boxer shall be allowed a count of ten in which to fully regain his or her feet unassisted. (1) When a knockdown occurs, the timekeeper shall at once commence calling off the seconds, indicating the count with an arm motion. The referee shall immediately order the other boxer to the furthest neutral corner and shall thereafter pick up the count from the timekeeper and indicate it with an arm motion. If the other boxer fails to go to or remain in the neutral corner as directed, the referee may stop the count and resume the count where the referee left off once the other boxer is in compliance.(2) The boxer knocked down shall be required to take a mandatory eight count whether or not the boxer has fully regained his or her feet before the eight count has been reached.(3) If the boxer knocked down fully regains his or her feet before the count of ten is reached and goes back down immediately without being struck, the referee shall resume the count where he or she left off.(4) If the boxer knocked down is unable to fully regain his or her feet and continue the bout at the count of ten, the referee shall stop the bout and declare the other boxer winner by a knockout.(5) A boxer shall be considered downed until the boxer fully regains his or her feet from a downed position.(6) A boxer shall not be saved by the bell in any round. When any round, including the last round, ends before a boxer who has been knocked down has fully regained his or her feet, the referee's count shall be continued and, if the downed boxer fails to fully regain his or her feet at the count of ten, the boxer shall be considered to have lost the bout by a knockout in the round just concluded.(b) If a bout is stopped by the referee between rounds, a technical knockout shall be recorded as having taken place in the round just concluded. If the bell for the subsequent round has already sounded and the bout is stopped by the referee, a technical knockout shall be recorded as having taken place in the subsequent round.(c) If a referee rules that a boxer slipped, fell down or was pushed to the ring floor, the referee shall halt the action, signal a ruling and order the downed boxer to his or her feet immediately in order to restart the bout without delay. Failure to rise may subject the downed boxer to a disqualification by the referee.(d) A boxer who falls or causes any part of the boxer's body other than the boxer's feet to touch the ring floor and who claims a foul which has not been ruled a foul by the referee may be counted out in the same manner as a knockdown.(e) A boxer who has been knocked or has fallen out of the ring and onto the floor during a bout shall receive a twenty second count to return to the ring on his or her feet unassisted. If assisted by anyone, the referee may deduct points or disqualify the boxer.(f) The referee shall not issue a standing eight count to a boxer in any bout.(g) The referee shall not be required to stop a bout in the event a boxer sustains three knockdowns in any round or during any bout.(h) The referee may stop a count or bout at any point the referee believes the safety of an injured boxer is at risk.Conn. Agencies Regs. § 29-143j-71a
Effective November 6, 2015