The Nevada Athletic Commission won the first round in a fight over what can be placed on a boxer's back, but the battle may just be getting interesting.
The Commission voted 5-0 at a meeting Wednesday to not allow temporary tattoos to be placed on the backs of boxers during fights. Officials with Golden Palace Online Casino confirmed their plan today to take the issue to the courts.
Golden Palace started the practice by paying boxers to have its URL temporarily placed on their backs while in the ring and on TV. The Commission brought the issue up during a meeting earlier this month, but tabled a final vote until it had time to confer with the state's attorney general's office.
Golden Palace argued during last week's meeting that the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was at the center of the debate and that boxers should be allowed to display whatever advertisements they choose.
The Commission's executive director, Marc Ratner, countered that the practice of putting the boxer's back up for rent during bouts was demeaning to the sport.
Eric Amgar, who conceived the idea, said that, in response to the NAC's decision, Golden Palace has filed a temporary stay with the courts seeking an injunction on the decision. If the court grants the stay, Golden Palace would be allowed to continue the practice until a full court hearing to determine the constitutionality of the practice.
Vegas-based attorney Paul Larsen, who's representing Golden Palace, was out of his office on Monday, but he did tell the Las Vegas Review-Journal last week that, if the matter goes to court, some of the boxers who've been able to cash in on the agreement are liable to join Golden Palace in fighting the decision.
Amgar said the court should return a decision by Tuesday. Golden Palace has an agreement in place with Clarence "Bones" Adams to have a temporary tattoo on his back for a fight against Paulie Ayala on Saturday at Mandalay Bay. Amgar said Adams is schedule to get the tattoo placed on his back on Friday; a decision from the court will have to be handed down by then.