Section 19-2116. KNOCKDOWNS AND KNOCKOUTS

 

2116.1The referees count shall be the official count.

 

2116.2If a contestant leaves the ring during the one (1) minute period between rounds and fails to be in the ring when the bell signals to resume boxing, or if a contestant fails to rise from the contestant’s chair at the beginning of a round, the referee shall start counting as soon as the round’s opening bell sounds.  The referee shall declare the contestant counted out unless the contestant is on his or her feet in the ring at the end of the ten (10) seconds.

 

2116.3The referee may disqualify any contestant who goes down without being struck solely to avoid a blow.

 

2116.4If a fallen contestant gets up before the count of ten (10) and goes down again immediately, without being struck, solely to avoid a blow, the referee shall resume the count where it was stopped after the first fall.

 

2116.5If a contestant is knocked down, the referee shall order the opponent to go to the neutral corner farthest removed from the fallen contestant and shall point to the corner. The referee shall immediately count over the fallen contestant and loudly announce the passing of seconds, accompanied with a downward motion of the referee’s arm indicating the end of each second.

 

2116.6If a contestant fails to stay in the farthest neutral corner while the contestant’s opponent is down, the referee shall stop counting until the contestant has returned to that corner. The referee shall then resume the count from the point where it was interrupted.

 

2116.7When a contestant is knocked down, the referee shall complete a count of eight (8), whether or not the contestant is ready to resume the contest.

 

2116.8If the contestant is still down at the count of eight (8), the referee shall proceed to a count of ten (10).

 

2116.9If the contestant is still down when the referee reaches the count of ten (10), the referee shall wave both arms to indicate that the fallen contestant has been knocked out and shall raise the opponent's right hand to designate the winner.  In such a case, the referee shall not declare a technical knockout.

 

2116.10The referee shall disqualify any contestant who is knocked down three (3) times in any one (1) round.  The Commission may waive this rule in championship contests.

 

2116.11If the round ends during the count, the timekeeper shall sound the bell once indicating the end of the round.

 

2116.12If a contestant’s corner declares that the contestant will not answer the bell for a round, the other contestant shall be credited with a technical knockout in that round, but not, for the preceding round that has been fought.

 

2116.13The contestant's manager or second shall not help back up a contestant who has been knocked out or who has fallen through the ropes or over the edge of the ring platform during a contest. The referee shall begin to count as soon as the contestant leaves the inside of the ring's ropes. If the contestant fails to return by the count of twenty (20), the referee shall declare a technical knockout. The same procedure applies to a contestant who leaves the ring during the contest under any other circumstances.

 

2116.14When one contestant has fallen through the ropes, the other contestant shall go to the farthest neutral corner and remain there until the count is completed or until the first contestant is standing in the ring.

 

2116.15The referee shall disqualify a contestant who deliberately wrestles or throws an opponent from the ring, or who hits an opponent when the opponent is partly out of the ring and prevented by the ropes from assuming a position of defense.

 

2116.16A contestant shall be considered down when any part of the body other than the feet are on the floor or when the body is hanging helplessly over the ropes and the referee has begun to count over the contestant.

 

2116.17The referee shall motion into the ring for first aid purposes only the ringside physician. A knocked-out contestant may be moved only on the orders of the ringside physician.

 

2116.18No manager or second shall throw a towel, sponge or any other article into the ring as an acknowledgment of defeat.

 

source

Final Rulemaking published at 35 DCR 3731, 3738-40 (May 20, 1988).