Section 411.1. Equipment to be provided by promoters

The promoter shall assure that each event shall have the following:

1. A fighting ring that will be in the shape of a square, a hexagon, or an octagon. A square ring shall not be less than 18 feet square inside the ropes and shall not exceed 20 feet square inside the ropes. A hexagon or octagon ring shall not be less than 18 feet (from any side to the opposite side) inside the ropes and shall not exceed 32 feet (from any side to the opposite side) inside the ropes.

The ring floor shall be padded with ensolite one inch thick or another similar closed-cell foam. The padded ring floor must extend at least 18 inches beyond the ropes and over the edge of the platform with a top covering of canvas or other similar material tightly stretched and laced to the ring platform. Material that tends to gather in lumps or ridges shall not be used.

The ring platform shall not be more than five feet above the floor of the building and shall have suitable steps for use of the contestants in their corners and by the ringside physician in a neutral corner.

Ring posts shall be of metal, not more than three inches in diameter, extending from the floor of the building to a height of 58 inches above the ring floor. The ring posts shall be at least 18 inches away from the ring ropes.

There shall be four ring ropes, no more than one inch in diameter, evenly spaced, with the bottom ring rope not less than 18 inches above the ring floor and the top ring rope not more than 52 inches above the ring floor. The bottom ring rope must be padded with a padding of closed cell padding of not less than 1/2 inch (it is recommended that all ring roped be padded of the same thickness and material). Ropes are to be connected with soft rope ties six feet apart. All ring ropes are to be tight and approved.

All corners must be padded with approved pads. All turnbuckles are to be covered with a protective padding.

A ring stool and bucket shall be provided for each contestant's corner. The ring shall have bright lights and light all four corners and middle of the ring equally. No lights shall shine into the face of the contestants or ringside judges, lights may only shine downward and not shine at any angle directly into the fighting ring area that may blind the contestants or judges.

The promoter shall provide a ringside restrictive barrier between the first row of ringside seats and the event official's area that will prevent the crowd from confronting either the contestants or event officials. The ringside barrier must be a minimum of eight feet from the outside edge of the ring.

2. A bell or gong located at the ring no higher than the floor level of the ring. The bell or gong must produce a clear tone easily heard by the contestants.

3. Locker rooms adequate in number and equipment to reasonably facilitate the contestant's activities before and after the contest. Separate locker rooms shall be provided when both male and female contestants are scheduled to compete. Locker rooms shall have restroom facilities easily available.

4. A fully equipped ambulance with a currently trained ambulance crew at the site of any event for the entire duration of the event.

5. A notice to the nearest hospital and the persons in charge of its emergency room of the date, time, and location of event.

6. Gloves of the proper weight that are set by weight classification by rule. Gloves must have laces to secure proper fit. Gloves must have an attached thumb to the body of the glove. Gloves must be clean, free of cuts, and have good laces, with no displacement or lumping of padding material. Gloves used in world title fights shall be new and taken from the package just prior to issuing to the contestants. Gloves shall be inspected by the event inspector or his designee before each contest and those found defective shall be replaced before the contest.

7. A clear plastic water bottle, a bucket containing ice, surgeon's adhesive tape, and surgical gauze for each contestant.

8. A sealed over-the-counter pregnancy test kit, approved by the Food and Drug Administration, for each female boxer that will be given to the event inspector or his designee.

9. A solution of one part bleach and nine parts water for disinfecting blood on the ring canvas or ropes shall be available ringside for use by staff stationed ringside to clean the ring canvas and ropes as needed.

10. The promoter shall provide each corner with biohazardous material bags and, after the event, shall discard all regulated medical waste in the proper manner in accordance with the Regulated Medical Waste Management Regulations (9VAC20-120) issued by the Virginia Waste Management Board and available from the Department of Environmental Quality.

Historical Notes

Derived from Volume 23, Issue 24, eff. September 5, 2007; amended, Virginia Register Volume 25, Issue 15, eff. May 14, 2009; Volume 32, Issue 25, eff. September 7, 2016.

Statutory Authority

§ 54.1-831 of the Code of Virginia.