The Illinois Athletics Commission announced today that it has begun to strengthen safety regulations for professional boxing and mixed martial arts, including requiring a minimum of two doctors at each event.

Administrative rules currently authorize the commission to appoint more than one ringside doctor at events, but Tuesday’s announcement by commission director Ron Puccillo suggests officials did not routinely do so. Doctors are selected by the commission but paid by promoters.

Puccillo also said there will be at least two ambulances on site for televised bouts, although the one-ambulance minimum will remain intact for other fights.

Dr. Bruce Hertz, who works professional and amateur mixed martial arts events in Illinois, also told the Tribune the commission has revised documents doctors use to record fighters’ medical examinations. Physicians now must complete more paperwork to verify that all fighters — whether injured or not — are examined after bouts as required by law. Commission spokeswoman Sue Hofer declined to comment.

The changes follow a Tribune report in February on weaknesses in boxing safety procedures in Illinois. The story featured boxer Rita Figueroa, who in November suffered a brain injury that ended her fighting career and nearly her life.

At Figueroa’s fight, only one doctor and one ambulance were present. Boxers and trainers also told the Tribune that doctors rarely examine fighters after bouts.

The changes were announced at a meeting of the Illinois Athletic Board, which advises the commission. The commission supervises professional boxing and mixed martial arts under the umbrella of the Department of Financial and Professional Regulation.

Board chairman Dr. Glenn Bynum said the changes will be submitted to state lawmakers through the standard rule-making process.

Puccillo said the two-doctor minimum was applied recently to two events. Additional details were not immediately available, Hofer said.

Nationally, laws applying to boxing and mixed martial arts vary by state. If the minimum for two doctors is codified, Illinois would fall in line with other boxing-heavy states such as California or Texas.

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