Abstract
The purpose of this study is to clarify the issue of an individual's sovereignty over his own body and person in the field of professional boxing.
This study is based on the debate between the well-known principles of individual sovereignty as presented by John Stuart Mill and the paternalistic regulations issued by the Japanese Boxing Commission (JBC).
The results here are as follows:
1. In a free society which emphasizes individual autonomy, a professional boxer such as J. Tatsuyoshi has sovereignty over his own body, the reason being that strong paternalism cannot be justified in the case of adult athletes.
2. In order to promote sound professional boxing, JBC should provide safe athletic settings and examine the medical condition of all boxers by means of medical examinations and empirical studies.
3. A balance of sovereignty and paternalism in sports should be achieved in an open system for all athletes. Moreover, unfair regulations should be replaced with fair ones.
