Keith Kizer resigns as NSAC chief
Keith Kizer, Nevada's state athletic commission executive director, handed in his resignation Friday. Kizer has held the position since 2006 and will remain in Nevada state government as a deputy attorney general focused on administrative law, according to a report from FoxSports' Mike Chiappetta.
“This is just a good time for me to move on,” Kizer told Chiappetta.
“It’s a new calendar year, there’s a new chairman, and we’re really slow. We have no fights this month, so it’s a good time for making a transition. Everything’s all set for the big fights in the spring, so if there’s a time to leave, this is the time.”
Kizer also said that he had initially only planned to hold the position for five years when he took over for former director Marc Ratner. Nevada's state athletic commission is the most influential sporting regulatory body of its kind in the world and sets the tone for how things are done everywhere else in regards to boxing and mixed martial arts competition, in addition to other sports.
Kizer himself was heavily involved in the creation and establishment of unified rules for MMA, even before he took over as executive director of the commission. when he was an attorney for the state.Nevada will likely choose an interim director for the commission while beginning a search for a permanent replacement for Kizer.
For his part, Kizer is confident the Nevada commission will carry on and continue to host the world's biggest bouts. “It’s a cool job,” he said.
“I can’t imagine this type of job won’t attract some qualified candidates and probably some unqualified candidates, as well. I’ve done my time as a sports guy, and now I get to go back to being a lawyer. They’ll be just fine without me.”
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Kizer's resignation will take effect Jan. 27.
