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[Jack 1000]

How Commissions And Sanctioning Bodies Differ

Credit: www.fightsaga.com

Below is a very brief overview on how commissions and sanctioning bodies differ in responsibility.

Governing Commissions

A boxing commission is an entity authorized under state law to regulate professional boxing matches. Although commissions' responsibilities can vary a bit depending on state, province and country, most have a core set of obligations and duties. For the most part, boxing commissions regulate all contests and exhibitions of unarmed combat within a specific state, province or jurisdiction. Their core responsibilities usually include:

● Licensing, supervising and suspending promoters, boxers, mixed martial artists, kick-boxers, seconds, ring officials, managers, and matchmakers
● Protecting the safety of the fighters; This is accomplished by the enforcement and review of pre-fight medical exams and evaluations and ensuring their respective safety standards are met during and immediately after the bout.
● Creating and implementing drug-testing policies
● Overseeing disciplinary cases and arbitrating disputes between fighters and managers
● Assigning judges and referees to work fights
● Ensuring that a boxer is not on suspension status in any other jurisdiction
● Making sure fighters are not unreasonably over-matched against their opponent. For example, most (if not all) commissions would disallow Vitali Klitschko (at 43-2, 40 KO) to fight someone who has had just five pro bouts, and
● Declaring official fight results such as wins, losses, draws and no contests that are to be recognized internationally.


Sanctioning Bodies

Sanctioning bodies, such as WBC, WBA, IBF and WBO, do not arrange, promote or organize championship contests. They merely certify rules governing the contests, license the use of their name and award the championship belt to the winner. In addition, they are responsible for:

● Creating and implementing fight rules specific to the sanctioning body. For example, some sanctioning bodies approve of standing (8) counts and the Three-Knockdown Rule while others don't (All rules must be approved by each jurisdiction's commission)
● Creating, awarding and stripping titles based on the rules they have set forth
● Creating weight divisions and developing rankings by division, and
● Protecting their brand and reputation

Jack