Next up for public consumption again, via the box, is boxing, with rival promoters Frank Warren and Eddie Hearn staging shows this summer. 

Veteran Hall of Fame impresario Warren has been first to the punch, holding the first of a series of attractive British title fights in the BT studio at Olympic Park in London on Saturday, July 10.

Hearn goes outdoors with four shows starting on August 1 in his own back garden. 

Or rather that of the palatial family home where he was brought up in Brentwood in Essex, which is now the headquarters of their promotional company Matchroom.

No fans though at any promotion, which is currently the new norm.

Still, it is good news, certainly for the fight-frustrated viewers. But the bad news, at least for me, is that I won’t be able to attend any of them even as a long-standing boxing journalist.

Under the new regulations imposed because of the coronavirus pandemic, I am banned, as I am over 70.

The same goes for any septuagenarian-plus which means that even then bold Barry Hearn, the driving force behind the boxing operation run by son Eddie, will have to watch from the living room window of the Matchroom mansion. He is 72.

This is one of the long list of stringent rules, exclusively obtained by insidethegames, drawn up by the British Boxing Board of Control (BBBofC) to enable boxing’s much awaited comeback. It is good to see that the Board are right on the punchball, ahead of the game over most other sports.

Here are some extracts from the vast instructions issued by the Board to ensure boxing’s health and safety in the current crisis.

Fighters will be expected to enter a bubble ahead of their bouts and, alongside officials, staff and media, will undergo testing for COVID-19.

All venues will be required to be cleaned to a medical standard in advance of the tournament.

Seven working days prior to any tournament the BBBofC should be made aware of names and exact numbers of attendees. 

The list will include all licence holders, Board officials, medical officers, paramedic ambulance crew, promoter’s team {to include venue staff and any security}, and TV personnel.

Whether any written media attend is at the discretion of the promoter, but, according to the Board’s general secretary Robert Smith, himself an ex-boxer, numbers must be restricted to an absolute minimum. 

However he adds: "Things seem to be changing by the day."

Those who will not be allowed to attend include people 70 years or older, regardless of medical conditions,  people with chronic lung disease or moderate to severe asthma, people with serious heart conditions, people who are immune compromised, people with chronic neurological conditions, people who are seriously overweight, people with diabetes, people with chronic kidney disease or undergoing dialysis, people with liver disease and those who are pregnant.

Other criteria includes any persons that have tested positive for COVID-19 within the previous 14 days, any persons who have had a fever, cough or any other cold or flu-like symptoms within the last 14 days, any persons self-isolating for 14 days as a result of a household member being COVID-19 positive or symptomatic, any persons returning from abroad within the last 14 days and/or overseas boxers.

Any boxer who falls into any of the above categories will not be permitted to box.

There will be a maximum of five contests {to be reviewed by the Board at a later stage}.

Pre-contest medicals will be conducted on the afternoon of the tournament and not the day before.

COVID-19 tests must be undertaken by all boxers, referees, trainers and seconds who will be required to self-isolate in a hotel and await the test result.

The officials must continue to self-isolate in a hotel until the tournament.

It is essential that once an individual has undertaken their COVID-19 test that they go directly to their hotel room. They should remain there, alone, until they receive notification of their COVID-19 test result.

Any person that produces a positive test for active COVID-19 infection will not be permitted to take any further part in the tournament.

Boxers, trainers and seconds will be transported to the venue wearing personal protective masks, eye protection and latex free disposable gloves.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), eye protection and gloves, for trainers and seconds must remain in place at all times during the tournament.

The referee, judges and timekeeper must wear PPE, mask, eye protection and gloves, at all times throughout the tournament.

Upon arrival at the venue and prior to entering the arena all attendees will have their temperature taken and will be asked COVID-19 screening questions.

The individual conducting the screening process on arrival, must be wearing a fluid resistant surgical face mask - Type IIR certified, eye protection {eye shield, goggles or visor} and latex free disposable gloves.

In accordance with Government guidance the BBBofC has appointed a COVID-19 officer. 

The BBBofC recommend that each promoter appoints a named COVID-19 medical officer to ensure that risk assessments take place for non BBBofC licence holders attending the tournament. This individual will take no part in the BBBofC medical procedures during the tournament.

Dressing rooms must have enough space to maintain social distancing, or individual rooms for each boxer.

The television commentary area must have enough space for social distancing.

Allowed into the ring prior to and after the contest are the boxers, one trainer, referee and medical officers.

No ring card girls are allowed into the ring and the Master of Ceremony is not permitted into the ring.

All BBBofC personnel must wear full length trousers and a short sleeve polo shirt to ensure bare arms below the elbows, with no jackets or ties allowed.

There must be two separate designated safe areas for donning and doffing of PPE. One area will be for donning and a separate area for doffing. 

These areas will require handwashing facilities, touch free paper towel dispensers {not hot air hand dryers}, hand sanitiser, disposable latex free gloves, universal wipes and foot pedal operated clinical waste bins.

Hand sanitiser facilities must be available and clearly identifiable at ringside. They should also be clearly identified on entry to dressing rooms.

Licence holders in the corners must not share the boxers water bottle or towel.

Boxers are restricted to two corner personnel and one house second supplied by the promoter.

Shower facilities with soap and towels must be available at the venue for all boxers, licence holders, referees, judges and medical officers to use.

All medical officers at ringside will be in full PPE {FFP3 mask, fluid repellent overall suits, latex free disposable gloves, and full-face visor} in the event of a collapsed boxer. 

The promoter must hire an ambulance with paramedic support that is undertaking regular COVID-19 transfers.

Ring canvas, steps to ring, ropes and corners to be cleaned to medical standards in between each contest.

There must be sufficient time {a minimum of 20 minutes} between contests to allow cleaning of the ring area and for any person to change their PPE in a safe and unrushed manner.

To ensure good infection control practices, following each contest the referee must go to the doffing area and remove their PPE. They must then shower and change into a fresh uniform. New PPE must then be donned before the next contest.

The compulsory spittoon bucket must be covered with a lid during each round. During the round the external aspect of the spittoon bucket must be cleaned with bleach and changed. Spittoon buckets must be changed after each contest.

The individual who is cleaning the spittoon buckets must wear fluid resistant surgical face masks - Type IIR certified, eye protection {eye shield, goggles or visor} and a long sleeve disposable fluid repellent gown.

All PPE used at the event is regarded as clinical waste and must be disposed of in accordance with clinical waste guidance, this includes their boxing gloves and hand wraps.

Phew! What a palaver! But all necessary these days before referees can order "box on!"

At least it should ensure good clean {very clean} fights.