Membership

World Boxing reaches 60 members as Executive Board meeting approves five new applications and selects hosts for 2025 World Boxing Cup series and 2027 World Boxing Championships

World Boxing has reached the milestone of 60 members after the applications to join from the National Federations for boxing in Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Jordan, Myanmar and Palestine were approved at the most recent meeting of its Executive Board (12 December 2024).

The five new members have completed a rigorous application process to join World Boxing. They are deemed to be in good standing and, through their statutes and operating processes, are able to demonstrate: a transparent and open election process; the existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes; a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process; a solid national and international boxing sports programme; and formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport

The meeting of World Boxing’s Executive Board also confirmed a series of decisions relating to its competition calendar which included:

  • To progress negotiations with the National Federations of Brazil, Germany, Kazakhstan and India to host World Boxing Cup events in 2025. The plan is to hold the first World Boxing Cup of the year in Brazil in March 2025, followed by competitions in Germany, Kazakhstan and India. Dates and venues will be confirmed in January 2025
  • The final World Boxing Cup of the year in New Delhi, India, in November 2025 will also host the third World Boxing Congress, which will include elections for the Presidency and Executive Board
  • Following a bidding process, Astana in Kazakhstan was selected as the location for the 2027 Elite World Boxing Championships for men and women

Full details of World Boxing’s competition calendar for 2025 will be published once it has been approved by the Sport and Competition Committee.

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “World Boxing has achieved an enormous amount in the last 12 months and to approach the end of the year with 60 members is a fantastic achievement and conclusive evidence of the widespread desire for change that exists in international boxing.

“The decision of so many National Federations to join World Boxing is a sign of the critical importance of remaining part of the Olympic Movement to the future health and stability of our sport and a recognition that this can only be achieved by countries joining and supporting World Boxing.

“After the huge success of our first World Boxing Cup series in 2024, it is fantastic that we have four such strong bids to host the competition in 2025 and I would like to thank the National Federations of Brazil, Germany, Kazakhstan and India for their ongoing support and commitment.

“It is great news that we have been able to confirm Astana in Kazakhstan as the host of our second Elite World Boxing Championships in 2027 after next year’s first edition which will take place in Liverpool, England in September 2025. I would like to thank the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation for its commitment to World Boxing in agreeing to host both a World Boxing Cup and a World Boxing Championships over the next three years.

“I am also very grateful to the Boxing Federation of India for its ongoing support in bidding to host both a World Boxing Cup and our next Congress in 2025 in New Delhi.

“That we are able to put these dates in place and continue to build our competition calendar is a sign of the increased stability that World Boxing is bringing to the sport for our members and augurs very well for the future.

“The momentum is building and I look forward to announcing more members in the near future as we are continuing to process applications from more countries who want to be part of World Boxing and support our mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.”

Gennadiy Golovkin, President of the Kazakhstan National Olympic Committee and Chair of World Boxing’s Olympic Commission, added: “It is a great honour and responsibility for Kazakhstan to host the 2027 World Boxing Championship, which will take place in the pre-Olympic cycle. Our country has successful experience in hosting large-scale world sports competitions at the highest level, and I am confident that this tournament will be no exception. Understanding the importance of this World Championship on the eve of the Olympics in Los Angeles, I thank World Boxing for the trust placed in us.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023. On 7 May 2024, it held the first formal meeting with the IOC which signalled the start of formal collaboration aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.

On 26 September 2024, World Boxing announced that it had set-up an Olympic Commission, chaired by President of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, to support and assist the process of developing a pathway to ensuring that boxing is restored Games.

Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Guatemala and Laos join World Boxing as membership grows to 55 countries

World Boxing approves applications from four new members at its second annual Congress in Colorado USA

World Boxing has approved applications from the National Federations (NFs) for boxing in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Guatemala and Laos to take its membership to 55 countries.

The news came at the end of World Boxing’s second annual Congress (3 November 2024) which was held in Pueblo, Colorado, following the conclusion of last week’s successful U19 World Boxing Championships.

The addition of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, which are two of the world’s leading boxing nations, is a major coup for World Boxing and significantly increases the footprint of the new International Federation (IF) in Asia where it now has 15 members. 

Uzbekistan has been one of the leading boxing nations at the last two Olympic Games and topped the medal table in Paris with five golds.  Kazakhstan is widely regarded as a powerhouse in the sport.

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “On the date of our second Congress, it is fantastic that World Boxing is able to welcome four new countries whom I am sure will all play an important role in our mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

“Only last week we announced seven new members to take World Boxing past the milestone of 50 countries. To be able to announce four more members – including two major powers in Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan – so soon after this, is a sign of the growing momentum shift in international boxing. 

“It is clear that there has been a change in impetus and that more National Federations want to join World Boxing as they recognise it is the only way to keep the Olympic dreams of their boxers alive.”

The announcement of four new members was the main news from World Boxing’s second Congress, which was attended in person or virtually by representatives from 43 member countries.

No elections were scheduled however members held discussions and votes on a series of measures which included:

  • The approval of minutes from World Boxing’s Inaugural Congress in 2023
  • The approval of 27 new full members since last year’s Congress
  • Discussion and approval of amendments to the World Boxing Statutes
  • Discussion and approval of updated Competition Rules

The Congress also included a speech by the President, Boris van der Vorst, and reports from the Secretary General, Simon Toulson, and the Chairs of the Committees for Sport and Competition; Medical and Anti-doping; and Finance and Audit.

The agenda and all of the papers from World Boxing’s 2024 Congress are publicly available HERE. 

World Boxing was launched in April 2023.  On 7 May 2024, it held its first formal meeting with the IOC which signalled the start of formal collaboration aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.

On 26 September 2024, World Boxing announced that it had set-up an Olympic Commission, chaired by the President of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, Gennadiy Golovkin, to support the process of developing a pathway to make sure that boxing is restored to the Olympic programme for Los Angeles 2028.

The U19 World Boxing Championships in Colorado was World Boxing’s first global championships. Its next one will be the 2025 Elite World Boxing Championships for men and women which will be held in Liverpool, England, in September 2025.

Membership of World Boxing rises to 51 National Federations after it approves applications from seven more countries

World Boxing, the International Federation established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement, now has 51 members after it approved seven new applications from the National Federations for boxing in Andorra, Belgium, Iraq, Lithuania, Madagascar, Kyrgyzstan and Thailand. 

All of the applications have been approved by World Boxing’s Executive Board and significantly enhance its global footprint. Madagascar is the third African nation to join after Nigeria and Algeria. Iraq is the second Arabic country to become a member.

The addition of the Thailand Boxing Association, whose President Mr. Pichai Chunhavajira has been the President of the Asian Boxing Confederation since March 2022, boosts World Boxing’s influence in the region, where it now has 11 members including India, Japan, Bhutan, Chinese Taipei, South Korea, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Pakistan, Philippines and Singapore. 

The announcement of the seven new members comes in the same week that World Boxing is staging its first global championships, the U19 World Boxing Championships, at the Pueblo Convention Centre in Colorado USA, 26 October – 2 November 2024. 

The Championships will be followed on Sunday 3 November 2024 by World Boxing’s second annual Congress. 

All seven of the new National Federations have completed a rigorous application process to join World Boxing. They are deemed to be in good standing and, through their statutes and operating processes, able to demonstrate: 

  • A transparent and open election process for the appointment of office bearing roles 
  • The existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes 
  • Evidence of a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process that is either fully independent or subject to external input 
  • Formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport 
  • A solid national and international boxing sports programme 

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “To have surpassed the milestone of 50 members is hugely significant for World Boxing and conclusive proof of both the desire for change that exists in international boxing and the widespread acknowledgement by so many National Federations that boxing has to continue to be part of the Olympic Games. 

“I would like to thank all of my colleagues and the other boxing leaders across the world that have worked together with us to reach this significant point in the evolution of World Boxing and I look forward to working with other National Federations as we continue to grow our membership further.

“The momentum is building and I look forward to announcing more members in the near future as we are continuing to process applications from more and more countries who recognise that joining World Boxing and is the only way of ensuring that their boxers will be able to pursue their dreams of competing on the biggest stage in sport at the Olympic Games.” 

World Boxing was launched in April 2023. On 7 May 2024, it held the first formal meeting with the IOC which signalled the start of formal collaboration aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games. 

On 26 September 2024, World Boxing announced that it had set-up an Olympic Commission, chaired by President of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan, to support and assist the process of developing a pathway to ensuring that boxing is restored to the Olympic Games. 

World Boxing welcomes decision by Kazakhstan Boxing Federation to apply for membership

World Boxing has welcomed the decision by the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation to apply for membership of World Boxing.

The decision to apply follows the announcement today (26 September 2024) that the President of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan and 2004 Olympic silver medallist and two-time middleweight world champion, Gennadiy Golovkin, has been appointed Chair of a new Olympic Commission by World Boxing.

Following this announcement, the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation today issued a statement HERE which said: “Kazakhstan Boxing Federation has made an important decision as a result of lengthy discussions and analysis.

“Kazakhstan submitted an official application to join the World Boxing organization.

This decision is primarily related to the Olympic future of domestic boxers.”

The statement went on to include a quote from the President of Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, Shahmurat Mutalip.

He said: “Now the issue of boxing’s remaining in the Olympic program is being discussed at the NOC level. We are ready to work together with all countries in order to preserve boxing in the Olympic Games program. We believe that this decision will allow boxing to further develop.

“During the meeting with Gennadiy Golovkin, Chairman of the World Boxing Olympic Commission, President of the National Olympic Committee, we discussed ways to develop domestic boxing.”

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, added: “World Boxing welcomes this decision and we look forward to working closely with both the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation and the Chair of our new Olympic Commission, Gennadiy Golovkin, on the future development and growth of our organisation as we pursue our mission to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

“Kazakhstan is one of the most consistently successful nations in Olympic-style boxing and I have no doubt that having its National Federation as a member will be a major boost to World Boxing and have a significant impact on our presence in Asia as we look to diversify and grow our global footprint.”

Japan and Algeria are the latest two National Federations to join World Boxing and support its efforts to keep the sport at the heart of the Olympic Movement

The National Federations for boxing in Japan and Algeria have become the latest two countries to join World Boxing.

It means the new International Federation, which was established to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement, now has 44 members covering all five Continents that compete in international boxing.

Japan and Algeria take the number of countries that have joined World Boxing since the end of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games to seven and follows the recent approval of membership applications from Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Bhutan, Fiji and Ecuador.

All of the National Federations have completed a rigorous application process to join World Boxing. They are deemed to be in good standing and, through their statutes and operating processes, able to demonstrate:

  • A transparent and open election process for the appointment of office bearing roles
  • The existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes
  • Evidence of a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process that is either fully independent or subject to external input
  • Formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport
  • A solid national and international boxing sports programme

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “The additions of Japan and Algeria enhance the global profile of World Boxing by increasing our presence in Asia and Africa. Their decision to join World Boxing is further evidence of the widespread desire for change that exists across our sport and illustrates how important it is that we retain boxing’s place at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

“We are continuing to process applications from a number of countries and it is clear that more and more National Federations recognise that joining World Boxing is the only way they can ensure that their boxers will be able to continue to pursue their dream of competing on the biggest stage in sport at the Olympic Games.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to keep Boxing in the Olympic Games. On 7 May 2024, it held the first formal meeting with the IOC which signalled the start of formal collaboration aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.

World Boxing receives post-Olympic boost with announcement of five new member National Federations

The National Federations for boxing in Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Bhutan, Fiji and Ecuador have become the latest five countries to join World Boxing, the new International Federation which has been established to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

The new additions provide a significant boost to World Boxing in the aftermath of the 2024 Olympic Games and mean it now has 42 member National Federations covering all of the five Continents that compete in international boxing.

Further membership announcements are expected in the coming weeks after World Boxing’s leaders held a series of meetings with the heads of multiple National Federations in the course of the recent boxing tournament at Paris 2024.

Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Bhutan, Fiji and Ecuador have all completed a rigorous application process to join World Boxing. They are deemed to be in good standing and, through their statutes and operating processes, able to demonstrate:

  • A transparent and open election process for the appointment of office bearing roles
  • The existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes
  • Evidence of a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process that is either fully independent or subject to external input
  • Formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport
  • A solid national and international boxing sports programme

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “I am very happy to welcome Chinese Taipei, Pakistan, Bhutan, Fiji and Ecuador to World Boxing and look forward to working closely with each of them in our efforts to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. 

“My colleagues and I at World Boxing had a very productive two weeks at the recent Olympic Games in Paris when we met the leaders of many National Federations and I am very confident that we will continue to receive more membership applications in the coming weeks. 

“It is clear there is a huge appetite for change in international boxing and that many National Federations now recognise the only way we can ensure that boxing has a future within the Olympic Movement is by joining World Boxing.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to keep Boxing in the Olympic Games. On 7 May 2024, it held the first formal meeting with the IOC which signalled the start of formal collaboration aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.

Further information on World Boxing is available at www.worldboxing.org.

World Boxing approves more membership applications from National Federations including Italy and South Korea

The National Federations for boxing in Italy, South Korea, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands have become the latest four organisations to have their membership applications approved by the new International Federation, World Boxing.

It means World Boxing, which was set-up to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement, now has 37 member National Federations covering all of the five Continents that compete in international boxing.

Italy, South Korea, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands have all completed a rigorous application process to join World Boxing. They are deemed to be in good standing and, through their statutes and operating processes, able to demonstrate:

  • A transparent and open election process for the appointment of office bearing roles
  • The existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes
  • Evidence of a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process that is either fully independent or subject to external input
  • Formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport
  • A solid national and international boxing sports programme

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “The continued growth of World Boxing’s membership is a sign of the widespread desire for change that exists across international boxing and I am very happy to welcome Italy, South Korea, Bermuda and the Cayman Islands into our organisation to join our efforts to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. 

“Eight boxers from Italy and two women from South Korea will be competing in the forthcoming boxing tournament at Paris 2024 and to have two countries with such strong Olympic pedigrees join our cause is a significant vote of confindence in the work of World Boxing.

“We are continuing to process applications from a number of other countries and it is clear that more and more National Federations now recognise that the only path that will see our sport remain a part of the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond is to join World Boxing now.”

World Boxing which was launched in April 2023 has the objective of keeping Boxing in the Olympic Games.  On 7 May 2024, it held the first formal meeting with the IOC which signalled the start of formal collaboration between the two organisations aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.

World Boxing approves applications from four more National Federations to increase membership to 33 countries

The National Federations for boxing in Barbados, Dominica, Peru and Singapore have become the latest four organisations to have their membership applications approved by World Boxing, the new international federation established to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

It comes after the recent announcement that the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has joined World Boxing and follows a series of meetings held by members of World Boxing’s Executive Board with the leaders of National Federations at the recent 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok.

Barbados, Dominica, Peru and Singapore have all completed a rigorous application process to join World Boxing. They are deemed to be in good standing and, through their statutes and operating processes, able to demonstrate:

  • A transparent and open election process for the appointment of office bearing roles
  • The existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes
  • Evidence of a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process that is either fully independent or subject to external input
  • Formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport
  • A solid national and international boxing sports programme

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “We are delighted to welcome Barbados, Dominica, Peru and Singapore to World Boxing. The addition of four new members increases our footprint in the Americas and Asia shows that more and more countries share both our vision for boxing and our commitment to the principles of integrity, honesty and excellence.

“The growth in our membership and the fact that we are currently processing applications from a number of countries is an indication of the growing support for World Boxing and the recognition by National Federations that they need to act now and join World Boxing if they want boxers from their country to have the opportunity to compete at future Olympic Games beyond Paris 2024. This is the only path that will see our sport remain a part of the Olympic programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. On 7 May 2024 it held its first formal meeting with the IOC which signalled the start of formal collaboration between the two organisations aimed at establishing a pathway for boxing to remain in the Olympic Games.

World Boxing currently has 33 members covering all of the five Continents that compete in international boxing.