Boxing promoter calls for law changes to cover unregulated combat sports

RNZ News

21-05-2025

Dan Hooker.
Photo:
Photosport Ltd
A boxing promoter is calling for law changes to cover emerging combat sports that are going virtually unregulated.
It comes as one well known MMA fighter is
recruiting 32 fighters
to take part in what he describes as one minute scraps, the ultimate winner to crowned "King of the Streets".
In a series of social media posts Dan 'Hangman' Hooker describes the tournament as boxing but with MMA gloves, and said it was winner take all with a prize of $50,000.
There are no weight limits and no professionals allowed.
The series of fights appear to be linked to a social media influencer and an online gambling site.
The Boxing Coaches Association has described it as "straight-out thuggery", and said it was not boxing.
They are concerned someone could be seriously hurt.
Boxing promoter of almost 20 years Craig Thomson told
Checkpoint
the event shouldn't be classified as boxing.
"The Boxing Wrestling Act covers corporate boxing, amateur boxing, professional boxing, and this is neither of those.
"It's comes down to who's officiating, who's sanctioning, who's carrying out the proper medicals and checks to make sure that fighter safety has been taken care of."
He said the Boxing and Wrestling Act didn't cover sports like kickboxing, MMA or any other combat sport.
"I think we need to get to a point where we cover all our sports under one umbrella in the combat sports space."
In New South Wales, there is a combat authority that looks after all combat sports, he said.
"Sports like boxing and wrestling are put to one side and [are told] look, you guys got to follow one set of rules. But the rest have to follow their own set, which they basically make themselves."
He said New Zealand's legislation was not fit for purpose and was outdated as the sports had evolved over time.
"I think it needs to be revamped or relooked at and I think personally, I'd like to see one combat authority.
"It's all sports that evolve. You just look at rugby, there's rugby sevens. When the Act was first drawn up kickboxing barely existed if at all."
He said the popularity of kickboxing had exploded over the last 30 to 40 years.
"That's not a bad thing at all. It just means that they've now fallen into that middle ground where they're not regulated by the Act."
There were risks with one minute scraps, no weight classes and no regulation, he said.
"You'd like to think all the proper checks and balances are being put in place around fighter safety, that has to be paramount.
President of the NZ Boxing Coaches Association Billy Meehan.
Photo:
Supplied/ NZ Boxing
"Combat sports have weight divisions for a reason that's all combat sports, like boxing, MMA. There's a reason for that, it is fighter safety.
"It's a little uneasy to hear that perhaps 120kg fighters punching or kicking someone who's potentially 70 kilos."
Checkpoint
has received a response from Dan Hooker following an interview with New Zealand Boxing Coach Association President Billy Meehan.
He said Billy Meehan was an absolute legend in New Zealand and he agreed 100 percent wholeheartedly that this [event] was not boxing and was not associated with boxing in any way, shape or form.
But Dan Hooker didn't respond to other questions about the event.
Checkpoint
has asked him for an interview but is yet to receive a response.
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