Amateur and professional sports differ in their rules and objectives, and Muay Thai is no exception. The following are a few examples of the differences, though the rules between amateur bodies tend to vary significantly in comparison to professional organizations. Muay Thai Ontario aligns to the International Federation of Muaythai Amateur’s rule set, which sets the standard for amateur Muay Thai across the world.
Muay Thai Ontario | Amateur Elsewhere | Professional | |
Rules | Geared towards protecting the health and safety of the athlete. | ||
Objectives | To win by landing more scoring strikes. Knock-outs are accidental |
To win by stopping an opponent with cuts, a knock-out, or in a spectacular manner. | |
Scoring | Accumulation of effective strikes Damage |
Damage Balance & Coordination Exhaustion |
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Rounds | Male: 5 x 3 minute rounds, 2 minute rest Female: 5 x 2 minute rounds, 2 minute rest |
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Headguards | |||
Gloves | 10 oz | 6 to 12 oz | 6 to 10 oz |
Referee Duties | Primarily responsible for athlete safety. Prevent undue injury. Enforce the rules of competition. |
Enforce the rules of competition. End competition when an athlete is injured or helpless. |
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Standing 8 | Administered when an athlete is in distress. After three 8 counts the bout is ended. |
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Knock-outs | Accidental, and to be prevented | Desired. Often provides a pay bonus | |
RSC Outclassed | If an athlete is over-matched and has difficulty defending against a far superior opponent the referee stops the contest. | ||
Class System | Progression from C class to Open class keeps similarly experienced athletes paired. Allows for the staggered introduction of more dangerous techniques as athletes develop the experience to use them. |
Does not exist. | |
Fouls | Additional fouls per Class | ||
http://boxingontario.com/athletes/amateur-vs-pro-boxing/ |