Supporters of bare-knuckle boxing in New Mexico spoke out Monday against a potential state ban on the sport.
Members of the local combat sports community went to a New Mexico Athletic Commission meeting on July 20. They asked commissioners to rethink plans to repeal rules for bare-knuckle boxing, which would effectively ban the sport in the state.
Bare-knuckle advocate Diego Padilla asked officials to keep the sport going. He said many fighters depend on it for their income and to keep their gyms open. Other supporters pointed out that bare-knuckle events create jobs and help bring people together in the community.
Alan Dominguez, another supporter, responded to safety concerns and asked commissioners not to take away the athletes’ opportunity. He argued the sport is not as dangerous as some critics say.
Commissioners chose not to discuss the proposed repeal in detail at the meeting, saying they need to do more research first.
“It moved pretty fast, so the commission and a few other entities wanted more information,” said Ed Manzanes, chairman of the commission.
Officials have put further action on hold and have not decided when they will bring the rules back for reconsideration.
Unexpected rule changes
Earlier this year, the commission planned to update its rules to allow for bare-knuckle boxing. However, the new draft regulations ended up removing the section about the sport entirely.
Members of Albuquerque’s bare-knuckle community say Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham started the effort to get rid of the sport because of safety concerns.
David Rios, a referee for Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship events, defended the sport’s safety rules. He said there are five doctors at each event who step in right away to treat any injuries.
Besides the possible ban, participants may also have to pay higher annual licensing fees. The proposed increase would raise the fee from $25 to $75 for contestants, judges, referees, trainers, and managers. Advocates worry that many local fighters will not be able to afford this change.
