New York State Legislature Joint Legislative Committee on Professional Boxing Public Hearing Transcript

Assembly Resolution 190 adopted on March 30, 1962 provided for three Senators and four Assemblymen to investigate and make a study of the conduct of professional boxing in New York State, including existing laws and rules of regulatory bodies affecting boxing. The scope of the investigation was to include every matter and thing deemed by the committee competent, relevant, and material in the ascertainment of the true situation. A report to the Temporary President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the Assembly was to be presented by December 15, 1962, and to the Legislature by March 31, 1963. The sum of $25,000 was appropriated to the committee to conduct its work.

The Joint Legislative Committee on Professional Boxing was later designated the Joint Legislative Committee on Sports and Physical Fitness, and was reconstituted by the 1963 Legislature and directed to expand its activities to include investigation of all professional and amateur athletics. In addition, the committee was to assist local communities and organizations in promoting more citizen participation in physical fitness programs. Investigations were to be extended to March 31, 1964. A report to the Temporary President of the Senate and to the Speaker of the Assembly was due by December 15, 1963, and to the Legislature by March 31, 1964. A sum of $30,000 was appropriated to the committee for this work.

This series consists of transcripts of a hearing conducted by the Joint Legislative Committee on Professional Boxing on February 4-5, 1963, in the Assembly Chambers, Albany. The committee had made a rough draft of a proposed bill that would, in effect, have outlawed professional boxing in the State of New York. The stated intent of the hearings was to help the committee arrive at a decision as to whether or not the bill or a more refined bill would be submitted to the Legislature or whether the abolition of boxing would be recommended. Notable persons testifying include Howard Cosell and Cassius Clay (later Mohammed Ali).

A copy of this hearing transcript and is held by the New York State Library.

This series has been digitized in its entirety and is available in State Archives Digital Collections.

Transcripts of other committee hearings are held by the New York State Library.

This series was transferred to the State Archives by the Boxing Hall of Fame.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of this material.