Japan Boxing Commission and Japan Pro Boxing Associations jointly decided on March 22 to have ring girls enter the ring between rounds of a fight holding a sign that displays the number of the upcoming round starting April.

Holding a bilateral liaison committee meeting on measures against the novel coronavirus, the both parties also decided to prolong the time each boxing event can be held from 8 p.m. in principle to 9 p.m.
These measures are in line with the government’s full lifting of the coronavirus state of emergency at the end of March 21.

Ring girls’ entry into the ring has been banned although staging boxing events resumed in July last year. Those girls will have to take PCR tests a day before the targeted event or antigen tests on the day of the event though.

But the number of spectators allowed to enter a venue for a fight will remain the same, 50 percent of a venue’s capacity.

Concerning boxers from overseas, JBC Secretary General Tsuyoshi Yasukochi said, ‘’Their entry into the country per se does not seem to mind. But the matter of their isolation period may affect organizers of an event.’’

Such being the prospect, it is likely to take some more time before boxers from abroad can freely get in the ring, according to meeting sources.

As for PCR tests for those competing in fights, they have to take the tests two days before the targeted fight in the case of a world championship bout. The idea of taking the PCR tests two days before a targeted fight was also recommended for Japanese and other title matches as well. For those competing in ordinary fights, the PCR tests can be taken the preceding day of a fight, the sources said.