Florida Touts Proposed🥊Health and Safety Updates
This week, the Florida Athletic Commission proposes a light update to its health and safety standards for professional boxing, kickboxing, and mixed martial arts. The notice and draft language are reproduced below.
Interested parties should note that they have 21 days to…weigh in (comments can be submitted through this link).
Notice of Proposed Rule
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL REGULATION
Florida Athletic Commission
RULE NOS.: RULE TITLES:
61K1-3.0003 Executive Director, Duties and Responsibilities
61K1-3.030 Boxing and Kickboxing Bandages and Handwraps; Gloves
61K1-3.031 Mixed Martial Arts Bandages and Handwraps; Gloves
61K1-3.033 Scoring System; Scoring, Criteria; Knockdowns, Fouls; Determination of Win or Draw; Decision Final, Exceptions
PURPOSE AND EFFECT: Health and Safety Standards for Professional Boxing, Kickboxing, and Mixed Martial Arts
SUMMARY: The amendments will affect the following areas: licensure approval authority of the executive director; the standard for gloves, handwrappings, and bandages used in competition; and the regulations to be used by referees during the judging and scoring of competitions.
SUMMARY OF STATEMENT OF ESTIMATED REGULATORY COSTS AND LEGISLATIVE RATIFICATION:
The Agency has determined that this will not have an adverse impact on small business or likely increase directly or indirectly regulatory costs in excess of $200,000 in the aggregate within one year after the implementation of the rule. A SERC has not been prepared by the Agency.
The Agency has determined that the proposed rule is not expected to require legislative ratification based on the statement of estimated regulatory costs or if no SERC is required, the information expressly relied upon and described herein: During discussion of the economic impact of this rule at its meeting, the Commission concluded that this rule change will not have any impact on licensees and their businesses or the businesses that employ them. The rule will not increase any fees, business costs, personnel costs, will not decrease profit opportunities, and will not require any specialized knowledge to comply. This change will not increase any direct or indirect regulatory costs. Hence, the Board determined that a Statement of Estimated Regulatory Costs (SERC) was not necessary and that the rule will not require ratification by the Legislature. No person or interested party submitted additional information regarding the economic impact at that time.
Any person who wishes to provide information regarding a statement of estimated regulatory costs, or provide a proposal for a lower cost regulatory alternative must do so in writing within 21 days of this notice.
RULEMAKING AUTHORITY: 548.003, 548.006 FS.
LAW IMPLEMENTED: 548.003(2)(c), 548.004, 548.043, 548.057 FS.
IF REQUESTED WITHIN 21 DAYS OF THE DATE OF THIS NOTICE, A HEARING WILL BE SCHEDULED AND ANNOUNCED IN THE FAR.
THE PERSON TO BE CONTACTED REGARDING THE PROPOSED RULE IS: Timothy L. Shipman, Executive Director, Florida Athletic Commission, 2601 Blair Stone Road, Tallahassee, FL 32399-1016, timothy.shipman@myfloridalicense.com, (850)488-8500
THE FULL TEXT OF THE PROPOSED RULE IS:
61K1-3.0003 Executive Director, Duties and Responsibilities.
(1) The executive director shall:
(a) through (d) No change.
(e) Tentatively Aapprove or deny licenses and permits according to the provisions of Chapter 548, F.S., and the rules adopted by the commission;
(f) through (i) No change.
(2) No Change.
Rulemaking Authority 548.003 FS. Law Implemented 548.004 FS. History–New 4-6-89, Amended 1-1-90, Formerly 7F-1.0025, Amended 9-10-95, 4-3-00, 6-1-04, 3-14-13, Formerly 61K1-1.0025, .
61K1-3.030 Boxing and Kickboxing Bandages and Handwraps; Gloves.
(1) Bandages and Handwraps:
(a) All Bbandages and handwraps are required and shall be restricted to single-weave cotton gauze not less than 5 yards or more than 10 yards in length and 2ꞌꞌ inches in width, held in place by not more than 5 yards of 1ꞌꞌ inch surgical tape. No tape may be applied across the knuckles.
(b) No change.
(2) Gloves:
(a) When both participants in a match weigh weighs 147 154 pounds or less, both participants shall use 8 ounce gloves;
(b) When one or more of the participants in a match weighs more than 147 154 pounds, both participants shall use 10 ounce gloves;
(c) Both participants shall wear the same manufacturer of gloves as provided by the promoter unless both participants agree to use different manufacturers of gloves or their own gloves pursuant to paragraph (f) below;
(d) through (e) No change.
(f) Participants shall not supply their own gloves unless agreed to by both participants and approved by the executive director or his or her designee.
Rulemaking Authority 548.003 FS. Law Implemented 548.003(2)(c), 548.043 FS. History–New 12-10-15, Amended .
61K1-3.031 Mixed Martial Arts Bandages and Handwraps; Gloves.
(1) Bandages and Handwraps:
(a) All Bbandages and handwraps are required and shall be restricted to single-weave cotton gauze not less than 2.5 yards in length and not more than 5 yards in length and 2 inches in width, held in place by not more than 5 yards of 1 inch surgical tape. No tape may be applied across the knuckles.
(b) No change.
(2) Gloves:
(a) Gloves shall weigh no less than 4 ounces nor more than 8 ounces; however, both participants shall wear the same weight gloves and use the same manufacturer of gloves as provided by the promoter unless both participants agree to use different manufacturers of gloves or their own gloves pursuant to paragraph (d) below.
(b) through (c) No change.
(d) Participants shall not supply their own gloves unless agreed to by both participants and approved by the executive director or his or her designee.
Rulemaking Authority 548.003 FS. Law Implemented 548.003(2)(c), 548.043 FS. History–New 12-10-1, Amended .
61K1-3.033 Scoring System; Scoring, Criteria; Knockdowns, Fouls; Determination of Win or Draw; Decision Final, Exceptions.
(1) No Change.
(2) Boxing and Kickboxing – Scoring, Criteria; Knockdowns, Fouls. The awarding or deducting of points by the judges and referee, the determination as to the occurrence of knockdowns, knockouts and fouls and the procedure to be used following such occurrence shall be accomplished in the following manner and based on the following criteria, which criteria is listed in the order of importance:
(a) The only fair punch is a punch delivered with the padded knuckle part of the glove to the front or side of the head or body above the belt, and the participant who delivers such a punch shall be awarded points in proportion to its damaging effects.
1. through 2. No change.
3. An unintentional foul may result in a deduction of a point, as determined by the referee. The referee shall determine whether or not a point is to be deducted, using as his criteria the severity of the foul and its effect upon the opponent. When the referee determines that he shall deduct a point from a participant, he shall immediately advise the participants, judges, and commission representative supervising the event of such action. The referee shall not tolerate continual and repeated commission of fouls by a participant. The referee shall give warning to a participant who continually and repeatedly commits fouls and when, in the opinion of the referee, the participant has displayed persistent disregard for the rule governing the commission of fouls, the referee shall disqualify the participant, terminate the match and provide such findings to the commission for appropriate action. Points for fouls shall only be deducted in the round in which the fouls occurred. A participant shall not be penalized in a subsequent round for fouls that occurred in a previous round. The following actions are considered to be fouls, the committing of which may result in a deduction of points:
a. through q. No change.
r. Spitting out of the mouthpiece or allowing the mouthpiece to fall out of the mouth. Referees shall handle ejection of the mouthpiece in the manner described in Rule 61K1-1.009, F.A.C., of these rules,
s. through u. No change.
4. No change.
(b) through (j) No change.
(4) Decision Final, Exceptions.
(a) A decision rendered at the conclusion or termination of any match is final and shall not be changed unless it is determined that any of the following occurred:
1. through 2. No change.
3. There was a violation of Rule 61K1-3.017 61K1-1.0043, F.A.C., of these rules, relating to drugs or foreign substances, or
4. No change.
(b) No change.
(5) Conditions of the Match in Mixed Martial Arts.
(a) The conditions of the match for any mixed martial arts match as proposed to the executive director shall be deemed to include the following as fouls:
1. through 9. No change
10. Striking downward using the point of the elbow,
11. through 12. renumbered 10. through 11. No change.
13. Grabbing the clavicle,
12.14. Kicking or kneeing to the head of a grounded opponent, or stomping a grounded opponent. A fighter shall be considered grounded and may not be legally kneed or kicked to the head when any part of their body other than their hands or feet is in contact with the canvas (ground). An opponent is grounded when any part of the body, other than the soles of the feet are touching the fighting area floor. To be grounded, the palm of one hand (a flat palm) must be down, and/or any other body part must be touching the fighting area floor. A single knee or arm makes the fighter grounded without having to have any other body part in touch with the fighting area floor.
15. Kicking to the kidney with the heel of the foot,
16. through 28. renumbered 13. through 25. No change.
(b) No change.
Rulemaking Authority 548.003, 548.006 FS. Law Implemented 548.057 FS. History–New 4-6-89, Amended 8-28-89, 1-1-90, 1-9-91, Formerly 7F-1.035, Amended 9-10-95, 4-3-00, 6-1-04, Formerly 61K1-1.035, Amended 8-24-17, 6-21-22, .
NAME OF PERSON ORIGINATING PROPOSED RULE: Florida Athletic Commission.
NAME OF AGENCY HEAD WHO APPROVED THE PROPOSED RULE: Florida Athletic Commission.
DATE PROPOSED RULE APPROVED BY AGENCY HEAD: December 10, 2025
DATE NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULE DEVELOPMENT PUBLISHED IN FAR: April 27, 2026