Any person who is principal or second in any prize fight in this state shall be guilty of a class D felony. A contest in which blows are struck which are intended or calculated to stun, disable or knock out either of the contestants, or in which either contestant is counted out or otherwise declared defeated because of failure to resume the contest within a certain time, shall be deemed a prize fight within the meaning of this section. The provisions of this section shall not apply to (1) professional boxing or mixed martial arts matches held or conducted under the laws of this state, or (2) amateur boxing or mixed martial arts matches held under the provisions of section 29-143j, or under the supervision of any school, college or university having an academic course of study or of the recognized athletic association connected with such school, college or university.

(1949 Rev., S. 8516; February, 1965, P.A. 617, S. 11; 1967, P.A. 787, S. 3; 1972, P.A. 55, S. 12; P.A. 85-293, S. 9; P.A. 96-259, S. 13; P.A. 13-258, S. 113; 13-259, S. 16.)

History: 1965 act deleted exception allowing professional boxing exhibitions under permit and made specific provision for amateur boxing exhibitions; 1967 act added exception for exhibitions under section 19-327; 1972 act exempted boxing exhibitions from provisions of section and deleted proviso which had stated that boxing exhibitions would be exempt “at such time as they are regulated by an agency of the United States government”; P.A. 85-293 deleted reference to consumer protection commissioner's power to grant permits for wrestling bouts; P.A. 96-259 made technical grammatical change in reference to wrestling bouts or amateur boxing exhibitions where section does not apply; P.A. 13-258 changed penalty from fine of not more than $1,000 or imprisonment of not more than 5 years to a class D felony; P.A. 13-259 inserted Subdiv. (1) and (2) designators, replaced “boxing exhibitions” with “professional boxing or mixed martial arts matches”, deleted reference to wrestling bouts and replaced “amateur boxing exhibitions” with “amateur boxing or mixed martial arts matches”.

See chapter 532a re boxing and mixed martial arts.