Promoter Yvon Michel says Ontario's boxing regulations are unsafe, but he has no problem staging shows in Toronto.

The Mexico City-based World Boxing Council, one of the four major world fight sanctioning bodies along with the IBF, WBA and WBO, announced this week it will not sanction bouts in Ontario until the province's fight commission changes its rules on weigh-in times, insurance and other matters.

"I did a show in Ontario and I got great co-operation from (Ontario Athletics Commission chairman) Ken Hayashi," Michel said Wednesday. "I wish there was more to protect fighters, but I will not hesitate to go back there when an opportunity arises."

Michel said in September he was looking to be involved in three or four fight cards per year in Toronto, where Global Legacy Boxing, headed by former world champion Lennox Lewis and Toronto promoter Les Woods, is looking to revive the pro boxing scene.

The WBC was concerned over the case of Guillermo Herrera, a 32-year-old Mexican who suffered a brain bleed after a loss to Skakeel Phinn at a charity boxing card at Toronto's Royal York Hotel on April 12.

Because Ontario rules do not require fighters to be insured beyond pre- and post-fight medical tests, Herrera faces a massive bill for treatment at his own expense at St. Michael's Hospital.

The WBC also slammed an Ontario rule that calls for the weigh-in to be held on the same day as the bout, rather than a day before to allow boxers time to re-hydrate.

Montreal-based Michel, one of Canada's top boxing promoters, said Ontario is "the only place in the world I know of that still does it the day of the fight."

He said allowing at least 24 hours is essential for a fighter to recuperate from an energy-draining weigh-in. His promotion usually holds weigh-ins 30 to 35 hours before a bout.

However, an Ontario commission statement said it's "weigh-in procedures for boxing are consistent with the recommendations of the Association of Ringside Physicians, which call for weigh-ins to be scheduled twenty four hours or less before the start of competition."

The commission said it has a strong safety record and that the incident was "an unfortunate reminder of the risk inherent in combative sport.

"Ontario has some of the most stringent requirements in Canada, that meet or exceed those in other North American jurisdictions, in order to protect the safety of contestants, including rigorous match approvals and security deposits to ensure promoters pay the cost of important post bout tests such as catscans and MRIs."

Michel got around the weigh-in rule when Adonis Stevenson defended his WBC light heavyweight title on Sept. 30 at the Ricoh Coliseum in Toronto. An agreement was reached to hold the weigh-in the day before, when fighters had to be within the 175-pound limit. A second one was held the day of the bout in which they could be no heavier than 185 pounds.

That way, he said "you can do your own administration and respect the rule."

Michel also said all fighters on his cards are insured.

A similar case arose in 2006 when Costa Rican Lucas Green Arias suffered bleeding on the brain during a bout with Jean Pascal at the Montreal Casino. Insurance covered the fighter's medical costs until he was able to return home.

The WBC considers Ontario's rules to be "dangerous for the participants."

It also says the OAC places unsafe limits on the amount of gauze fighters can use to wrap their hands.

"Besides the OAC's dangerous pre-fight practices, it appears that there were several irregularities in connection with the fight," the statement read. "The Mexican fighter was allowed to travel from Mexico to Toronto without the required permit from the competent Mexican authorities.

"While Mr. Herrera fights as a cruiserweight, the OAC licensed him to fight in the lower light heavyweight division. Therefore, he was forced to lose a substantial amount of weight the day of the fight. At this point, it is uncertain whether the event's promoter had medical insurance. That is one of several facts that are being investigated.

"In the meantime, the WBC considers the OAC's practices dangerous for the boxers. Therefore, the WBC will not sanction any WBC event in which the OAC regulations apply until such time that those dangerous regulations are changed, thus affording standard safety and protection measures to boxers in that jurisdiction."