RULES

MEDICAL GUIDELINES

ORIENTAL AND PACIFIC BOXING FEDERATION (OPBF) MEDICAL CODE

(These medical guidelines – prepared by Dr Nasser V. Cruz, Chief of the Medical Section of the Philippine Government's Games and Amusements Board and OPBF representative on the World Boxing Council's Medical Board – were presented to and accepted by the OPBF’s 37th general meeting, in Moscow, Russia, on September 26, 1999.)

I. ANNUAL MEDICAL EXAMINATION
A. All boxers shall have a complete medical examination to obtain a boxer's license and yearly thereafter for renewal of their license.
The examination shall include complete medical history and physical examination of the applicant, including ophthalmologic exam, neuro-psychiatric evaluation and laboratory tests at the discretion of the local Commission's examining physician, based on the boxer’s fight record.
1. Minimum annual laboratory requirements:
Chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, complete blood count, serological tests (HIV, HBSAg), CT scan.
2. Maximum tests required for injured boxers:
Stress test, MRI/MRA, APOE4.
B. No boxer shall be allowed to engage in any fight or contest without undergoing a medical examination and being certified fit to fight by the examining doctor.

II. HIGH-RISK BOXERS
High-risk boxers should undergo maximum medical and neuropsychiatric evaluation. High-risk boxers include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Boxers over thirty-five (35) years of age.
2. Boxers with high exposure.
3. Boxers with poor performance (e.g. three [3] consecutive losses secondary to TKO/KO, or boxers with six [6] consecutive losses).
4. Boxers sustaining severe concussion.

III. CONDITIONS PREVENTING A BOXER COMPETING
Detection of several conditions may exclude a boxer from engaging in any fight or competition:
1. Any neurological abnormality (congenital or acquired) including epilepsy, migraine, abnormalities in CT scan, MRI, EEG tracing.
2. Any psychological problems like depression, schizophrenia, hypomania.
3. Visual problems: cataracts, retinal tear or detachment before and after treatment, exudates; uncorrected visual acuity of 20/70 requires ophthalmologic clearance.
4. Blood pressure over 140/90 after prolonged rest. Any organic heart disease (congenital or acquired), history of cardiac surgery.
5. Chest problems or any active lung disease – asthma, emphysema, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pneumothorax, etc.
6. Acute and chronic gastrointestinal abnormalities – hernias, organomegaly, hepatitis.
7. Acute or chronic infection of the ear (middle and inner ear), labyrinthitis.
8. Genitourinary problems – hematuria, albuminaria, renal diseases, active venereal disorders.
9. Severe skeletal abnormality which may cause body injuries.
10. Active skin infections – herpes, folliculitis, burns, etc.
11. Diabetes or other endocrine-related problems/abnormalities.
12. Anaemia and other acute or chronic blood disorders.

IV. EXAMINATION PRIOR TO BOUTS OUTSIDE OF BOXER’S JURISDICTION
A. Boxers participating in a boxing match outside of their home boxing jurisdiction (boxers fighting abroad) shall undergo medical examination conducted by the local boxing Commission physician before being issued their International Boxer’s Passport (IBP). The medical examination shall include:
1. Thorough medical and physical examination.
2. Neuropsychiatric evaluation, dilated fundoscopic eye examination.
3. Minimal laboratory tests, CT scan, CBC, urinalysis, serological test (HIV/HBSAg).
B. The medical examination for a championship bout should be submitted one month prior to the scheduled fight.
C. Boxers returning from their fight abroad should return to the local Commission Medical Section their Boxer’s Passport (IBP – Green Card) with properly-filled back portions as to the result of their fight abroad (WHETHER THERE ARE INJURIES OR NOT). Any boxer who loses his green card (IBP) before the expiry date shall be required to submit an affidavit testifying to the loss, otherwise a new boxer’s passport will not be issued. The expired green card (IBP) should be surrendered to the local boxing Commission for filing in the boxer’s folder.

V. PRE-BOUT EXAMINATIONS
All boxers scheduled for a boxing match should undergo medical and physical examinations after the weigh-in a day before the fight.

VI. POST-BOUT EXAMINATIONS
It shall be the duty of the stadium physician to follow the boxers back to the dressing room after the fight to check if both boxers are in satisfactory condition and institute any treatment (first aid) if necessary.

VII. POST-KNOCKOUT EXAMINATIONS
A. For the protection and welfare of the boxers, it is mandatory to perform at least the following examination on a boxer who has sustained a knockout or when the referee stops a contest after a boxer has been punished in the ring (one-sided contest):
1. Repeat CT scan or request an MRI/MRA if available/ affordable.
2. Neuropsychiatric evaluation.
3. Ophthalmologic exam.
B. All boxers sustaining a knockout or technical knockout should report to the Commission Medical Clinic to secure a medical clearance within seventy-two (72) hours after the fight. If the boxer cannot report to the Medical Clinic, he will be required to seek consultation to any private physician for examination and submit to the boxing Commission a medical certificate from the examining doctor as to his findings with regards to the boxer’s injury and his recommendations.
C. All examination findings on boxers who sustained severe injury should be reported to the local boxing Commission Medical Clinic for evaluation.

VIII. RESTING PERIODS AFTER KNOCKOUTS/TECHNICAL KNOCKOUTS
A. Boxers sustaining knockouts shall be suspended for:
1. 1st KO 45 days
2. 2nd KO (consecutive) 90 days
3. 3rd KO (consecutive) 180 days
4. 4th KO (consecutive) consider retirement.
B. For boxers sustaining technical knockouts, suspension shall be dependent upon the recommendation of the examining physician (ringside or stadium physician).
C. Boxers sustaining six (6) consecutive losses shall be suspended automatically for six (6) months, or depending upon the recommendation of the examining physician.

IX. ROLE OF MEDICAL OFFICERS
1. There must be at least TWO (2) DOCTORS at any local or international boxing contest (championship and non-championship fights). One (1) doctor will serve as the ringside physician and the other one (1) as stadium physician who has the responsibility of checking on the boxers for any medical problems after each bout.
2. Doctors attending the boxing event shall be equipped with stethoscope, otoscope, ophthalmoscope, patellar hammer, BP apparatus, and other first-aid tools. Post-bout examinations should be done on all boxers sustaining injuries and reports should be submitted to the local boxing Commission with the proper recommendations.
3. Ringside physicians should check that necessary medical equipment is available to limit the extent of injuries as much as possible.
4. Doctors should visit the dressing room of boxers before the fight to advise them regarding the use of prohibited substances like stimulants, hemostatics or artificial coverings used to stop bleeding from a cut, liniments or any astringent lotion which, when applied to the boxer’s body, may damage or irritate boxers’ eyes or wounds.
5. The doctors should see to it that a standby ambulance equipped with emergency apparatus is present on the site of the boxing arena and other emergency accessories are at the ringside. No boxing contest shall take place without a standby ambulance.

X. EMERGENCY ACCESSORIES AT RINGSIDE
A. No boxing contest shall commence without the following emergency accessories at ringside:
1. Stretcher under the ring apron.
2. Portable oxygen with regulator and nasal cannula or face mask.
3. Standby ambulance parked in a freely accessible place, just outside the boxing arena, equipped with emergency resuscitator.
B. The promoter shall have the responsibility of providing the needed accessories during a boxing contest. The promoter shall also have the responsibility of locating the nearest hospital, the telephone number and the name of the neurosurgeon on duty, in case of emergency. The duty physician will be the one to coordinate with the neurosurgeon and his staff.

XI. VENUE
No boxing contest shall take place in an area where there is no hospital equipped with neuro-surgical and neurological facilities. The hospital should be near the boxing arena (the most is fifteen [15] minutes’ drive from the boxing arena). The boxing arena should have an examination room, properly lit, with first-aid equipment for the purpose of examining and treating the injured boxers.
(In addition to these guidelines are the following recommendations.
(a) Trial weigh-ins at thirty (30) days and seven (7) days pre-fight, with maximum above-limit tolerances of ten (10) per cent at thirty (30) days and five (5) per cent at seven (7) days.
(b) Inclusion in annual pre-registration medicals of tests assessing body-fat ratios, to determine in which weight divisions it is medically safe for boxers to compete.)

APO E4 TESTING
The Federation strongly advises member Commissions to mandate once-only APO E4 testing of all their boxers to determine if there is a predisposition to brain injury. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

MEDICAL CLEARANCE BOOKLET
The Federation shall provide a Medical Clearance Booklet/ International Boxer’s License, valid for three (3) years, with provision for renewal, to be issued to boxers by their home Commissions. These booklets shall have space to register the boxers’ medical examinations conducted by their home Commissions before competition abroad, with space to record results of fights during the validity years, and recommendations of the attending physician of the host country. In this way, the history of a boxer’s past fights and medical results can easily be tracked and verified. Boxers must present their booklets to their home Commission for clearance to box abroad; shall, pre-fight, present their booklets to the host Commission abroad for stamping and endorsement; and shall, on their return home, present their booklets to the home Commission for confirmation that the proper procedure was followed. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

REASONS FOR STOPPING A FIGHT

ABSOLUTE
Bleeding from ear canal
Loss of time or place orientation
Inability to see
Visible Signs:
Copious blood into eye
Eye closed
Complaint of double vision
Complaint by boxer that he can't see
Staggers or poor balance after a blow on the ear

JUDGEMENT CALLS
No chance of winning
Taking too many punches
Defense is poor or disoriented
Staggering – loss of balance
Eye closing – when vision is impaired
Blood running into eye, enough to impair vision
Difficulty breathing (broken ribs)
Specific cuts:
Fast evaluation of damage if cut is enlarged
Corner of eye (either)
Quarter extension could damage the muscles
Cut of brow will cause no damage
Cut of brow that is bleeding profusely can cut down vision
Cut just below brow on lid is damaging to lid mechanism – stop the fight
Cut of scalp may bleed more than any other yet is harmless
Cut under eye on cheek usually looks bad but causes no damage unless eye closes or there is a facial fracture

1. DEFINITIONS
In the interpretation of these regulations, unless the context indicates a different meaning, the words "Federation" and “OPBF” mean the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation. “Commission” means the body which controls professional boxing in each individual country.

Article 1-1. Membership
One individual country shall be represented by only one Commission; provided that if there is more than one Commission in one country, that country shall be represented in the OPBF by the Commission that is approved and admitted as OPBF member. (Amendment, 1998, Manila.)
Members: American Samoa, Australia, Fiji, Guam, Hawaii, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, New Zealand, PAMA (Professional Association of Martial Arts), Papua New Guinea, Philippines, Republic of China, Thailand, Tonga, Western Samoa.
Annual Membership Fee: $US250.00.
The OPBF financial year is from January 1 to December 31 annually.

Article 1-2. Counsellor
The position of Counsellor in the Federation replaces the previous title of Vice-President. Function of the Counsellor is to assist the President in the implementation of the rules. The outgoing President of the Federation shall be automatically installed in the position of Counsellor. (Amendment, 1998, Manila.)

Article 1-3. President
1. The President of the Federation shall be elected by majority vote of the attending commissions for a term of two (2) years.
2. No President of the Federation shall serve continuously for more than three (3) consecutive terms.
3. No member of a particular boxing Commission whose co-member has already served three (3) consecutive terms as President of the Federation shall be eligible to run as President in the next election. (Amendment, 2000, Mexico City.)

“Promoter” means any corporation, incorporated club, or corporation or individual engaged in the promotion of regularly scheduled or individual boxing shows or contests. Contests are considered “Boxing Contests” and not “Prize Fights”.

2. MEETINGS OF FEDERATION
A General Meeting of the Federation shall be held once every two (2) years. The time and place will be determined by the country where the Federation is holding office. A Special Meeting may be called when it is deemed necessary by the majority of members.

Article 2-1
The required General Meeting each two (2) years may be augmented by additional meetings each year at the site and date of the World Boxing Council annual convention. (Amendment, 1998, Manila.)

3. PRESS RELATIONS
The Federation or Commission may, at their discretion, after each Meeting issue a bulletin to the press of items of interest to the public and may, at their discretion, invite members of the press to attend meetings and hearings.

4. LICENSES
The Commission may, at its discretion, issue licenses to individuals or organizations holding boxing contests, and to officials, contestants, managers and seconds. Such licenses may be revoked, for cause, at any time at the discretion of the Commission. Each applicant for a license shall be required to certify as to whether or not he has ever been convicted of a felony. Promoters, conducting regular contests, shall pay an annual license fee set by the Commission or laws of the state or city concerned.

5. BOND REQUIRED
Before a license shall be granted to a promoter, he shall execute and file with the Commission a bond in a sum set by the Commission, or the laws of the state or city concerned, guaranteeing the fulfilment of his contract with contestants or their managers and the payment of license and permit fees and taxes on gross receipts. In case of default in such performance, recovery may be had on such bond in the same manner as other penalties are recovered by law.

6. RESIDENT STATUS
Promoters shall be responsible to the Commission. If individuals, they shall be bona fide residents of the state or city concerned for at least three (3) years preceding their application for permit, provided that such residence requirement may be waived by order of the Commission, subscribed to by each and every member thereof. If corporations, they shall maintain, in the state concerned, an agent authorized to accept the service of judicial process and other documents, and a certified copy of such authorization shall be filed with the Commission. If unincorporated clubs or associations, at least three of the trustees or managing directors thereof shall be bona fide residents of the district concerned and their names shall be filed with the Commission.

7. PERMITS AND OPTIONS
Where more than one (1) promoter operates in any one (1) city, before any boxing show may be held, the promoter hereof shall first obtain from the Commission a permit to conduct such show.
Each application for such permit shall state on the face thereof that the applicant therefore agrees to accord to the Commission the right to examine the books of account and other records of the applicant relating to the boxing exhibition for which such permit is issued. Such permit shall name the main bout and supporting contest, the number of rounds and the date and place of contest. All changes and substitutions must be sanctioned in writing by the Commission.
Such permit shall not be granted until the formal contracts, executed upon the forms supplied by the Commission, with all signatures witnessed, shall have been submitted to the Commission. An application for a permit is complete only when accompanied by such contracts. Such applications for permits shall be filed as soon as possible and not later than five (5) days before the contest.
Licensed promoters of professional shows shall, not later than the first of the month preceding the month for which permits are desired, submit to the Commission in writing a request for options on the dates on which they desire to stage shows.
When more than one (1) promoter is operating, these optional dates shall be equally apportioned. However, such optional dates are not final assignments for specific shows, as such shows can be staged only when the formal permits above referred to have been granted. When any one (1) promoter does not desire to or cannot use the equal number of dates assigned to him, the Commission may grant to another promoter the permits allowing him to utilize the vacant optional dates.
The Commission may waive in writing the provisions of these rules when the interval between bouts is reduced by postponements, inclement weather or other incidents which in the opinion of the Commission justify such waiver.
Applications for permits shall contain a sworn statement, signed by the promoter, listing the last six (6) fights of each contestant in the main bout.

8. RADIO-TELEVISION
If and when television, radio or motion picture rights are assigned to a boxing promoter, or admission for the same is charged at a theater, hall, or auditorium, the Commission shall collect a certain percentage of such income, the amount to be determined by each individual Commission, wherever it is authorized under the laws of the state concerned.

9. ADVANCE ADVERTISING
A promoter shall not release publicity on any bout until the permit for such bout has been granted.

10. MATCHMAKER
Matchmakers employed by licensed promoters, if acceptable to the Commission, shall be licensed by the Commission at a fee (if any) to be fixed by the Commission. In such cases, the matchmaker and the promoter shall be jointly responsible to the Commission for matches made.
Matches shall be made only by a licensed matchmaker.
Matchmakers will be held responsible by the Commission if they make matches in which one of the principals is outclassed. Persistent lack of judgement in this matter will be regarded as cause for canceling a matchmaker’s license, for the protection of both the boxers and the public. The matchmaker shall have no connection with any boxer or stable of boxers.

11. THE SECRETARY
The Secretary of the Federation shall keep a full and true record of all the Federation’s proceedings, preserve and keep its books, documents, papers, records, prepare such papers, reports and other documents as may be required by the Federation and perform such other duties as may be assigned from time to time by the President of the Federation, who shall hold office for a period of two (2) years.
The Federation’s Counsellor (formerly, Vice-President) shall be the outgoing Federation President.

12. PERCENTAGE BASIS BOUTS
Percentage shall mean percentage of the nett gate receipts. Not more than seventy per centum (70%) of the purse agreed upon for the main bout may be paid to either contestant.
The words “nett gate” shall mean the gross gate receipts after the Federation and Boxing Commission taxes shall have been deducted therefrom.

13. COMMISSION’S GATE TAX
At each and every set of contests where an admission fee is charged directly or indirectly, the Commission shall collect the tax, which shall be determined by each individual Commission.

14. INSPECTORS
The Commission shall from time to time appoint inspectors. At least one (1) inspector shall be present at all contests.
No person who is directly or indirectly interested in the management of any contestants, or who is an individual promoter, or stockholder in or employee of a corporation or interested in an unincorporated club or association engaged in the promotion of the contest, shall be granted an inspector's license.
At each boxing performance where an admission fee is charged, an official or inspector of the Commission shall attend and, upon its conclusion, shall sign a detailed report showing the results of the bouts, attendance, number of tickets sold at various prices and total gate receipts. Such report shall also be signed by the promoter. The supervision of the gates at each performance shall be accomplished jointly by a representative of the promoter and of the Commission. The counting of the gate receipts shall be similarly supervised. The box in which tickets are deposited shall be double padlocked, one lock to be opened by the Commission's inspectors and one by the promoter's representative.
Inspectors shall work in cooperation and in conjunction with such police officers as may be detailed for duty at boxing contests.
The Commission shall issue licenses to such agents at a boxing show who perform functions as representatives of the Commission. This shall include box-office inspectors, ticket collectors and door men, glove men, referees, seconds, managers.

15. FAILURE TO SUBMIT REPORT
Failure to promptly sign the report of gate receipts shall result in the suspension of the promoter’s permit to stage the next scheduled performance.

16. APPLICATIONS
All applications for permits and licenses shall be under oath.

17. COMPENSATION OF PROFESSIONAL CONTESTANTS
Promoters shall pay for the services of contestants the amount agreed upon and said payment shall be made only to the duly recognized manager, said manager being recognized by the Commission as the accredited manager of the contestant, or to the contestant himself if he has no recognized manager.
The contract of management between the contestant and his manager shall provide for no greater sum than 33-1/3% of the contestant’s purse and said manager shall not be permitted to collect from the contestant for his services as a manager a sum in excess of 33-1/3% (33.3%).
Contestants shall not “cut back” any part of the amount paid them to any manager, second, official of the Commission, promoter or matchmaker, and no other manager, second, official of the Commission, promoter or matchmaker shall accept such a “cut back” if same is offered by a contestant.

18. MINIMUM AGE LIMIT
No professional boxer shall be licensed if he is under eighteen (18) years of age. No manager shall be licensed if he is under twenty-one (21) years of age, and no second shall be licensed if he is under eighteen (18) years of age.
The Commission may require a birth certificate or an equally bona fide certification as to age.

19. ASSUMED NAMES
In applying for a license, a contestant shall give both his correct name and his ring name and his address, together with names appearing on licenses held under other boxing commissions. Assumption of a false name for fraudulent purposes shall result in automatic debarment from Commission license.

20. DESIGNATION OF OFFICIALS
In all contests, the referee or referees, judges, examining physician and timekeepers shall be designated by the Commission and only the officials so designated shall have authority to perform their respective functions.

21. PROFESSIONAL AND AMATEUR
A professional boxer is one who competes for money prizes. An amateur boxer is one who competes for anything other than money.
Before an amateur boxer may be permitted to turn professional, a check shall be made with the body controlling amateur boxing in the state concerned. The boxer shall file a written application for a professional license at least thirty (30) days before his first professional bout.

22. FAILURE TO APPEAR
The Commission may require any contestant to deposit with it a sum to guarantee his appearance to take part in any contest for which he has signed or has been signed by his duly-licensed manager. Any contestant absenting himself from such contest and who does not furnish a valid excuse, or a doctor’s certificate in case of physical disability, to the Commission, shall forfeit the sum deposited with the Commission.
In addition to such forfeiture, the license of such contestant shall be suspended; provided, however, that the Commission may at its discretion lift such suspension.
Notice of such suspensions shall be forwarded to the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation which in turn will notify the affiliated Commissions.
Whenever a licensed contestant, because of injuries or illness, is unable to take part in a contest for which he is under contract, an examination by a physician designated by the Commission shall be conducted. Said physician must report his findings to the Commission.

23. WEIGH-IN
Contestants shall be weighed in the presence of each other and an official of the Commission at such time prior to the bout as may be designated by the Commission.
At the weigh-in of all contestants, duly accredited newspaper representatives shall, upon request, be admitted.
In the event of a postponement of more than twenty-four (24) hours after the original scheduled date, contestants shall be required to weigh again on the actual date of the contest.
Contestants shall appear at the time designated for the weigh-in, unless properly excused from so appearing.
If one of the boxers (the champion or the challenger) exceeds the prescribed weight, he will be allowed two (2) hours to weigh-in, as many times as necessary, in order to make the weight. If one of the boxers cannot make the weight within the allowed two (2) hours, he will lose the qualification to fight for the OPBF Championship.
The official weigh-in ceremony shall take place on the day previous to the fight between six o’clock in the evening (6:00 p.m.) and eight o’clock (8:00 p.m.).
In all Federation bouts excluding the heavyweight division, trial weigh-ins will be conducted at thirty (30) days and seven (7) days pre-bout, with a requirement the boxer is no more than 10% over the division weight at thirty (30) days and no more than 5% over the division weight at seven (7) days. These trial weigh-ins will be conducted by the boxers’ home Commissions. Failure to meet the trial weigh-in requirements means automatic cancellation of the Federation bout. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

24. WEIGHTS AND CLASSES
Minimum: 47.627 kgs (105 lbs)
Light Flyweight: 48.988 kgs (108 lbs)
Flyweight: 50.802 kgs (112 lbs)
Super Flyweight: 52.163 kgs (115 lbs)
Bantamweight: 53.524 kgs (118 lbs)
Super Bantamweight: 55.338 kgs (122 lbs)
Featherweight: 57.153 kgs (126 lbs)
Super Featherweight: 58.967 kgs (130 lbs)
Lightweight: 61.235 kgs (135 lbs)
Super Lightweight: 63.503 kgs (140 lbs)
Welterweight: 66.678 kgs (147 lbs)
Super Welterweight: 69.853 kgs (154 lbs)
Middleweight: 72.575 kgs (160 lbs)
Super Middleweight: 76.204 kgs (168 lbs)
Light Heavyweight: 79.379 kgs (175 lbs)
Cruiserweight: 86.183 kgs (190 lbs)
Heavyweight: over 86.183 kgs (190 lbs); no limit
No contest will be permitted when there is a difference in weight of more than twelve (12) pounds when the lighter of the two contestants weighs between 160 and 175 pounds, or ten (10) pounds in weight when the lighter of the two contestants weighs between 135 and 160 pounds in weight, or four (4) pounds in weight when the lighter of the two (2) contestants weighs less than the Featherweight limit.
No exception shall be made to this rule except by written permission of the Commission.

25. CONTRACTS AND AGREEMENTS
The Commission shall be furnished with the originals or certified copies of all contracts between promoter and contestant or managers of contestants.
The Commission shall also be furnished with a report signed by the promoter or the matchmaker and the contestants showing the amount of compensation paid to each contestant and the number of rounds contracted for.
The contract shall include a clause in which the boxer and manager certify that the boxer is in A-1 shape and is not concealing an illness or injury.
No contract for an OPBF Championship contest shall contain any provision guaranteeing either contestant a return OPBF Championship contest. This regulation shall apply with equal force to written and oral contracts as well as to written and oral supplemental contracts and collateral agreements. Violation of this regulation shall cause the stripping of the OPBF Championship involved.

Article 25-1 Option Agreement
Only one (1) option to a promoter from a challenger boxer in optional Federation title bouts shall be permitted, at the request of the promoter.
All option agreements must be registered with and approved by the President of the Federation to be legal and enforceable under the OPBF Rules and Regulations.
Option agreements for Championship fights must be signed by the official manager and shall have the signature of acknowledgment of the boxer.

26. ORIENTAL AND PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIP CONTESTS
All Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation title bouts shall be of twelve (12) three (3) minute rounds.
Champions must defend their titles within a period of nine (9) months after the date of acquiring said title; provided, however, there is a worthy challenger and a promoter is willing to stage the bout.
In no case, however, shall the period of defense extend beyond one (1) year. Failure to defend within twelve (12) months of acquiring the title would be sufficient grounds for the Federation to withdraw recognition of the titleholder as Champion.
The Champion must defend his Championship within intervals of no more than nine (9) months against the leading available contender or a contender rated by recognized world boxing organizations (hereinafter, leading available contender) in his weight division in accordance with the current ratings list of the Federation.
A contender rated in the same class by recognized world boxing organizations shall be entitled priority to challenge in a Federation mandatory-championship fight, if he is willing to challenge.
A promoter, however, shall retain the right to select a world-rated fighter if more than one contender rated in the same division is willing to challenge.
In the interim period of said nine (9) months, the Champion may defend his Championship against any opponents selected from the top ten (10) fighters in his weight division, in accordance with the current ratings list of the Federation, provided the opponent is rated at least sixty (60) days before the date of the particular fight.
However, should the Champion lose his title against an opponent other than the leading available contender, and the mandatory defense is due, the new Champion shall be required to make his first defense against the leading available contender within a period of sixty (60) days after the acquisition of his title with submission of a medical certification to the President of the Federation.
Thereafter, through the Champion’s reign as Federation Champion he shall defend his Championship within intervals of no more than nine (9) months against the leading available contender.
A Champion may defend his title against a boxer of his own nationality.
The sanction fee for each OPBF title bout is $US500. In addition, OPBF title-bout promoters will pay an annual license fee of $US500, covering all or part of each year. It is the responsibility of Commissions to collect the sanction and license fees and remit them to the Federation.
Commission requests for approval of a mandatory OPBF title bout should be made at least fifteen (15) days in advance of the mandatory-bout date, and at least seven (7) days in advance for a voluntary defense.
The minimum purse for a challenger in a Federation bout is $US1,500. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev).
Champions and challengers in Federation bouts will pay a levy of 1% of their purses as a contribution to the Federation’s secretariat expenses. This levy will be sent in advance to the Federation by the promoter when forwarding his bout-sanction fee, and the promoter will then deduct from the purses of the champion and challenger boxers the 1% levy fee to recoup his advance. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev).
The Federation shall arrange a supply of official Federation Championship Belts. The belts shall not involve either an increase in promoter sanction fees or a specific belt-fee levy on champions and challengers in OPBF bouts. Instead, the involved promoter-managers and managers will be invited to buy the belts from the Federation (at cost price plus freight expenses) for presentation to champions who retain their titles or challengers who win them. (Amendment, 2000, Mexico City.)

Article 26-1: Procedure When Title Becomes Vacant
A Federation Championship may be lost by default, forfeit, inability to fight or to make the weight, or by any reasons stipulated in the Rules and Regulations governing Federation Championship fights.
In the event any Federation Championship becomes vacant, then the one (1) and two (2) highest rated available contenders in that division should be allowed to fight for the Championship. The new Champion should defend his title against the leading available contender within sixty (60) days after the acquisition of the vacant title.

27. NUMBER OF TITLES ALLOWED
A boxer is allowed to hold only one Federation title at a time. The boxer, through his manager, is to notify the Federation in writing within ten (10) days of having acquired a second title as to which title he wishes to retain. Failure to do so would mean that the boxer prefers to retain the title of the heavier division, and the Federation would thus automatically declare the title of the lighter division as vacant.

28. WEIGHT-MAKING IN CHAMPIONSHIP CONTESTS
When a recognized Champion fails to make the required weight, he shall automatically lose such Championship. If in such a bout the overweight former Champion wins, the title remains vacant.
If the challenger, who made the weight, wins from the overweight former Champion, the challenger becomes the Champion.
If the challenger comes in over the weight limit, then the bout is to be declared a non-title contest.

29. DRAW DECISION IN CHAMPIONSHIP CONTESTS
In case of a draw decision in a title contest, the Champion retains the title.

30. CONTESTS ENGAGED IN BY A CHAMPION
A boxing contest engaged in by a Champion (OPBF or National) is always a Championship contest unless one (1) or both contestants is or are over the weight limit or if the Champion’s opponent is a foreigner lacking the six (6) month residence requirement.
If the Champion is knocked out or is technically knocked out by a foreigner lacking the six (6) month residence requirement, and both are within the weight limit, the Champion shall automatically lose his title and the title shall be declared vacant.
The OPBF Championship shall be declared vacant if the OPBF Champion loses to a countryman while fighting for the National title.
If a boxer belongs to an OPBF member country, the six (6) month residence requirement shall be waived, provided, however, that the boxer is certified by his Commission as being a worthy challenger for said National title.
OPBF Champions are permitted to box for the championship of other regional sanctioning bodies without vacating the OPBF title. However, OPBF Champions holding the title or titles of another or other sanctioning body or bodies are required to meet their OPBF mandatory-defense obligations. Failure to do so may be regarded as reason enough, in itself, to declare the particular OPBF title vacant and call for an elimination bout. If an OPBF Champion loses in a defense of, or challenge for, another regional championship, his OPBF title will automatically be vacant and an elimination bout will be ordered to find a new OPBF Champion. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

30-1. Ad-Interim Championships
The Federation may at its discretion approve the holding of “Ad-Interim” Championship contests in order to activate a division and maintain interest in the sport whenever the Champion leaves for abroad, except to the countries which are members of the OPBF; provided that, upon the return to the OPBF of the actual Champion, the “Ad-Interim” Championship shall automatically be vacated.
The contenders shall be chosen by the President of the Federation from among the top six (6) as listed in the OPBF ratings, except in cases when the Federation feels that a boxer who is not among the top six (6) but who, because of recent performance, merits consideration as a challenger.
A Champion who stays abroad for a period more than one (1) year from the date of his winning the title or defending the same, as the case may be, automatically loses his title and the “Ad-Interim” Champion assumes the same.

30.2. Interim Championships
If an OPBF Champion fails to defend his title for twelve (12) months in circumstances such as injury or legal dispute, or other factors, the OPBF may sanction an elimination bout to decide an Interim OPBF Champion, under the condition that the full and Interim Champion must fight an OPBF unification bout within three (3) months after the elimination bout takes place for the Interim title. If, for any reason, the full OPBF Champion fails to defend within eighteen (18) months of having won his title, he will automatically lose his full OPBF title and the Interim OPBF Champion shall be elevated to the status of full OPBF Champion. (Amendment, 2000, Mexico City.)

Article 30-3. World Title Challenges
If an OPBF titleholder signs to contest for a world title, the OPBF title will be declared vacant on the date the world title contract is authorized by the world boxing body, after which there will be an elimination bout to decide the OPBF Championship. If the vacating Champion loses his fight for the world title, he will be entitled to absolute priority to fight the winner of the OPBF elimination bout.

31. FOREIGN BOXERS NOT AFFILIATED WITH THE FEDERATION
Foreign boxers who are nationals of a country not affiliated with the Federation, desiring to challenge for a national title, are required to establish a six (6) month residence period in that country, after which they are allowed to challenge for Federation titles.

Article 31-1. Foreign Engagements
No boxer shall fight abroad unless authorized by his respective Commission. Such authority shall be in the form of a Letter of Authorization addressed to the Commission of the country where the contest will be held, including, among others, the personal data and the boxer’s latest photo, duly attested and authenticated by the issuing office of the Commission. Promoters shall not accept the services of boxers without this Letter of Authorization.

Article 31-2. Ratings
OPBF ratings shall be done by the Commission of the host country. In its deliberation of the ratings, the Commission shall take into consideration the following factors, to wit:
1. Present Rating.
2. Activity.
3. Worthiness of opponent.
4. Result of the contest.
For the purpose of activity, a boxer shall be considered inactive if he has had no contest sixty (60) to ninety (90) days from the date of his last fight.
Commissions’ monthly ratings of boxers should be sent to the Federation no later than the tenth (10th) day of each month.

32. SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES
A Champion who is called to serve in the Armed Forces of his country shall have his title frozen and shall only be required to defend same upon completion of his tour of duty. A series of elimination matches may be staged to determine an "Ad-Interim" Champion or “Interim” Champion.

33. NEUTRAL REFEREE AND JUDGES
All Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation championships shall be officiated by a referee who shall be from a neutral country and two (2) judges, one (1) each from the country of the contestants. The referee and judges shall all score the contest.
However, when or if both managers for the Champion and his challenger in voluntary bouts submit an agreement to the OPBF Office to the effect that they have no complaint if a referee appointed by the local Commission officiates, this title fight shall be approved by the OPBF. But this clause does not apply to mandatory and elimination fights.
In the appointment of neutral and other officials for OPBF title fights, it is policy for the President of OPBF to obtain the recommendations of the involved local Commissions as to whom the officials will be.

34. FAKE CONTESTS
Any promoter, referee, second, contestant, or manager who in the judgement of the Commission is guilty of intentional conniving at or participation in any pre-arranged or “fake” contest shall forfeit the Commission’s permit or license and shall not again participate in any capacity in boxing unless a new permit or license is subsequently issued to such offending party.
No contestant shall engage in any fake or sham contest, or give any dishonest exhibition of his skill, and in the event that it is determined by the referee and the Commission that he has engaged in a fake or sham contest or has given a dishonest exhibition of his skills, his purse shall be forfeited and disposed of in accordance with the laws or rules of the state or Commission concerned.
All licensees found guilty of knowingly using the name of a boxer who is scheduled to fight as the name of a substitute boxer shall be banned from getting a license from the Federation and shall be recommended for criminal prosecution.

35. SUSPENSIONS
Except for suspension imposed locally for minor infractions of local rules, all suspensions made by a Commission shall be enforced by all members of the Federation.

36. BRIBERY ATTEMPTS
The following clause shall appear in all contracts for boxing contests:
The contestant hereby agrees that should he be approached by any person asking him to take part in a “fake” or “sham” contest, or to accept a bribe, or who discusses with him participation in a “fake” or “sham” contest, or the acceptance of a bribe, will immediately report all facts pertaining to such a proposition to the Commission. Failure to do so shall result in disciplinary action.

37. PAYMENT BEFORE A CONTEST
Promoters are allowed to pay a contestant not more than one-third of his total purse before a contest. But promoters are allowed to pay the purse of the boxers in due time in accordance with the contract submitted to the OPBF.
Promoters who failed to pay the sanction fee in their previous promotion shall not be allowed to stage a Federation Championship unless they first settle their previous obligations.

38. WAGERING
Wagering on a contest is prohibited in any arena under the jurisdiction of a Commission.

39. LENGTH OF ROUNDS
Rounds for professional contests shall be of three (3) minutes duration with one (1) minute rest between rounds.
When a round has been completed and the bout halted, either by the respective corners or by the referee, and the bell to start the next round has not been rung, the contest shall be decided as a technical knockout scored in the round just completed.

40. INTERVAL BETWEEN BOUTS
When a contestant competes in a bout of more than four (4) rounds, he shall not be allowed to compete again until six (6) days have elapsed. When a contestant competes in a bout of four (4) rounds or less, he shall not be allowed to compete again until four (4) days have elapsed.
A minimum of six (6) weeks’ interval shall be required before a boxer who has been knocked unconscious is allowed to box again, and only after a thorough physical examination by the Commission physician.
In case a boxer has received a serious concussion, he shall not be allowed to box again until he has been examined and passed by a board of at least three (3) Commission physicians.

41. RETIREMENT
In case of repeated knockdowns and beatings, the boxer concerned shall be retired.
Any boxer who has sustained six (6) straight defeats shall be subject to investigation, examination and national report.

42. ARRIVAL OF CONTESTANTS
A main-bout contestant shall report to the promoter his presence in the city concerned not less than twenty-four (24) hours before the contest. Promoters shall immediately thereafter notify the Commission. If the bout is of sufficient importance, the contestants shall complete their training in the city concerned, the number of days requisite for this purpose to be determined by the Commission.

43. REPORTING
Contestants shall report to the Inspector in the dressing room at least one (1) hour before they are due in the ring.

44. DRESSING ROOM
A Commission inspector shall be in charge of and supervise the conduct of the dressing room, see that the contestants and seconds are dressed in accordance with the rules, that tape, gloves, and accoutrements are as required, and that there is no delay between bouts. He shall see to it that one (1) set of boxers is ready to enter the ring while the preceding bout is in progress.
No-one shall be allowed in the contestant’s dressing room except managers, seconds and Commission or promoter’s representatives.

45. MANAGEMENT OF CONTESTANTS
No member or employee of the boxing Commission, matchmaker, individual promoter, or stockholder in or employee of a corporation, or person having an interest in an unincorporated association or club engaged in the promotion of boxing shows, shall be issued a manager’s license by the Commission; nor shall any such person be financially interested in a contestant or in the result of a contest.

46. CONTESTANTS’ LICENSES
Each contestant shall be licensed by the Commission. The fee for such license shall be established by the Commission concerned.
The Commission shall employ a standard license card which shall include a full ring record, result of bouts, comments on same, photograph and fingerprints.
All contracts between managers and contestants where the contestant is under twenty-one (21) years of age shall be signed by one of the contestant’s parents or a legal guardian. Proof of age shall be required of all prospective boxers under twenty-one (21).

47. MANAGERS
Managers of professional contestants shall pay an annual license fee in an amount established by the Commission concerned. No manager or contestant shall attempt to select or insist upon the selection of any designated referee or judge in a bout in which a boxer under his management is to appear, or shall have the name of any such referee written into the official contract covering such bout. Managers shall not pay or contribute to the pay of any referee or judge, under any circumstances. Managers who act as seconds for their own boxers exclusively shall not be required to obtain a second’s license.
No assignment of a boxer’s or a manager’s interest in a contract, or of any part thereof, shall be made without the written approval and consent of the Commission.
Managers shall not have more than two (2) boxers under their management in any one show, without special permission in writing from the Commission. Matchmakers shall rigidly enforce this rule.
Contracts between managers and contestants, when either or both are residents of the state concerned, shall be subject to the approval of the Commission and shall be subject to cancellation, for cause, by the Commission.
The original or a certified copy of each such contract shall be filed with the Commission. Managers who wilfully sign boxers they know to be improperly conditioned or physically inadequate shall be subject to disciplinary action.
Any manager of boxers suspended in a member country of the Federation who wittingly signs or contributes to a contest in another member country of the Federation, or who associates himself with such an illicit contract, shall be subject to suspension for at least six (6) months and may be liable to a lifetime suspension.

48. CONTESTANTS WITH NO MANAGERS
Any boxer not under contract to a manager may make his own matches and sign contracts and need not apply for a manager’s license to handle his own affairs, unless the individual Commission may require such self-management license to avoid confusion in booking of the boxer. No boxer may have more than one (1) manager. A boxer’s share of his purse shall not be less than 66-2/3%.

49. SECONDS
Seconds shall pay an annual license fee in an amount established by the Commission concerned. Seconds, and managers acting as seconds, must be neatly attired when in the ring and must wear jerseys or shirts of plain colors and with sleeves. Collar and necktie must be worn, but shirts with soft collars attached are permissible.
A second holding a license only, as such, shall not attempt to act as manager, or assist in any way in procuring matches, or take a share of the boxer’s earnings.
Seconds shall not be more than three (3) or less than two (2) in number for each contestant.
Seconds shall not coach either audibly or by motion of the hands, face or body, or in any way assist a principal during a round, or by word or action attempt to heckle or annoy their principal’s opponent. They shall remain seated in place and silent.
Should a second enter the ring during a round, he shall be ejected and his license automatically revoked. The referee may order the bout to continue.
Seconds shall not enter a ring until the bell indicates the end of a round. They shall leave the ring at the sound of the timer's whistle ten (10) seconds before a round is to begin, removing all obstructions, buckets, stools, etc. promptly.
The throwing into the ring of a towel, sponge, or any other article by a manager or second as an acknowledgment of defeat is strictly prohibited. When a contestant is knocked out, seconds shall not touch him until authorized to do so by the attending physician.

50. TIMEKEEPERS
Timekeepers, licensed by the Commission with or without fee, shall be bona fide residents of the district concerned, of recognized good standing and character.
The timekeeper shall be seated at ringside close to the gong. He shall indicate the beginning and ending of each round by striking the gong with a metal hammer.
He shall provide himself with a whistle and an accurate stop-watch that shall have been properly examined and certified by an inspector of the Commission before it is used.
Ten (10) seconds before the beginning of each round, the timekeeper shall give warning to the seconds of the contestants by blowing the whistle.
The gong shall not be less than ten (10) inches in diameter, adjusted securely on a level with the ring platform. The timekeeper shall use a metal hammer in indicating the beginning and the end of a round so that the contestants can hear the sound of the bell.

51. KNOCKDOWN TIMEKEEPERS
The timekeeper shall be assisted by the knockdown timekeeper. As soon as a contestant is floored, the knockdown timekeeper shall strike the floor of the ring with a hammer or mallet at one (1) second intervals as long as the contestant is on the floor. The count shall not necessarily be limited to ten (10) seconds but shall be for the purpose of a correct count by seconds. Should the referee encounter difficulty in keeping the contestant scoring the knockdown in the farthest neutral corner, thus interrupting the referee’s count, the knockdown timekeeper shall continue to strike the floor, and the referee, when resuming his count, shall again pick up the count with the beat of the knockdown timekeeper’s hammer or mallet.
The knockdown timekeeper’s count may, therefore, continue beyond ten (10) seconds. His count is a “guide” for the referee. The referee’s count is the official count.
A contestant when knocked down shall be required to take a count of eight (8) whether or not he has regained his feet before eight (8) is reached.
The practice of stopping a fight following three (3) knockdowns in one (1) round shall be observed.
A boxer who has been knocked down will not be saved by the bell in any round, including the last round. If a boxer is knocked down immediately before the bell in the last round and the referee counts ten (10), the boxer loses by KO; if the boxer stands up before the count of ten (10), the contest terminates at that stage. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

52. ANNOUNCER
After the contestants and their chief seconds are in the ring, the announcer shall announce the names of the contestants, their correct weights, and such other matters as may be directed by the Commission. The promoter shall make provision for the announcement of rounds. The announcer shall announce the decisions. He may announce whether or not the decision is unanimous. He shall make no announcement of a decision terminating a bout without the approval of the referee. He shall make no special announcement without the approval of a member of the Commission.

53. INTRODUCTION
Introduction of individuals from the ring, other than the contestants, shall not be permitted without specific permission, in each instance, from a member, the Secretary or an inspector of the Commission.

54. OTHER ATTRACTIONS AND EXHIBITIONS
Vaudeville numbers, speeches, or exhibitions of any other branch of sport, shall not be permitted on any boxing card with the exception of such events at club dinner or “smokers” not regularly advertised as boxing shows, except such matters as the Commission shall specifically approve. No collection for any cause shall be made at boxing contests. Exhibition bouts shall not be held. All bouts shall be bona fide contests.

55. PHYSICIAN
Every contestant shall be subjected to a physical examination by a duly licensed physician appointed by the Commission at any time or place designated by the Commission.
Inspectors are charged with the duty of seeing to it that the provisions are, in every case, complied with.
No contestant shall take part in a contest until pronounced fit to do so by the physician appointed by the Commission, and the facts of physical examinations and of the physical fitness of contestants shall be certified over the signature of the said physician as part of the inspector’s report submitted after each set of bouts. Particular attention should be devoted to examinations for vision, and contestants below standard on this premise should be recommended for retirement. Particular attention should be devoted to the effect of recent knockouts and possible internal injuries and “punch drunkenness”. When the contestant has been knocked unconscious, at least six (6) weeks shall elapse before he may be permitted to box again.
The examining physician shall attend at the immediate ringside until the conclusion of the final bout. When a contestant is knocked out, the physician shall attend him and the contestant shall not be touched or moved except as authorized by the attending physician.
After the conclusion of the last bout, the examining physician shall go to the dressing room and ascertain whether or not any boxer has received an injury in the ring and, if so, see that he receives the necessary medical treatment.
Physical examination shall be complete and thorough and include all blood tests and the use of electroencephalograph testing equipment when required.

56. JUDGES
(This rule shall apply only in states where judges are provided for by law.)
Two (2) judges, licensed by the Commission, shall assist a referee in rendering a decision at the termination of each contest. Judges shall be bona fide residents of the city or state concerned.
Licensed referees, members of the Commission, or designated officials of the Commission, may, in an emergency, act as judges.
Payment for judges appointed to Federation bouts outside their home country is $US400. Payment for judges officiating at Federation bouts in their home country is $US200. The Federation’s annual license fee for a judge is $US25. (Amendment, 1999, Moscow.)
The uniform for judges officiating at Federation bouts is black shoes, black socks, black slacks, black jacket with the OPBF pocket badge worn over the heart, pale blue shirt and black bow tie. (Amendment, 1999, Moscow.)
When a judge notices an obvious mistake by the referee in relation to the referee’s disposition or judgement, the judge will advise the referee about this. (Amendment, 2000, Mexico City.)

57. REFEREES’ LICENSES AND FEES
Referees shall be licensed after first satisfying the Commission of their professional and physical qualifications. The annual fee for such license shall be in an amount established by the Commission concerned. Referees, except when specifically exempted for any one performance by the Commission, shall have been bona fide residents of the city or state concerned for at least one (1) year. Referees shall be required to submit electrocardiograms to the Commission when license applications are filed and shall submit to physical examinations before assuming an assignment to officiate.
No person who is, directly or indirectly, interested in the management of any contestant, or who is an individual promoter or stockholder in or employee of a corporation, or interested in an unincorporated club or association engaged in the promotion of contestants, shall be granted a referee’s license.
Licensed judges, members of the Commission, or designated officials of the Commission, may in an emergency act as referees.
Payment for referees appointed to Federation bouts outside their home country is $US600. Payment for referees appointed to Federation bouts in their home country is $US300. Federation annual license fee for a referee is $US50. (Amendment, 1999, Moscow.)

58. POWERS OF THE REFEREE
After a contest starts, the referee has the power to declare a bout “no contest” and to enforce discipline and the regulations pertaining to the conduct and behavior of contestants and seconds. The referee may stop a contest if in his opinion one of the contestants is badly outclassed or injured; or the referee may temporarily stop a contest and consult with the examining physician on the advisability of stopping the contest in the case a contestant appears injured. The referee may declare a “no contest” only after having given at least three (3) warnings and after having consulted the judges, and the majority decision shall then prevail.
When a boxer is wounded and the referee is not sure if the injury was due to accidental butting (unintentional butting) or legitimate hitting, the referee must consult with both judges. (Amendment, 2000, Mexico City.)

59. DUTIES OF THE REFEREE
The chief official of contests shall be the referee, who shall have general supervision over bouts which take place in the ring.
The referee shall, before starting a contest, ascertain from each contestant the name of his chief second, and shall hold said chief second responsible for the conduct of his assistant seconds during the progress of the contest.
The referee shall call the contestants together in the ring before each bout for final instructions, at which time each contestant shall be accompanied by his chief second only. The principals, after receiving instructions, shall shake hands and retire to their corners. They shall not again shake hands until the beginning of the last round.
In the case of a knockdown, the referee shall require the fallen contestant to take a count of eight (8). In the case of a cut eye or similar facial lacerations, the referee shall consult with the ringside physician. Such consultation shall take place upon the conclusion of a round or, with “time out” in an emergency, may take place during the progress of the round. The termination of the bout shall be governed by the examining physician’s decision.

60. MID-RING INSTRUCTIONS
The referee shall, in mid-ring, instruct as follows: “You two men are here to box …… rounds, under the rules of the state …………… Do not hold behind the neck and punch with one hand, like this. Do not strike a rabbit punch, like this. Do not strike a kidney punch, like this. Do not use backhand blows. Do not hit on the break away at any time. Step back cleanly. Break when I tell you to do so. Do not make me maul you apart. In case of a knockdown, I want the man scoring it to retire immediately to the corner farthest removed from the knockdown and remain there until I motion him back, or I will stop counting. When knocked down you must take a count of eight (8). The knockdown counts as such regardless of how long you were on the floor. Heavy penalties are scored in case of fouls. In case you lose on a deliberate foul your purse will be forfeited. Points are deducted from the score for each foul committed. Shake hands now and come out boxing. Do not shake again until the beginning of the last round. (Demonstrate for benefit of contestants and spectators.)”

61. REFEREE’S INSPECTION
The referee shall inspect the bandages and gloves and make sure that no grease or other foreign substances have been applied to either the gloves or the bodies of contestants, to the detriment of an opponent.

62. REFEREE’S UNIFORM
Referees officiating at Federation bouts will wear the OPBF uniform of black regulation boxing boots, black socks, black slacks, pale blue shirt with the OPBF pocket badge over the heart, and black bow tie. Outside the ring the referee will wear, as part of his uniform, a black jacket with the OPBF pocket badge over the heart. (Amendment, 1999, Moscow.)

63. “DOWN” WITHOUT BEING STRUCK
A contestant who goes down without being struck, for the purpose of avoiding a blow, may be disqualified.
Should a contestant leave the ring during the one (1) minute period between rounds and fail to be in the ring when the gong rings the signal to resume boxing, or should a contestant fail to rise from his chair at the beginning of a round, the referee shall start counting immediately, and unless the contestant is on his feet in the ring at the end of ten (10) seconds, shall declare him counted out.
Should a contestant who is “down” arise before the count of ten (10) is reached, and go down again immediately without being struck, except for the purpose of avoiding a blow, the referee shall resume the count where he left off.

64. WITHHOLDING OF PURSE
As counting a contestant out, or disqualifying one (1) of the contestants for fouling, is held to be in effect giving a decision, should the referee decide that one (1) or both the contestants are not honestly competing, or that the knockdown is a “dive” or the foul is a pre-arranged termination of the bout, or that the foul is deliberate, he shall not render a decision but shall stop the bout and order the purses of both boxers held pending investigation by the Commission.
The action may be taken by the referee with or without consulting the judges.

65. REFEREE’S DECISION FINAL
A referee’s decision in a contest, once rendered, is final, except in the following cases where said decision may be reconsidered by the Commission:
(a) When the decision has been rendered dishonestly, i.e. a decision rendered for a material consideration.
(b) When the decision has been rendered on a mechanical error. Example, the wrong addition of a judge’s scorecard and the faulty decision being based thereon.
(c) When it is obvious the referee made a mistake in ruling that a cut ending a Federation bout was caused by accidental butting or a legitimate blow; in which case the OPBF representative will make the final decision, after consulting with the judges. (Amendment, 2000, Mexico City.)

66. COUNTING
When a contestant is knocked down, the referee shall order the opponent to retire to the neutral corner farthest removed from the fallen contestant, pointing to the corner, and immediately begin the counting over the contestant who is down. He shall audibly announce the passing of the seconds, accompanying the count with motions of his arm, the downward motion indicating the end of each second.
Should the opponent fail to stay in the farthest corner, the referee shall cease counting until he has returned to it, and then go on with the count from the point at which it was interrupted.
If the contestant who is down arises during the count, the referee shall continue to count to eight (8) and assure himself that the contestant just arisen is in fit condition to continue. If so assured, he shall, without loss of time, order both contestants to go on with the contest. During such intervention by the referee, the striking of a blow by either contestant may be ruled a foul.
If the contestant taking the count is still down when the referee calls the count of ten (10), the referee shall wave both arms to indicate that he has been knocked out, and shall raise the right hand of the opponent as the winner.
The referee’s count is the official count.
A boxer who has been knocked down cannot be saved by the bell in any round, including the last round.
There will be no standing eight (8) counts.

67. PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
Every possible attempt by all concerned should be made to eliminate or minimize smoking in indoor arenas.
When a boxer has been knocked out, he shall not be touched or moved except as ordered by the attending physician.
If a boxer suffers a serious concussion, he shall not be permitted to box for at least six (6) months, after which an examination shall be made by three (3) reputable physicians, all of whom are to concur in approving the boxer for further combat.
Any boxer who sustains a succession of four (4) knockouts shall be subject to inquiry and hearing to determine:
(a) A “tanker”.
(b) Incompetent.
(c) Physically unfit.
(d) Incompetent or unscrupulous management.
Anyone who sustains a succession of six (6) defeats shall be subject to inquiry.
The Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation shall be notified of all long or permanent suspensions.

68. OFFICIAL K.O. RULE
When a contestant fails to answer the bell for a round “coming up”, his opponent shall be credited with a T.K.O. in the round which has been fought. It is advisable to actually ring the bell for the ensuing round and actually count out the contestant who does not answer the bell.

69. EYE-CUTS AND SIMILAR LACERATIONS
When a boxer is deprived from continuing the contest due to accidental cuts incurred from the 1st round to the 4th round, the contest shall be declared a “Technical Draw”.
The boxer ahead on points from the 5th round shall be declared the winner by “Technical Decision”.
(a) Intentional Head Butt. When a cut is caused by an intentional head butt, and the cut boxer is unable to continue, the offending boxer will lose by disqualification. If the cut boxer is able to continue, the butting boxer will be penalized by two (2) points. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)
(b) Unintentional Head Butt. When a boxer is cut due to an unintentional head butt, as determined by the referee, the uncut boxer will receive a mandatory one (1) point deduction in the respective scorecards. In the event that the referee, for whatever reason, fails to make such an instruction to the judges, the OPBF supervisor shall himself make the deduction on the tally sheet. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

70. OUT OF RING
A contestant who has been knocked down and has fallen through the ropes onto the ring platform shall not be helped back by his manager or his seconds. The referee shall begin to count as soon as the contestant leaves the inside of the ring ropes. If the contestant fails to return by the count of ten (10), he is knocked out. The same procedure shall apply to a contestant who leaves the ring during the progress of the bout, under any circumstances.
If a boxer is knocked down and falls through the ropes and onto the stadium floor, the referee must count to twenty (20) in order to declare a knockout if the boxer fails to return, unaided, to the ring.
When one contestant has fallen through the ropes, the other shall retire to the farthest corner and remain there until the count is completed or his opponent is on his feet in the ring.
A contestant who deliberately wrestles or throws his opponent from the ring, or who hits him when he is partly out of the ring and prevented by the ropes from assuming a position of defense, may be disqualified.
In a case of serious injury to a contestant, the referee shall be automatically under suspension until investigation by the Commission establishes whether the injury was the result of negligence or incompetence on the part of the referee or of circumstances not reasonably within his control.

71. A CONTESTANT IS “DOWN”
A contestant is down when any part of his body but his feet is on the floor or when he is hanging helplessly over the ropes and the referee has begun to count over him.
A referee may count a contestant out either on the ropes, on the floor, in his chair, or when rising from a down position.
The mandatory eight (8) count rule shall be in effect. Three (3) knockdowns in a round constitute an automatic knockout.

72. SYSTEM OF SCORING
Scoring shall be the “ten (10) point must system”. The winner of any round always gets “ten” with the loser receiving anywhere from “nine” to “seven” points, depending upon the decisiveness by which the round was won.
The “ten point must” system should be applied as follows: Even round 10 : 10. Slight edge 10 : 9. Wide edge 10 : 8. Overwhelming and one-sided 10 : 7.
In scoring a contest, the elements of offense, defense, clean hitting, ring generalship and sportsmanship shall be carefully considered. A clean knockdown, being the closest approach to a knockout, should be scored heavily.
The use of foul blows and other foul tactics shall result in a penalty of one (1) point for each foul committed, and the referee shall advise the judges of the number of points to be deducted immediately upon the termination of the round during which such fouls were committed.
Referee and judges shall clearly write their decisions and sign their scorecards.
Incomplete rounds when technical decisions are invoked (excluding KO or TKO results) shall be scored. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

73. COMMISSION’S DEMANDS
The Commission demands clean and sportsmanlike boxing and prevention of injuries to contestants through the use of unfair methods. Foul practices indulged in are a distinct injury to the sport. A clean, hard-fought contest is interesting to the spectators, but holding, wrestling, using unfair blows, pushing, stalling, mauling and roughing are not a part of the sport, and will not be tolerated.
Referees shall not permit unfair practices, which may cause injury to a contestant, and will be held strictly responsible for enforcing these rules.

74. FOULS
(a) Hitting below the belt.
(b) Hitting an opponent who is down or rising after being down.
(c) Holding an opponent with one hand and hitting with the other.
(d) Holding or deliberately maintaining a clinch.
(e) Pushing an opponent about the ring or into the ropes, or striking an opponent who is helpless as a result of blows and so supported by the ropes that he does not fall.
(f) Wrestling or roughing an opponent on the ropes.
(g) Butting with the head or the shoulders, or using the knees or elbows.
(h) Hitting with the open glove or with the butt or inside of the hand, the elbow, the wrist, and all backhand blows.
(i) Purposely going down without being hit or for the purpose of avoiding a blow.
(j) Striking deliberately at that part of the body over the kidneys.
(k) The use of the pivot blow or the rabbit punch.
(l) Jabbing the opponent’s eyes with the thumb of the glove.
(m) The use of abusive language in the ring.
(n) Any unsportsmanlike trick or action causing injury to an opponent.

75. FOUL TACTICS
Holding and hitting with the other hand, which is an unfair method of landing a blow and may have decisive effect because the contestant struck is unable to avoid or move with the blow to break its force, is classed as a major foul. Referees must warn offenders that this type of foul will be strictly penalized.
The kidney punch, which is an illegal blow landing on that part of the back near the spine and over the kidney, is strictly barred because it may produce permanent injury. The importance of enforcing the rule against this blow is frequently overlooked. It must be enforced.
A rabbit punch is any blow struck at the back of the neck near the base of the skull, and is barred as dangerous. A blow landed on the head behind the ear, or on the side of the neck, as the opponent turns his head to avoid it, is not a rabbit punch. Any deliberate attempt to use the rabbit punch shall be penalized.
Butting with the top or side of the head is likely to cause cuts over an opponent’s eyebrows and other injuries, affecting the outcome of the contest, and shall not be allowed. A boxer who goes in head down and leans against his opponent with his head while in-fighting is butting.
“Thumbing” or jabbing of the glove has frequently caused serious injuries to the eyes, and referees must watch for this trick and, if it is deliberately used, penalize it by disqualification.
If a contestant is helpless on the ropes the referee shall instantly intervene, declare the helpless boxer “down” and proceed with the count as in the case of a knockdown.
In the case of minor fouls, such as hitting or flicking with the open glove, clinching and prolonging the contest after a warning has been given, the referee shall punish persistent disregard of the rule with disqualification.
The referee may disqualify a contestant for fouling, with or without warning.

76. PENALTIES FOR FOULING
Any contestant losing on a foul shall be automatically suspended for a period of thirty (30) days, in addition to such other penalties as the Commission may impose.
No contestant shall commit a deliberate foul. In addition to any penalty which may be imposed for so doing, the purse of such contestant shall, when ordered by the Commission, be forfeited and paid over to the Commission for disposition.
If a bout is interrupted because of accidental fouling, the referee shall determine whether the fouled boxer can continue or not, and if his chances have not been seriously jeopardised as a result of the foul, the referee may order the bout continued after a reasonable interval set by the referee, who shall so instruct the timekeeper.
(a) Intentional Fouls
1. If the fighter cannot continue, the offender will lose the fight by disqualification.
2. If the fight continues and later on is stopped because the same injury has become worse, if the injured fighter is ahead on points, he will be the winner by technical decision. Incomplete rounds will be scored, and the fourth (4th) round has to be completed in order to go to the scorecards.
(b) Accidental Fouls
If a fighter is accidentally injured and the fight cannot continue, or if the fight does continue and subsequently the injury becomes severe enough to stop the fight, then the fighter who is ahead on points will be the winner by technical decision as long as the fourth (4th) round has been completed. If the fourth (4th) round has not been completed, the decision will be a technical draw.

77. NO-FOUL RULE
For all practical purposes, the no-foul rule refers to blows delivered below the belt and means that a boxer cannot be credited with a victory by claiming to have thus been fouled.
When an unintentional low blow has been landed, the offending boxer shall be penalized by having point(s) deducted from his score, and the fouled boxer may be given a five (5) minute rest period to recuperate. If after this five (5) minute rest period the fouled boxer still refuses to proceed with the contest, the referee shall award the contest to his opponent on a technical knockout.
When an intentional blow has been landed below the belt, the referee, at his discretion, shall order point(s) deductions when appropriate for foul(s) and will provide the fouled boxer with a reasonable time for recovery, but not more than five (5) minutes. However, if the referee, at his discretion, determines that it was an intentional foul and the ring doctor determines the fouled boxer cannot continue, the offending boxer will be disqualified. If the doctor determines the fouled boxer can continue fighting but he does not continue, the fouled boxer will lose by abandonment. In the case of clear, extreme and continued fouls, with the offending boxer disregarding warnings and point deductions by the referee, the referee may disqualify the offending boxer after specific warnings and not before three (3) different point-deduction occasions. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

78. APPEARANCE
Contestants must be clean, present a tidy appearance, and be cleanly shaven.

79. USE OF DRUGS OR IRON DERIVATIVES
The use of any drugs, alcohol, or stimulants, either before or during a match, by any contestant is adequate cause for revoking his license.
The use during the boxing match of Monsel's Solution, or any similar drug, compound or iron derivative for the stopping of hemorrhaging is prohibited.
When so ordered by the local Commission, a boxer must submit to a medical analysis.

80. GLOVES
In all Federation contests, gloves used must weigh not less than eight (8) ounces or more than ten (10) ounces each. Minimum – welterweight, eight (8) ounces. Super-welterweight and over, ten (10) ounces.
Gloves shall be examined by the Inspector. If padding is found to be imperfect, other gloves shall be substituted before the contest starts.
No breaking, roughing or twisting of gloves shall be permitted.
Gloves for all main events shall be new and furnished by the promoter.
If gloves have been used in other bouts, they must be whole, clean and in a sanitary condition if to be used again.
Gloves for the main event must be put on in the ring after the referee has first inspected the bandaged hands of the contestants.
After the gloves have been tied, the lacing shall be held in the proper place by adhesive tape around the wrists.
Gloves used in Federation bouts must be of a brand approved by the local Commission and/or the OPBF supervisor and must be thumb-attached. (Amendment, 2001, Kiev.)

81. BANDAGES
Bandages shall conform to the following restrictions:
One (1) winding of surgeon’s standard white adhesive
tape, not over one (1) inch wide, placed directly on the hand to protect that part of the hand near the wrist. This may cross the back of the hand twice, but not extend within one (1) inch of the knuckles.
Soft surgical bandage, not over one (1) inch wide, may be worn across any part of the knuckles, held in place by not more than three (3) feet of surgeon’s adhesive tape for each hand. Ten (10) yards of soft surgical bandages shall be allowed for each hand.
Bandages shall be applied in the dressing room under the supervision of a representative of the Commission and in the presence of both contestants, or as the Commission's representative directs.
Bandages shall be submitted for inspection to representatives of the Commission and each contestant shall also be permitted to inspect the bandages of his opponent. The purpose of the bandages is to protect the hand, and not to add force to a blow.

82. CONTESTANT'S COSTUME
Contestants shall box in proper costume, including foul-protection cup of a type satisfactory to the Commission and the contestant, which cup shall be firmly adjusted before leaving the dressing room.
Each contestant shall supply himself with a pair of trunks, loose fitting and made of light cloth, similar to an athlete’s running pants. The contestants shall not wear the same or closely similar color in the ring. The wearing of “tights” is prohibited. The belt of trunks shall not extend above the waistline.
Shoes shall be of soft material, and shall not be fitted with spikes, cleats, hard soles or hard heels. Socks, rolled down to the tops of the shoes, may be of any color. The shoe laces shall be held in place by a strip of adhesive tape around the shoe tops.
No apparel other than as specified above may be worn in the ring, except a bath robe.
Nothing in these rules shall prohibit a contestant, when the ring canvas is wet and slippery, from removing his shoes.

83. ODD-COLORED TRUNKS
Every promoter shall have on hand, in three (3) sizes, for emergency use, three (3) pairs of bright green and three (3) pairs of bright red trunks of neat, clean and presentable appearance, to be used when both contestants report with trunks of the same or nearly the same color.

84. THE RING
To be not less than eighteen (18) and no more than twenty-four (24) feet square within the ropes, the ring apron to extend beyond the ropes not less than eighteen (18) inches.
The ring posts shall not be nearer to the ring’s ropes than eighteen (18) inches. The ring shall be padded with felt, corrugated paper, matting or other soft material to a thickness of not less than one and one-half (11/2) inches, padding extending to the edge of the apron, with a top covering of canvas, duck or similar material tightly stretched and laced to the ring platform. Material that tends to gather in lumps or ridges or which “packs down” shall not be used.
Padding shall be inspected regularly by the Commission. Substances such as U.S. rubber and “Oxite”, providing resiliency and air pockets, or boiler felt, are recommended. Padding shall be approved by a board of inspectors, including one (1) or more physicians.
The ring shall not be more than four (4) feet above the floor of the building or ground of an outdoor arena, and shall be provided with suitable steps for the use of the contestants. Ring posts shall be not more than three (3) inches in diameter, extending from the floor of the building or ground to a height of fifty-eight (58) inches above the ring floor.

85. RING ROPES
Ring ropes shall be not less than three (3) in number, not less than one (1) inch in diameter. The lower rope eighteen (18) inches above the ring floor, the second rope thirty-five (35) inches above the floor, the third rope fifty-two (52) inches above the floor. Ropes shall be wrapped in soft material, preferably velvet, to avoid rope burns.

86. OBSTRUCTIONS
The entire ring platform shall be clear of all obstructions, including buckets, stools, etc., the instant the gong indicates the beginning of a round, and none of these articles shall be placed on the ring floor until the gong has ended the round.

87. WATER BUCKETS, ETC.
There shall be provided by the promoter a sufficient number of water buckets for the use of all contestants. Promoter shall also provide fans, powdered resin for the canvas, stools for seconds and such other articles as are required in the conduct of the contest. A bucket used by the contestant shall not be used for another contest until it has been washed and sterilized. Two (2) buckets shall be used, one (1) in each contestant’s corner.

88. CORNER CANVAS
For the purpose of eliminating wet corners and the danger of slipping, a triangular piece of canvas, extending from the ring ropes to not less than four (4) feet toward the center of the ring, shall be provided in each contestant’s corner. This canvas shall be affixed to the ring posts and shall be spread during the period between rounds and shall be rolled back during the progress of rounds. The same two (2) corners will be used for all contestants on any one (1) card.

89. SALES FORBIDDEN
No beverages, refreshments of any kind, cushions, or other articles except programs may be sold or served in the intermediate area or hall where boxing contests are conducted. Programs may be sold within the hall or arena until the first contest has commenced and thereafter must be sold at the entrance.
Beverages in paper cups, and ice cream cones, may be sold only before the contests begin and between bouts, not between rounds or while the contests are in progress.

90. TICKETS
All tickets shall have clearly printed on them the admission price of the ticket, and no ticket shall be sold at a price higher than the price so shown.
The sale of tickets for any proposed exhibition is prohibited until plans showing the seating arrangements, aisle spacing, exit facilities and the location of fire appliances of the place where the exhibition is to be held have been approved by the local fire marshal.
No person, except members of the police department, in uniform and on duty, and plain-clothes men of the Detective Bureau assigned to duty, shall be admitted to any exhibition unless he holds a ticket.
All tickets, exclusive of working press, official, employer and photographer, shall have the price and name of promoter and date and place of exhibition printed plainly thereon. Changes in ticket prices or dates of exhibition shall be referred to the Commission for approval.
Tickets of different prices must be printed on cardboard of different colors.
Inspectors shall check numbers and location of ticket boxes at gates, see to it that they are sealed and padlocked, and after the exhibition have them opened and the tickets counted under their supervision.
All tickets issued to the press shall be marked “Press”. No-one, except the officials designated by the Commission and the timekeeper, shall be allowed to sit at the press table unless actually engaged in reporting the contests.
All complimentary tickets shall be marked “Complimentary” in large letters.
Under no circumstances shall a ticket-holder be allowed to pass through the gate without having the ticket separated from the stub, or be allowed to occupy a seat unless in possession of the ticket stub.
Ushers shall see to it that spectators get the seats to which their ticket stubs entitle them, and that anyone unlawfully occupying a seat is asked to vacate and, if necessary, be ejected therefrom.
The sale of tickets shall not exceed the seating capacity of the house, and no ticket shall be issued for standing room except at outdoor shows, nor shall any person be sold the right of admission without a ticket.
No professional contestant shall be allowed to sell tickets for any show in which he is engaged on a commission basis and to serve as remuneration for his services as a boxer.

91. INSURANCE AND INJURED BOXER’S RELIEF FUND
The Commission may authorize an injured Boxer’s Relief Fund for the purpose of dispensing relief to injured or indigent boxers.
This fund is made possible by strictly voluntary contributions of one (1) per cent of contestants’ purses, with recipients of larger purses making donations in voluntary sums, and also from a fee of ten (10) per cent charged on all complimentary tickets.
This fund shall be administered by a board consisting of one (1) member of the Commission, one (1) physician and one (1) newspaper representative.
All local Commissions must see to it that all boxers are properly insured for the fight.

92. VIOLATION OF RULES
The Commission may suspend or ban, for cause, any promoter, matchmaker, boxing official (referee, judge, timekeeper, announcer, stadium physician), manager, trainer, second or boxer for violation of the rules.

93. AREA OF EFFECTIVITY
These Rules and Regulations of the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation are applicable and enforceable only within the region under the jurisdiction of the OPBF.

APPENDIX

PURSE BIDS IN OPBF MANDATORY AND ELIMINATION BOUTS

1. General
The purse-bid regulations and procedures including, without limitation, the respective percentages of the bout purses payable to the champion and challenger, will not be effective, or may be modified, in special or unusual cases when it is so agreed by the President and Secretary-General.

2. Free-negotiation period
The OPBF shall notify the boxers of all mandatory championship defenses and title-elimination bouts. Where a Champion has been notified by the OPBF to meet the No. 1 challenger or the highest available challenger, as provided for in the OPBF championship defense rules, or a championship has been vacated and the contenders have been named and notified, or a champion is otherwise mandated or ordered to defend against a challenger, there shall be a period of thirty (30) days following such notice to permit the parties to negotiate and finalize a contract for a match. Should the parties fail to conclude negotiations during the thirty (30) day period and so notify the OPBF President or the Secretary-General, the period of free negotiation shall be closed.
The boxers will be given thirty (30) days for free negotiation, unless it becomes clear that the boxers will not sign for the same promoter and in that event, or for other reasons in the exercise of his directions, the President of the OPBF may shorten such thirty (30) day negotiation period.

3. Request for purse offers
Should the aforesaid thirty (30) day free negotiation deadline not be met by submission of a signed bout contract to the OPBF, the OPBF President or the Secretary-General will request purse offers for the championship match from the promoters. Notification of the purse offer will be made by press and media releases to announce the purse offer. The OPBF will advise the member Commissions of the request for bids. The announcements for bids will indicate the date, time and place for opening of the sealed envelopes containing the promoters’ bids for the championship bout.

4. Submission of purse-offer bids
All purse offers must be filed with the OPBF within fifteen (15) days after the date when the free negotiation period was closed and the purse offer was solicited by the OPBF. The purse offer shall be closed exactly fifteen (15) days after commencement. The President, at his discretion, may accept written faxes, telexes, telegrams, E-mails and confirming phone calls from participating promoters in lieu of letters containing and confirming purse-offer bids. This period may be shortened by the President or Secretary-General of the OPBF at their discretion.

5. Purse-offer bids
A promoter wishing to participate in bidding for the Championship contest shall include in his bid the following:
(a) The total amount offered to the participants in US dollars with an acknowledgement that said total purse offer shall be nett and completely free of any tax in excess of the national and/or local taxes payable by the visiting boxer in his home country. If demanded by a boxer, the dollar offer and payment by a promoter of said amount to the boxers will be fully guaranteed by a letter of credit of a bank or performance bond acceptable in form and substance to the OPBF. Prior to the bout, the promoter must also guarantee that the boxing authorities where the fight shall take place will respect the OPBF regulations and will accept neutral officials.
(b) A representation that he will pay travel and accommodation expenses for three (3) persons for each participant (the three [3] persons include the boxer).
(c) A statement as to whether he will attend the opening of the sealed bids at time, date and place established by the OPBF solicitation and/or the name of his designated representative, if any, who will be present at the opening of the bids.

6. Obligations regarding purse offers
(a) The licensed promoter making the highest fixed money offer of compensation shall be awarded the Championship match. Income projections that are contingent on statements that a promoter will bid a percentage or dollar amount over the bid by other promoters will not be considered. The interested boxers, the champion and the challenger, or the two (2) co-challengers in the event of a vacant title or elimination bout, are compelled to accept this offer and participate in the Championship match or forfeit their rights to be either champion or challenger. Each boxer shall receive his full purse, or its equivalent established by the purse offer, and the OPBF may investigate possible violations of these Rules and Regulations when requested or required.
(b) The winning promoter of the purse offer must, within eight (8) days after the purse-offer date, deposit with the OPBF 10% of the total amount of his offer. The deposit will be returned to the promoter or credited at the time of the title bout. In case that promoter does not promote the bout, he will forfeit the 10% to the champion and contender, distributed 75% and 25% respectively (except when another division of proceeds has been required or is applicable), nett of all OPBF expenses. The 10% deposit may be made at a local OPBF Commission with the express authorization of the President or Secretary-General.
(c) If a visiting boxer will be taxed in his home country, the promoter must provide him with a certified tax receipt or certificate from the national and/or local tax authority where the bout takes place for representation as a credit to the tax authority in the boxer’s home country. The promoter must also post a bond or other sufficient indemnity to ensure that the taxes imposed at the location where the bout took place will be reimbursed to the boxer if the certified tax receipt or certificate is not accepted as a tax credit by the taxing authority in the boxer’s home country.

7. Winning of purse offer
The OPBF President and/or Secretary-General shall notify the promoter and his home Commission of his victory in the purse-offer procedure.

8. Purse-offer contracts
The promoter winning the purse offer shall have the Championship bout contracts properly signed and delivered to the OPBF President and/or Secretary-General within fifteen (15) days after the opening of the sealed bids. The Championship bout contracts, in accordance with these Rules and Regulations, shall, unless otherwise permitted by the OPBF, be on the OPBF official Championship Bout Contract form.

9. Failure to sign purse-offer contracts
If the Champion and/or his manager does not sign the bout contracts and/or refuses to participate in the bout for the promoter who won the purse offer under the terms set forth herein, they may be subject to discipline as well as having recognition of the Championship withdrawn and declaring the title vacant. If the challenger and/or his manager refuses to sign the contract and/or to fight, the OPBF may designate a substitute and/or take such other measures and invoke such discipline as appropriate under the circumstances. In the event a manager refuses or fails to sign the championship-bout contract when required, because of a dispute with the boxer, or otherwise, then the boxer may sign the contract on his own behalf, but only if he deposits funds sufficient to cover the manager’s share of the purse or agrees that the manager’s share is withheld and deposited in escrow, and agrees in a manner satisfactory to the OPBF to indemnify the OPBF and to hold it harmless from any and all claims, demands, causes of action, and liabilities to the manager, of any kind or nature.

10. Division of proceeds in a purse offer
The nett purse offer (after deduction of OPBF certification fees) shall be divided as follows:
(a) 75% for the champion and 25% for the challenger when bouts will be held in the home country of the champion or in a neutral country.
(b) 80% for the champion and 20% for the challenger when the bout will be held in the challenger's home country.
(c) In vacant titles, the purse offer shall be divided 50% for each contender.
(d) Notwithstanding the terms of subparagraphs (a) and (b) above, the OPBF President and/or Secretary-General may, at their discretion and by a majority voting, modify the division of proceeds between boxers in a purse offer in unusual or special cases.

11. Promoters holding options
Notwithstanding anything to the contrary which may be contained in these Rules and Regulations, if a promoter holds a duly-registered, binding, and approved option for a championship bout with a champion, or, in the case of a vacant title, with a championship contender, but is:
(1) unable to finalize a contract for a mandatory championship bout within the time period prescribed;
(2) unsuccessful in an attempt to win the purse-offer for the bout, such promoter shall be entitled to payment of an amount equal to 25% of the sum by which the purse from the bid guaranteed to the boxer with whom the promoter holds an option exceeds the purse that was guaranteed to the boxer under the option or any higher amount that had been offered to such boxer by the promoter during free-contract negotiations. Under such circumstances, it shall be the obligation of the promoter who wins the purse bid to pay all monies payable to a promoter under these rules, if any, directly to such promoter at the same time that purses are paid to the boxers for the Championship bout. For example, if a promoter has a valid option on a Champion for a guaranteed $US100,000 purse and no higher purse was offered to the boxer by the promoter during the contract negotiations, and if the Champion is guaranteed $US200,000 in the purse offer won by another promoter, the promoter holding the option would be entitled to payment of $US25,000, which is 25% of the excess of the purse offer ($US200,000) over his option ($US100,000).

12. Single purse-offer bids
If only one (1) promoter presents a bid in a purse offer, he will be allowed to promote the bout unless the Federation considers the offer so low that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the boxers, in which case the OPBF will undertake efforts to improve the boxers’ purses.

13. Failure to promote a bout
If a promoter who won the purse offer relinquishes the right or refuses to promote the Championship bout, the promotion will be approved for the promoter who made the second-highest bid; provided, however, that if at the discretion of the President and/or Secretary-General, the offer is too low, or there was no other participant, the OPBF shall order initiation of another purse-offer procedure.

14. Timing of a bout
The match shall take place within sixty (60) days from the date of the opening of the purse offer unless said time limit is changed or modified by the OPBF President and/or Secretary-General. A promoter unable to comply with the time limit will lose his right to promote the bout.

15. Amount of purse-offer bids and new bids
(a) The OPBF President and/or Secretary-General reserve the right to refuse any purse offer if deemed to be too low;
(b) In the event of identical high bids, new offers will be taken from those promoters who submitted the identical high bids, or they may co-promote if the promoters agree. New bids can be taken in the same purse offer meeting if the interested parties are present.

16. Authority of the President/Secretary-General in purse offers
The President and/or Secretary-General have the authority to solve, consider and determine all matters or problems regarding purse offers not included in these regulations, or to take action or render decisions, at their discretion, in any other circumstance relating to administration of performance of the purse-offer procedures.

17. Rights to participate in a purse offer
Promoters, matchmakers and other persons who are in arrears in the payment of the yearly licensing/authorization fees or championship-match fees or OPBF certification fees provided herein, or who have been suspended or expelled from participation in the activities of the OPBF, shall not have the right to present bids for any OPBF authorized purse offer.

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