The B.C. athletic commissioner has decided to authorize professional kickboxing, allowing the province's mixed-martial arts athletes to compete more safely and at a higher level.
Commissioner Kelly Gilday says her organization has been working toward the inclusion of professional kickboxing for quite some time and the step will reduce the risk to fighters by allowing them to transition from amateur to professional.
The province says while kickboxing is allowed as an amateur sport in B.C., it was previously unsanctioned at the professional level.
The commissioner's ruling will allow the promotion of professional kickboxing matches as a sub-group of mixed martial arts and it expects to have full oversight of the sport in place in 2020.
