LARA Proud to Sanction Flint's Claressa Shields' Historic Detroit Fight

Media Contact: LARA Communications 517-373-9280
Email: mediainfo@michigan.gov

Licensure of professional boxers and events keeps fights safe and exciting

March 9, 2017 - As two-time Olympic boxing gold medalist and Flint native Claressa Shields headlines her second professional fight at the MGM Grand Detroit Event Center on March 10, state regulators are very pleased that Salita Promotions and Sho Box/Showtime have chosen Michigan for this historic event.

“Through our regulatory efforts to protect the health, safety and welfare of professional boxers in this state, we are excited to be a part of this historic event, which is most likely the biggest fight we’ve seen in Michigan in more than 10 years,” said LARA’s Corporations, Securities and Commercial Licensing (CSCL) Director, Julia Dale.

Ms. Shields will make her main event debut and will also become the first woman to headline a card on television, according to Yahoo Sports. She will be fighting for the NABF middleweight championship in only her second professional fight in this six-round main event. For the first time in history a women’s boxing match will be headlining on premium television. 

CSCL works in tandem with the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission (UCC) that is responsible for the regulation of professional boxing and mixed martial arts under P.A. 403 of 2004. As successor to the Michigan Boxing Commission, members are appointed by the governor and consist of four licensees in boxing; four licensees in mixed martial arts and three public members. The Commission meets quarterly to address disciplinary actions, take public comment, provide advice and counsel to LARA on rules, safety and other matters involving combat sports.

In 2014, CSCL debuted a streamlined licensing process for professional boxers (and mixed martial artists) who now receive their licenses from CSCL two weeks faster and without making a previously required trip to Lansing. Thanks to the state’s Reinventing Performance in Michigan initiative, a professional boxer can now expect to receive their license on average, the same day, ending an average 17-day wait time. They now complete a shorter application, can apply online and pay by credit card. Since CSCL added the eight different UCC license types to the MyLicense online application system, applying online has become exceedingly popular among those in the UCC profession. 

Current active UCC licensees under CSCL include: 168 professional boxers; 183 amateur mixed martial artists (MMA); 185 professional MMA; 43 judges; 28 matchmakers; 29 promoters; 15 referees; and 13 timekeepers. Fights are also licensed under CSCL and have doubled in two years with 16 UCC shows licensed in 2015, and 32 in 2016. There are already 9 events scheduled in Michigan that CSCL has licensed for 2017.

For more information about the Michigan Unarmed Combat Commission, to obtain applicant information for a new or to renew a license, or to check out the dates and locations of upcoming events and much more, go to the UCC website at www.michigan.gov/ucc. 

Ms. Shields is recognized as one of the most accomplished amateur boxers in U.S. history – male or female with an amazing 77-1 record. She became the first U.S. woman to win a boxing gold medal, and the only American boxer to capture back-to-back gold medals in Women’s Middleweight Boxing at the 2012 and 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Ms. Shields turned professional last November, winning her first bout via unanimous decision on a non-televised undercard in Las Vegas. 

For more information about LARA, please visit www.michigan.gov/lara

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