Section 38 Number and time of rounds; frequency of tournaments or contests; time of termination of amateur exhibitions; gloves; protective devices - Massachusetts Statutes

[ Text of section effective until February 28, 2010. For text effective February 28, 2010, see below.]

  Section 38. Boxing or sparring matches or exhibitions shall not exceed ten rounds in length, but if such matches or exhibitions are to determine championships, they may, in the discretion of the commission, exceed ten rounds in length but not fifteen. No round in any such match or exhibition shall exceed three minutes. No contestant in a professional match or exhibition shall participate in more than ten such rounds, or more than the number of rounds determined by the commission as aforesaid, as the case may be, during any period of seventy-two hours. No contestant in amateur boxing shall compete in more than two tournaments in any period of seven days, nor participate in more than three contests between twelve o'clock noon of any day and twelve thirty o'clock in the morning of the next day. All amateur boxing or sparring matches or exhibitions held on any day shall terminate at or before twelve thirty o'clock in the morning of the next day. The contestants in professional matches or exhibitions shall wear, during the contest, gloves weighing at least eight ounces each and in amateur matches or exhibitions, unless otherwise authorized by the commission, the contestants shall wear, during the contest, gloves weighing at least eight ounces each. Every boxer participating in a boxing or sparring match or exhibition shall be required to wear a standard protective device, to be approved by the commission.

Chapter 147: Section 38. Number and time of rounds; frequency of tournaments or contests; gloves; protective devices

[ Text of section as amended by 2009, 169, Sec. 6 effective February 28, 2010. For text effective until February 28, 2010, see above.]

  Section 38. No boxing, kickboxing or other unarmed combative sporting match or exhibition shall exceed 10 rounds; provided, however, if a match is to determine a championship, it may exceed the round limits with the prior approval of the commission. No mixed martial arts match or exhibition shall exceed 3 rounds; provided, however, if a match is to determine a championship, it may exceed the round limits with the prior approval of the commission. No round in a boxing, kickboxing or other unarmed combative sporting match or exhibition shall exceed 3 minutes. No round in a mixed martial arts match or exhibition shall exceed 5 minutes. No contestant in a professional match or exhibition shall participate in more than 10 rounds unless otherwise authorized by the commission, as the case may be, during a 72-hour period. During a contest, contestants in professional boxing and kickboxing matches or exhibitions shall wear gloves weighing at least 8 ounces each unless otherwise authorized by the commission. During a contest, contestants in mixed martial arts and other unarmed combative sporting events, matches or exhibitions shall wear gloves weighing at least 4 ounces each unless otherwise authorized by the commission. Every contestant participating in boxing, kickboxing, mixed martial arts or other unarmed combative sporting event or exhibition shall be required to wear standard protective devices as outlined by regulation by the commission.