World Boxing is led by an Executive Board and a President, Gennadiy Golovkin, elected by members at the organisation’s inaugural Congress in Rome on 23 November 2025. It includes Athlete Representatives to ensure the views of boxers have influence at the highest level of decision making.
All candidates were assessed by an Independent Vetting Panel using open-source materials only.
The Executive Board of World Boxing is comprised of:
Gennadiy Golovkin (KAZ), President
Gennadiy Golovkin was named the President of World Boxing at its Congress 2025 in Rome for a three year term to lead the organisation into the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.
Born in 1982, Gennadiy Golovkin is widely considered to be Kazakhstan’s greatest ever boxer. He won a silver medal at the Athens Olympics in 2004 before entering the professional ranks where he won the middleweight world title twice in a career made-up of 42 wins, two losses and a draw. He has been the President of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee since 2024.
Ryan O’Shea (CAN), Vice-President
Ryan O’Shea is a seasoned boxing administrator and business professional, holding a Master’s degree in Business Administration. With over a decade of experience in sports governance, Ryan is committed to ensuring that boxing remains a cornerstone of the Olympic program. Elected as the Vice President of World Boxing during its inaugural congress in November 2023 in Frankfurt, Germany, Ryan brings a wealth of expertise and leadership to the organization.
In addition to his role at World Boxing, Ryan serves as the President of Boxing Canada, where he continues to drive the sport forward with dedication and vision. As a former elite athlete, Ryan was a proud member of Boxing Canada’s national team, representing his country at the World Youth Championships in Mexico.
Matt Holt (GB), Vice-President
Matt Holt is a founder member and Vice President of World Boxing. He is also the Chief Executive Officer of GB Boxing, which is responsible for the delivery of the elite programme for Olympic boxing in Great Britain. Matt has been with the organisation since 2009 and in that time has led GB Boxing through the most successful period in history for Great Britain’s boxers, with multi-medal performances at the London, Rio and Tokyo Olympic Games.
Matt has previously worked for Sport England and Birkbeck, University of London, where he specialised in the governance and regulation of sport. Outside of work, Matt is kept busy with a young family, enjoys watching Liverpool FC and walking in the Scottish mountains.
Dinah Glykidis (AUS), Vice-President
Dinah Glykidis has been working in the sporting industry for over 18 years in Australia across swimming, rugby league and boxing. With her depth of knowledge in sports administration Dinah brings her expertise in high-performance, operational, governance and financial background.
Dinah is the current Chief Executive Officer of Boxing Australia and serves as a Director on the Confederation of Australian Sport Board, where they diligently advocate for sports at the highest level, engaging with government bodies and other pivotal stakeholders.
Michael Muller (GER), Executive Board Member
Michael Muller is a seasoned professional in sport with over 2 decades under his belt. From 1999 to 2009 he served as the Sports Director of the German Rowing Association, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the organization’s high-performance sports strategies. Since 2010, he has held the position of Sports Director and General Secretary of the German Boxing Association, overseeing all high-performance sport processes. His role includes maintain a strong connection with the German National Olympic Committee and developing national strategies for nomination and qualification.
In 2017 he was the CEO of the Local Organization Committee for the 2017 AIBA World Championships in Hamburg and served as a member of the AIBA Technical & Rules Commission from 2019 to 2021. From 2021 to 2022, he was the Chairman of the IBA Competition Committee, where he continued to enhance the international boxing regulations and competition standards. In November 2023, Michael was elected at the World Boxing Inaugural Congress to the Executive Board where he brings his experience and knowledge to the newly formed organization.
Dr. Tatsuya Nakama (JPN), Executive Board Member
Tatsuya Nakama, was elected to the World Boxing Board at its 2025 Congress in Rome. He serves as President of the Japan Boxing Federation (JABF) and oversees comprehensive management of the sport in Japan.
In addition to this role, Nakama is a practicing medical doctor (cardiovascular specialist), working daily at the forefront of clinical medicine, performing numerous catheter-based procedures, training young physicians, and conducting medical research. This ‘dual career’ in both boxing and medicine gives him a unique perspective and allows him to offer meaningful contributions to the governance and future of boxing on a global scale.
Victorico Vargas (PHI), Executive Board Member
Mr. Vargas is the immediate past President of the Philippine Olympic Committee and is currently a member of the Board of Trustees of the POC. He is the Chairman of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines and was a former member of the Executive Committee of the Asian Boxing Confederation. He is also the Chairman of the Philippine Basketball Association from 2017 to present and the Vice President of the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas and member of the Executive Board of FIBA LOC World Basketball 2023 as host.
In addition to his involvement in amateur sport, Mr. Vargas was the President and Chief Executive Officer of Maynilad Water Services, Inc. since August 2010. He joined PLDT in 2000 as its Human Resources Group Head and through his stay at PLDT got involved in managing the PLDT Business Transformation Office, Asset Protection and Management Group, and the PLDT International Carrier Business. He has worked in senior roles at Union Carbide, Pepsi Cola, Colgate Palmolive and Citibank, NA (both in Manila and in Southeast Asia). Mr. Vargas was educated at Ateneo de Manila and University of Santo Tomas with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Psychology.
Dr Armando Sanchez (USA), Chair, Chair Medical and Anti-Doping
Dr Armando Sanchez graduated from the Medical College of Wisconsin in Milwaukee, Wisconsin United States in May of 1990 with a Medical Degree (MD). His residency was in Family Medicine and in 1993, Dr Sanchez finished his medical residency and became a board certified family physician in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Dr Sanchez has been involved in Olympic Style Boxing since 1994. The past 30 years he has become the chairman of the medical committee for USA Boxing and is currently serving as member of the medical advisory committee for USA Boxing.
Through his participation with Paris Boxing Task Force (PBU), Dr Sanchez was a ringside physician for the European Games in Krakow, Poland, the African Olympic Qualifier in Dakar, Senegel, the first Olympic Qualifier in Milan, Italy and the second Olympic Qualifier in Bangkok, Thailand. Prior to this experience he had also participated with the Tokyo Task Force which led to the Tokyo Olympic Games in 2021 where he also participated as a ringside physician.
Elected as Chair of the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee of World Boxing in November 2023, Dr Sanchez brings a wealth of knowledge and experience as he leads the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee of World Boxing.
Dr Sanchez is a certified ringside physician as well as a board certified family physician and is fluent in both Spanish and English.
Julia Felton (AUS), Chair Finance and Audit Committee
Julia Felton is a prominent figure in Australian boxing with a robust career spanning over two decades. Since March 2016, she has served as the Competition Manager for Boxing Australia, where she ensures that all national boxing tournaments adhere to the technical and competition rules set by Boxing Australia and the International Boxing Association (IBA). Her role involves collaborating with Member Associations to fulfill host agreement obligations and providing technical support for national events. In addition, Felton has been a Director at Boxing Australia since June 2011, contributing to the strategic and operational planning of national boxing priorities, overseeing policy reviews, and ensuring compliance with anti-doping regulations.
Felton’s influence extends internationally through her tenure as a member of various Women’s Boxing Commissions from December 2010 to December 2022, where she played a key role in the development and promotion of women’s boxing worldwide. She also chairs the Australian Women’s Commission, spearheading efforts to advance women’s boxing in Australia. Her earlier contributions include serving as Secretary and Assistant Secretary for Boxing ACT, where she managed daily operations and tournament oversight. With a background in grant management and compliance through her work with the National Indigenous Australians Agency, Felton combines her sports management expertise with a deep commitment to advancing boxing at both national and international levels.
Caitlin Parker (AUS), Chair of the Athlete Committee
Richard Torrez Jr (USA), Vice-Chair of the Athlete Committee
Richard Torrez Jr. is the Athlete Representative for World Boxing. In his role as athletes rep Richard leverages his remarkable experience both as an amateur and professional boxer to advocate for athletes within the sport. Torrez has earned recognition for his achievements in the ring, including a celebrated amateur career that saw him become a standout competitor on the international stage. His notable accomplishments include winning a silver medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for USA Boxing.
Transitioning to professional boxing, Torrez has continued to build on his success with impressive victories and a growing reputation as a formidable force in the heavyweight division. As an Athlete Representative, Richard brings a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities faced by boxers, using his firsthand experience to support and advance the interests of his boxing peers.
Buse Naz Çakıroğlu (TUR), Athlete Committee
Daniel Pitt (WAL), Athlete Committee
Cesar Yojerlin (FRA), Athlete Committee
Zareen Nikhat (IND), Athlete Committee
Mike McAtee (USA), Acting Secretary General
Mike McAtee serves as the Acting Secretary General of World Boxing, where he plays a pivotal role in expanding the organization’s global influence and maintaining its alignment with Olympic values. Since his appointment in October 2024, McAtee has spearheaded efforts to strengthen ties with key Olympic stakeholders, recruit national federations, and foster partnerships aimed at driving the growth and sustainability of World Boxing on the international stage.
As a founding member of both the Common Cause Alliance and World Boxing, McAtee has been at the forefront of Olympic-style boxing’s governance reform efforts since 2020. His leadership was instrumental in establishing World Boxing as a new International Federation committed to upholding the integrity and Olympic future of the sport. His collaborative approach has helped unify National Federations around the shared goal of securing boxing’s place in the LA28 Olympic Games and beyond.
In addition to his global role, McAtee also serves as Executive Director and CEO of USA Boxing, overseeing the development and execution of national strategies that support more than 65,000 members across the United States. Under his guidance, USA Boxing has significantly expanded its domestic and international presence, delivering over 30,000 Olympic-style bouts annually while strengthening its relationships with international bodies and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee. His decades of leadership have been defined by integrity, innovation and a steadfast commitment to the sport’s athletes and community.
Simon Toulson, Chief Operating Officer (without voting rights)
Simon holds a Masters in Sport Science from John Moores University, Liverpool. He has an extensive history in international sports management having worked previously at UK Sport, Anti Doping Unit and for Manchester United Football Club. He worked for the International Olympic Committee for 10 years in the Sports Department and headed up the Olympic Games Technical Services Department, NOC Relations.
Simon then worked at Formula One for two years before becoming Secretary General for the International Canoe Federation where he oversaw the organisations operations for 15 years. He recently was interim Executive Director for International Weightlifting overseeing the transition of new leadership, before being part of the founding group that launched World Boxing. Simon was a non-executive Board Member of GB Boxing for seven years.
