But isn't there a minimum of 1800 ELO points to compete? I asked elsewhere in this thread and it seems that 1800 is not quite 'awful' :)
It would seem that's just for WCBO Championship fights. The amateur boxing world is almost entirely self-regulating.
Personally I've found some sort of link between mental and physical exhaustion, though I'm not sure which causes which.
I think that being struck in the head probably leads to a loss of control and an overall inability to remain cool more than it affects mental capacity. People panic when someone's trying to punch them. That said, the more experienced (and physically fit) a boxer, the longer they can last before becoming overwhelmed. I don't think it's as simple as purely a mechanical reaction to being punched in the head.