Governance

The two-time middleweight world champion and 2004 Olympic silver medallist, Gennadiy Golovkin, has been named the new President of World Boxing at its Congress 2025 in Rome.

The Kazakh was the only candidate for the role on the final ballot paper and was named President by acclamation at the Congress.

Other candidates had put themselves forward in October 2025 to contest the Presidential election, however Golovkin was the only person approved to stand by an independent Vetting Panel, which assessed the backgrounds of all the candidates.

The Vetting Panel is made-up of three independent, external experts and supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions, and is designed to ensure World Boxing adheres to the highest standards of governance by providing independent, third party checking and oversight of Congress and the election process.

Golovkin will serve an initial three-year term and succeeds Dutchman, Boris van der Vorst, who did not seek re-election following the completion of his term.

Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “It is a privilege to be elected as the new President of World Boxing. But this is just the beginning. Starting today, athletes will be at the heart of every decision we make. On the road to LA28, we will restore trust in Olympic boxing to secure our place in Brisbane and beyond. Now it’s time to move forward as one united boxing family.”

The Presidential election was one of four votes at the Congress which included one position as Vice President and two seats on the World Boxing Executive Board.

In the election for Vice President, Ryan O’Shea from Canada secured a second term with 57 per cent of the vote in a two-person contest with Thailand’s Chaiwat Chotima.

The election for the Executive Board had six candidates and saw Michael Muller from Germany and Tatsuya Nakama from Japan emerge with the most votes.

The four winners of today’s elections will join the World Boxing Executive Board which is made-up of the President; three Vice Presidents; four Executive Board members; four Continental Confederation Presidents; two Athlete Representatives; the Chairs of the Committees for Sport and Competition, Medical and Anti-Doping, and Finance and Audit.

Congress 2025 was chaired by World Boxing Vice President, Dinah Glykidis.  In accordance, with World Boxing’s Statutes, 59 National Federations were eligible to take part in the voting which was conducted in-person and online and overseen by an independent, third-party organisation. Scrutineers were onsite to validate the veracity of the election processes and ensure candidates were treated in a fair and equitable manner.

World Boxing Vice President and Chair of Congress 2025, Dinah Glykidis, said: “Congress is the ultimate authority of World Boxing and to have so many of our members be able to participate in it today and express their views on the future direction of the organisation is very important, and a positive sign that World Boxing is continuing to deliver on its commitment to transparency and rigorous governance.

“Since it was launched in April 2023, World Boxing has achieved an enormous amount in a short space of time and I am confident that with our new President and the Executive Board that we now have in place, following today’s elections, that it will continue to go from strength to strength as we build towards the next Olympic Games at LA28.”

Other business concluded at the World Boxing Congress 2025 included:

• Acceptance of a series of amendments to the Statutes of World Boxing following provisional recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February 2025
• Ratification by Congress of the membership applications of 49 National Federations to join World Boxing
• Acceptance of a series of proposals which included the incorporation of World Boxing’s Sex Eligibility Policy into the Competition Rules and associated operational documents
• Approval of the 2025 Accounts and the provisional budget for 2026
• The acceptance of Panama’s bid to host World Boxing’s next annual Congress in 2026

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 with a mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It held its first formal meeting with the IOC in May 2024 and on 25 February 2025, it was granted provisional recognition by the IOC as the International Federation (IF) within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level.

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.

The people that make up the Executive Board of World Boxing are:

The final list of candidates that will contest elections at World Boxing’s Congress 2025 in Rome on 23 November has been published (HERE) and includes nine candidates from nine countries.

In line with the processes set-out in World Boxing’s Statutes, Rules for Electoral Voting and Rules for Candidates of Elections (HERE), all of the candidates have been assessed and approved to stand by an Independent Vetting Panel made-up of three independent, external experts and supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions.

The conclusions of the Independent Vetting Panel, which has reviewed the applications of all the men and women that initially put themselves forward for election in October 2025, means there is now one candidate for the office of President, Gennadiy Golovkin from Kazakhstan.

In accordance with World Boxing’s current Statutes (HERE), which state (Elections: Clause 11.15) “Unanimous acclamation from Congress can be accepted if there is only one candidate for any Office Bearing Position” , it means that Gennadiy Golovkin will become President of World Boxing by acclamation at the Congress on Sunday 23 November 2025 when he will assume the mantle from the incumbent President, Boris van der Vorst. 

In addition to the Presidency, the World Boxing Congress will include elections for one position as Vice-President and two places on the Executive Board. As part of the World Boxing’s commitment to transparency and rigorous governance, key papers from the Congress including a full list of candidates and details of their relevant experience and expertise can be viewed (HERE).

World Boxing’s Acting Secretary General Mike McAtee, said: “On behalf of World Boxing I would like to thank the Independent Vetting Panel for its diligent work and ensuring we have a list of candidates that are of the highest calibre, both in terms of their experience and capabilities and also their commitment to upholding the principles of integrity, honesty and excellence on which World Boxing has been founded.

“I have no doubt that every candidate has the potential to make a very positive contribution to the future development of the organisation and can play an important role in the future development of World Boxing and the sport of Olympic boxing.”

Congress is the ultimate authority and supreme decision-making body of World Boxing. The Congress in Rome on 23 November 2025 will be chaired by World Boxing Vice President, Dinah Glykidis, and the elections overseen by an experienced, independent, third-party organisation. Scrutineers will be onsite to validate the veracity of the election processes and ensure candidates are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 with a mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It held its first formal meeting with the IOC in May 2024 and on 25 February 2025, it was granted provisional recognition by the IOC as the International Federation (IF) within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level.

The International Testing Agency (ITA) has published a report that outlines the anti-doping education activities they conducted during the 2025 World Boxing World Championships in Liverpool, England.

The ITA hosted a two-day education booth aimed at educating athletes and support personnel on anti-doping issues. ​

Participants learned about ADRVs, their rights and responsibilities, key doping control terms, and the Doping Control Process. ​The booth also covered the Prohibited List, consequences of doping, and the importance of reporting concerns. ​

The booth attracted up to 100 participants daily, with positive feedback highlighting the importance of the education provided. ​Overall success was rated 9/10, with high scores for awareness raising and information provision.

These activities helped continue to foster a greater understanding of clean sport among participants. Click HERE to read the full report (included within Anti-Doping).

World Boxing has appointed Ian Hunt as its new Ethics Chief.

Hunt has more than 40 years’ experience of legal practice covering a wide range of areas that includes litigation and advice in civil and commercial areas including trusts and estates, medico-legal, insurance, employment, professional discipline, governance, and sport related matters.  

He is currently a barrister at Left Bank Chambers in Christchurch and is a member of the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), the World Athletics Disciplinary and Appeals Panel, Sport Resolutions International Panel, the FIA Anti-Doping Disciplinary Committee, the FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) Ethics Committee, the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Independent Tribunal and the World Aquatics ad hoc Legal Committee. He has also worked in legal disciplinary roles for over 20 years and is a member of the New Zealand Lawyers and Conveyancers Disciplinary Tribunal

As World Boxing’s Ethics Chief, Hunt will advise on issues and disagreements related to governance and operations; review policies and programmes to ensure they are consistent with World Boxing’s ethics and values; respond to complaints and enquiries of an ethical nature; bring forward issues of ethical importance to the Executive Board and Secretary General; and ensure World Boxing’s operational activities are ethical, fair and transparent.

In this independent position, he will be the first point of contact for all issues and determine, in the first instance, if a complaint is required to be elevated to the approved World Boxing independent third-party organisation for further action or can be dealt with reasonably and fairly within the existing governance remit of the organisation. The full Terms of Reference for the role of World Boxing’s Ethics Chief can be viewed HERE. 

Hunt was nominated for the role by an independent three-person panel and his appointment was ratified by the Executive Board of World Boxing. He succeeds Professor Jack Anderson, who recently stepped down from the role after two years.

World Boxing’s Acting Secretary General, Mike McAtee said: “As an organisation which places enormous emphasis on strong governance and ethical practice, the role of Ethics Chief is very important at World Boxing, and the Executive Board is very happy to be able to appoint such an outstanding candidate.

“Ian has a superb track record in sports legal practice and we have no doubt that he will play an important role in enabling World Boxing to ensure it continues to operate with the highest standards of governance and ethical practice.”

Ian Hunt added: “World Boxing has committed to a culture of transparency and integrity supported by strong governance and leadership as it works towards full IOC recognition and becomes a leading international sports federation, focussed upon the advancement of the sport of boxing and the protection of its athletes. 

“The role of the Ethics Chief is critical to establishing and maintaining clear and transparent ethical standards and the opportunity to do so is what attracted me to this position.  I look forward to building on the strong foundations created by my predecessor, Professor Jack Anderson, in this important and independent role.”

A native of New Zealand, Hunt has practiced at all levels of the New Zealand Court system and in Courts in the United Kingdom. His experience covers a wide range of sports law practice and includes acting for individuals, national and regional sporting organisations and clubs in a wide range of sports, including: archery, boxing, canoe racing, cricket, lawn bowls, motor sport, mountain biking, netball, road cycling, rugby, rugby league, shooting, surfing, swimming, triathlon, weightlifting, winter sports (including ice hockey, ice speed skating and alpine and free ride skiing), wrestling and numerous other sports.  

He has represented individual athletes and national and regional sporting organisations and clubs, and the New Zealand Olympic Committee, in various matters including proceedings before the High Court of New Zealand, the Sports Tribunal of New Zealand, the Court of Arbitration for Sport, and numerous domestic disciplinary and related tribunals in connection with anti-doping, ethical, conduct related, selection and governance matters. 

Hunt is a former director of High Performance Sport NZ, Snowsports NZ and Swimming New Zealand and is a former president of ANZSLA, the Australian and New Zealand Sports Law Association.  Recent appointments to various judicial panels and Tribunals include Chair of the Independent Panel of the Commonwealth Games Federation Court for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games; a World Sailing Independent Tribunal; the 2022 Rugby League World Cup ad hoc Panel; the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Finals Independent Tribunal; and the 2023 and 2024 Davis Cup and Billie Jean King Cup Finals Independent Tribunal, along with other confidential appointments in respect of various sports.

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 with a mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It held its first formal meeting with the IOC in May 2024 and on 25 February 2025, it was granted provisional recognition by the IOC as the International Federation (IF) within the Olympic Movement governing the sport of boxing at world level.

World Boxing will host elections for its Athletes Committee at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 in Liverpool, 4-14 September.

Six places (three men and three women) are available on the Committee which provides advice, guidance and opinions to World Boxing and is designed to ensure that boxers have a voice in the development of the organisation.

In addition to its role as a forum for discussing the needs of athletes, the group of six will nominate two of its members to serve as Athlete Representatives, who will be invited to attend and contribute directly to Executive Board meetings and sessions of Congress.

Every athlete in attendance at the World Boxing Championships will have the opportunity to vote in the electoral process. Every candidate has been validated by the Executive Board.

The full list of nominees is:

Candidate must at all times act in compliance with the World Boxing Statutes, the World Boxing Code of Ethics and the Olympic Charter.

Candidates must not have incurred any measure or sanction in relation to any violation of the Olympic Charter, World Boxing Statutes, World Boxing Code of Ethics, the World Anti-Doping Code, the World Boxing Code for Prevention of Manipulation of Competition or other applicable policies by the International Olympic Committee, World Boxing, or a National Federation.