The Association of Boxing Commissions and Combative Sports (ABC) has a new president for the first time in a decade.
Florida State Athletic Commission (FSAC) executive director Timothy Shipman has been named president after he ran for the position uncontested, the group’s now-former president Mike Mazzulli informed MMA Junkie on Monday.
Mazzulli did not seek reelection after holding the position for 10 years. Mazzulli will continue in his role as the director of Athletic Regulation for the Mohegan Tribe in Uncasville, Conn., which he has held for more than 22 years.
The changing of the guard happened in New Orleans, where the 2025 ABC Yearly Conference is taking place from Monday to Wednesday.
Other ABC positions, like vice president, secretary and treasurer will be voted on later in the week.
Who is Timothy Shipman?
Shipman has served as FSAC executive director since June 2023. Prior to that, he worked for nearly seven years as the assistant executive director. His combat sports regulatory experience in Florida stretches back to October 2005.
According to his LinkedIn page, Shipman served as a first company sergeant in the United States Marine Corps for four years after 10 years as a fleet operations manager.
Shipman is a member of the Florida MMA Hall of Fame, as well as the Florida Boxing Hall of Fame.
What is the Association of Boxing Commissions (ABC)?
The ABC is a not-for-profit organization that unites state and territory combat sports regulators from North America and beyond.
According to the constitution on its website, the ABC has seven missions:
- To promote the continual improvement of, and for, professional boxing; professional and amateur mixed martial arts; and other professional and amateur unarmed combat sports (hereinafter, “combat sports”).
- To promote the uniformity of health and safety standards and other requirements pertaining to the conduct of combat sports events.
- To promote standard reporting of combat sports events between members, including results, injury reports, suspensions and other medical information.
- To encourage communication, cooperation and uniformity in the supervision and regulation of combat sports among the members of the ABC.
- To publish and disseminate medical and training information, and to promote and hold seminars for the continuing education of all officials, ringside physicians, commissioners and commission employees.
- To establish and operate a charitable foundation which will accept donations to a charitable fund for indigent boxers with elected officers and members of the ABC Board of Directors serving on the board of governors and as trustees of this fund.
- To encourage adherence to, and enforcement of, applicable federal laws by each member of the ABC.
Every year, the ABC hosts a conference that dozens of members will attend to engage in training sessions, discuss hot topics, vote on executive positions, watch presentations, listen to guest speakers, and vote on rule changes among other things.
