Chap. 123.—An ACT to amend and re-enact sections 4426 and 4427 of the Code of
Virginia, and to further amend the Code of Virginia by adding thereto a new
section numbered 4426-a, said sections relating to fights between men and fights
between men and animals and amateur boxing matches and exhibitions.

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Approved March 9, 1932

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly of Virginia, That sec-
tions forty-four hundred and twenty-six and forty-four hundred and
twenty-seven of the Code of Virginia, be amended and re-enacted, and
that the Code of Virginia be further amended by adding thereto a new
section numbered forty-four hundred and twenty-six-a, so that the
said amended and re-enacted sections and the said new section shall
read as follows:

Section 4426. Any person who shall voluntarily engage in a pugil-
istic encounter between man and man, or a fight between a man and
bull or any other animal for money or other thing of value, or for
any championship, or upon the result of which any money or any
thing of value is bet or wagered, or to see which any admission fee is
charged, either directly or indirectly, shall be deemed guilty of a
felony, and upon conviction shall be punished by confinement in the
penitentiary not less than one nor more than five years. By the term
“pugilistic encounter” as used in this section is meant any volun-
tary fight or personal encounter by blows by means of the fists or
otherwise, whether with or without gloves, between two or more
men for money or for a prize of any character or for any other thing
of value or for any championship or upon the result of which any
money or any thing of value is bet or wagered.

Section 4426-a. Notwithstanding the provisions of the foregoing
section, the board of supervisors of any county may by ordinance
permit, except on Sunday, within such county outside of any town
thereof, and the council of any city or town may by ordinance permit,
except on Sunday, within such city or town, strictly amateur boxing
matches or exhibitions to which an admission fee may be charged;
provided no single boxing match or exhibition shall be for more than
four rounds of three minutes each and, provided further, that no
boxer shall be allowed to participate in more than four rounds of three
minutes each with the same individual within twenty-four consecutive
hours. An amateur boxing match or exhibition shall be construed to
mean a match or exhibition in which both contestants are amateur
boxers, and an amateur boxer shall be construed to mean one who
engages in boxing solely for the pleasure and physical, mental or
social benefits he derives therefrom and to whom boxing is nothing
more than an avocation, and who neither directly nor indirectly re-
ceives pay or other financial benefits in consideration of or as a re-
ward for participating in any boxing matches or exhibitions. The
board of such county and the council of such city or town may adopt
ordinances, not in conflict herewith, providing for the regulation and
supervision of such amateur boxing matches or exhibitions within
their respective jurisdictions.

Section 4427. Any person who promotes, conducts, or assists, di-
rectly or indirectly, in the promotion or conduct of any encounter,
fight, match or exhibition prohibited by section forty-four hundred
and twenty-six, and not permitted by section forty-four hundred and
twenty-six-a, shall be guilty of a felony, and upon conviction shall be
punished by confinement in the penitentiary not less than one or more
than two years, or in the discretion of the court or jury trying the
case, by confinement in jail for not less than six months nor more
than twelve months, or by a fine not less than five hundred dollars,
or by both such fine and jail sentence.