Earlier today the Japanese Boxing Commission (JBC) and the Japan Professional Boxing Association (JPBA) held their latest liaison council in regards to the current on going situations and came with some relatively notable changes.
Before we discuss the changes it is worth noting that at the meeting today it was revealed that
Jorge Linares (47-5, 29) has been released from hospital, after his positive PCR test on August 6th. From what we under-stand he was there as precaution and on the basis of quarantine, as the fighter himself was reportedly asymptomatic.
The main change in regards to the rules is that fighters will be allowed to train at a different gym to their own, only if they have a match schedule and complete a number of forms and tests.
Since the cases in Osaka back in July the request had been made for fighters to only train at their own gym. This limits things like sparring to fighters within a specific gym. For example if you needed a tall southpaw to spar with and your gym didn't have one, tough luck.
Another change is that steeper punishments will be given where a fighter breathes rules in regards to leaving hotels and violating other restrictions. This can now include include bouts being cancelled, even if a fighter doesn't have a positive test.
From September 21st the plan is to add another layer into the testing procedure, with a test being given the day before bouts.
Arguably, at least for fans, the biggest news is that the Sports Agency have began to ease the restrictions on international fighters and trainers into Japan. This should open the door to international bouts returning to Japanese soil in the near future. This could mean a new date will be announced shortly for the multi-time postponed
WBO Flyweight title
bout between Junto Nakatani (20-0, 15) [中谷 潤人] and Giemel Magramo (24-1, 20).
