Press Release

First commerical partnership for World Boxing sees it agree a four-year sponsorship deal for Sting to become its Official Competition Equipment Supplier

World Boxing, the new international federation established to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement, has agreed its first commercial partnership with Sting, one of the world’s leading manufacturers and suppliers of premium boxing kit and equipment.

The exclusive, four-year sponsorship deal means Sting will become World Boxing’s Official Competition Equipment Supplier and provide all the gloves, protective clothing, handwraps and training equipment used by boxers during tournaments including the World Boxing Cup series and the U19 and elite World Boxing Championships.

The agreement, which was formally signed at World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in Frankfurt (24-25 November 2023), will also see Sting provide expertise and advice on the development of competition equipment and contribite to the work of World Boxing’s Sport and Competition Committee. As part of this, both parties have also committed to explore the use of Artificial Intellgience (AI) in the development of intelligent kit for fitness.

World Boxing’s Secretary General, Simon Toulson, said: “Signing our first commerical partnership with one of the world’s top suppliers of premium boxing equipment is extremely positive for World Boxing. It shows that leading boxing brands like Sting share our values and principles and want to be associated with World Boxing as they believe in what we are trying to achieve for the sport and everyone connected with it.

“This will significantly enhance the quality and prestige of our competitions and is great news for all of the boxers using Sting equipment in World Boxing tournaments in the coming years, as they know they will be competing with top quality products and equipment.”

Amir Anis, Managing Director, Sting International, added: “It is great for Sting to be World Boxing’s first commercial partner and we are very excited to agree this four-year sponsorship deal that will ensure boxers competing at World Boxing events will have access to the safest and best equipment which will enable them to perform at their best and achieve their full potential.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond. It currently has 27 members representing all of the continents that compete in international boxing.

Sting is a supplier of premium boxing equipment for Olympic boxers, professionals and fitness participants. Products include gloves, protective equipment, coaching products, accessories and punch bags which use the best materials, the latest design techniques and the most skilled craftsmen to create items of unrivalled quality. Sting was the official kit supplier for boxing to the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and has supply agreements with numerous leading National Federations including Australia, England, Germany, Scotland, USA and GB Boxing.

World Boxing announces 2024 competition calendar and opens bidding process for elite and U19 world championships

World Boxing, the new international federation established to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement, has announced a competition calendar for 2024 and opened the bidding process for its first two global tournaments.

The competition calendar details the events World Boxing will deliver in association with member National Federations in 2024 and includes two new competition formats, the World Boxing Cup and the World Boxing Challenge.

The event bidding process invites expressions of interest from countries that have the capability to host the U19 World Boxing Championships in November 2024, and the first Elite World Boxing Championships in November 2025. Both events will include male and female weight categories. 

National Federations interested in hosting either the 2024 U19 World Boxing Championships or the 2025 Elite World Boxing Championships can request further information by contacting info@worldboxing.org.

Simon Toulson, Secretary General, World Boxing explained: “Providing high-quality competiton opportunities that enable boxers to develop and progress is central to the work of World Boxing and, by working with key stakeholders, National Federations and trusted organisations, we have developed a calendar that will make this possible.

“The growth in our membership means World Boxing is now represented on every continent that participates in the sport.  It has enabled us to begin the planning process for staging world championships and we look forward to receiving expressions of interest from cities and countries that are keen to work with us on hosting these events in 2024 and 2025.”

The tournament calendar for 2024 has been created to ensure that boxers from National Federations aligned to World Boxing have a range of competitive opportunities in the next 12 months.  The calendar also references the Paris Olympic Qualification Tournaments as World Boxing members are eligible to compete in these events as part of the pathway to the 2024 Olympic Games.

Boxers from countries that are members of World Boxing can compete in all World Boxing tournaments.  To ensure that competitions are inclusive, boxers from countries that are not members can take part in events that take place before the 2024 Olympic Games, provided it has been approved by the Executive Board of World Boxing.

The two new formats, World Boxing Cup and World Boxing Challenge, have been designed in the interests of boxers and will provide a better structure and greater meaning to the current calendar in Olympic-style boxing by bringing a common standard to the existing network of international tournaments staged by National Federations. 

The World Boxing Cup is a new, annual competition series in which elite male and female boxers will accrue ranking points over several stages of competition throughout the calendar year.  It will culminate in a year-end Finals event in which the stage winners and other top-ranked boxers will compete for the main trophy.

The publication of the competition calendar was welcomed Tokyo 2020, middleweight gold medallist, Lauren Price, who is an Athlete Representatives on the World Boxing Executive Board. Price said: “Providing high-quality, international competition opportunities is central to supporting the development of boxers as it enables them to work on their their skills against a wide variety of opponents and styles. 

“The World Boxing calendar and the two new formats it has created will provide a better structure and greater meaning to the existing circuit of international tournaments which will benefit the boxers by giving them goals, titles and rewards to aim towards in the course of the year.”

Stage one of the World Boxing Cup 2024 will be held in England, 16-21 January 2024. This event is a new addition to the international boxing calendar and will be delivered by GB Boxing and England Boxing in association with World Boxing. 

The second stage of the World Boxing Cup 2024 will be in Pueblo, Colorado in the USA in April. It will be followed by two further rounds of the competition and culminate in the World Boxing Cup Finals in late 2024.

The World Boxing Challenge is designed to provide a structure to the existing calendar of smaller competitions delivered by National Federations.  Ranking points will be awarded to boxers based on their performances at these events which will count towards their eligibility to compete in the World Boxing Cup and other major tournaments including Continental and World Championships. 

Making these existing events part of a wider, more meaningful, competition structure with longevity over the course of the year will enhance their profile and prominence.

In the build-up to Paris 2024, the weight categories at World Boxing’s senior elite competitions will mirror the 13 classes that will be used at the Olympic Games. 

Simon Toulson, Secretary General, World Boxing added: “The creation of new competiton formats shows that we are delivering a structure that works for boxers and will benefit the sport. 

“As World Boxing grows as an organisation, we will add to the calender with the creation of more competitions at all levels.  These will become part of a dedicated, regular and reliable schedule of events that boxers and coaches can have faith will take place when they are scheduled to and will enable them to develop and improve as athletes.”

Full details of the calendar and a list of the scheduled competitions are available HERE.

An FAQ containing further details of World Boxings competition calendar is available HERE.

Beyond the confirmed events in England and the USA, World Boxing is in discussions with potential hosts for World Boxing Cup and World Boxing Challenge events in 2024. 

Timelines and processes for bidding for events will be transparent, timely and fair.  Decisions on hosting and timing will be made in the interests of boxers.   

All the World Boxing competitions will be subject to independent, third-party scrutiny of the processes for selecting technical officials, including referees and judges, to ensure sporting integrity and deliver fair competition for the boxers.

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

111 boxers from 15 countries to compete in ‘World Boxing Cup Cologne 2023’

111 boxers from 15 countries will take part in the ‘World Boxing Cup: Cologne 2023’ (28-31 October 2023) which starts today in Germany following yesterday’s draw.

The tournament is being delivered by the German Boxing Association in collaboration with World Boxing, the new international federation (IF) which has been established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.

The 15 nations taking part in the competition include 11 countries that are members of World Boxing: Australia, Canada, Denmark, England, Finland, Germany, Mongolia, Norway, Scotland, Sweden and Wales.  Three countries that are not currently members of the new IF, Cuba, France and Switzerland, have been given approval to compete by the Executive Board of World Boxing.  The final entrant is representing the Refugee team.

The competition will follow the new World Boxing Cup format and features six women’s categories and seven for men, which reflect the weight classes that will be used at the Paris 2024 Olympics. 

60 men and 51 women are taking part in the four-day competition.  There will be two sessions of boxing on each of the first three days starting at 14:00 and 19:00 (CET).  Finals day on 31 October 2023 will feature one session starting at 17:00.

Weight classes competing in today’s first session from 14:00, when there will be two rings in action, include 50kg, 54kg and 60kg in the women’s competition and 63.5kg, 71kg, 80kg, 92kg and 92kg+ for the men.

The action is being streamed live and can be viewed at: https://sportdeutschland.tv/dbvboxen

A full list of entrants and details of the draw can be viewed at: https://www.boxverband.de/cologne-boxing-cup-der-ablaufplan-des-turniers-in-koeln/

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout the competition on its social channels:

27 candidates from 14 countries will contest elections at World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in Frankfurt on 24 and 25 November 2023

Twenty-seven candidates from 14 countries will contest the elections for office at World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in Frankfurt am Main on 24 and 25 November 2023.

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, which include seven women, have been assessed and cleared to stand by an independent Vetting Panel of three independent, external experts and supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions.

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.

The 27 National Federations that have had their applications to become members of World Boxing approved are eligible to participate in the inaugural Congress which will host elections for the positions of President and Vice President (VP); places on World Boxing’s Executive Board; and the Chairs of the Committees for Sport and Competition, Medical and Anti-Doping, and Finance and Audit.

The elections will be held on Saturday 25 November 2023 and 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.

Full members will have two or three votes depending on their compliance with the voting rules detailed in World Boxing’s statutes HERE.  Associate members have been able to nominate candidates for the elections but are not eligible to vote.

The elections for all of the leading positions of office will be contested.  For the office of President, there are two candidates: Elise Seignolle, who has held a variety of senior positions within USA Boxing over the last six years, and the former President (2014 – 2023) of the Dutch Boxing Federation, Boris van der Vorst.

Nine candidates (three women and six men) are standing for the three VP positions.  Fifteen people (10 men and five women) will contest the four available places on World Boxing’s Executive Board.  A full list of all the candidates taking part in the World Boxing elections can be viewed HERE.

The Secretary General of World Boxing, Simon Toulson, said: “Holding open, fair and transparent elections is a central element of World Boxing’s commitment to operating to the highest standards of governance.  The call for candidates has received an excellent response from members and it is a very positive sign to see that all of the major office bearing positions within the organisation will be fairly contested by a diverse range of nominees.

“The candidates that have been cleared to stand by the independent Vetting Panel 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 helping us to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

World Boxing approves applications from five more National Federations to increase membership to 27 countries

The National Federations for boxing in the Philippines, Scotland, Wales, Suriname and the US Virgin Islands have become the latest five 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 and support the growth and development of the sport at all levels.

The Philippines is the second National Federation from Asia to join World Boxing which has 27 members across all five continents that compete in Olympic-style boxing.

The five new joiners will be eligible to take part in World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in Frankfurt Am Main on 25 November 2023 which will have more members than the equivalent event hosted by AIBA (now known as IBA) in London in 1946.

The Philippines, Scotland, Wales, Suriname and the US Virgin Islands 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 applications have been approved by the Executive Board of World Boxing and will be ratified at the Congress in Frankfurt.

All World Boxing’s members will be invited to attend the Congress and have had the opportunity to nominate candidates for the offices of President, Vice President (VP) and places on World Boxing’s Executive Board and the Chairs of the Sport and Competition Committee, the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee.  All full members will have voting rights at the Congress.

“To be heading into our inaugural Congress with a minimum of 27 members of such high calibre is a major achievement for World Boxing and a sign of the desire for change that exists across the sport,” said Simon Toulson, Secretary General, World Boxing.

“Our members represent every continent where Olympic-style boxing takes place and includes many nations with a proud and distinguished history in the sport.  Most importantly they are committed to creating a better future for boxing, based on the principles of integrity, honesty and excellence and ensuring the sport remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.

“It is clear from recent events that World Boxing is the only international federation that can deliver this.  The consistent growth in our membership and continued interest we are receiving from National Federations is an indication of the growing suppport for our work and the widespread recognition that World Boxing is the only international federation that can enable boxing to keep its place on the Olympic programme at Los Angeles and beyond.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

The first cohort of World Boxing members was made-up of USA Boxing, New Zealand Boxing, Boxing Australia, GB Boxing, England Boxing and the Dutch Boxing Federation.  They were joined in August 2023 by the National Federations for boxing in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Honduras and Sweden.  The third group to join included Denmark, Mongolia, Panama and French Polynesia.  They were joined recently by the National Federations for boxing in Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Norway and the Czech Republic.

The first cohort of World Boxing members was made-up of USA Boxing, New Zealand Boxing, Boxing Australia, GB Boxing, England Boxing and the Dutch Boxing Federation.  They were joined in August 2023 by the National Federations for boxing in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Honduras and Sweden.  The third group to join included Denmark, Mongolia, Panama and French Polynesia.  They were joined recently by the National Federations for boxing in Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Norway and the Czech Republic.

World Boxing increases global footprint with addition of six new members including first National Federation from Africa

The National Federations for boxing in Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Norway and the Czech Republic have become the latest six 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 and support the growth and development of the sport at local, regional, national and international levels.

Nigeria is the first National Federation from Africa to join World Boxing and means the new international federation now has 22 members covering all five continents that compete in Olympic-style boxing.

The six new joiners will be eligible to take part in World Boxing’s inaugural Congress in Frankfurt Am Main on 24 and 25 November 2023 which will have at least the same number of members as the equivalent inaugural Congress held by AIBA (now known as IBA) in London in 1946.

The six new members 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 applications have been approved by the Executive Board of World Boxing and will be ratified at the inaugural Congress in Frankfurt.

All of World Boxing’s members will be invited to attend the Congress and have had the opportunity to nominate candidates for the offices of President, Vice President (VP) and places on World Boxing’s Executive Board and the Chairs of the Sport and Competition Committee, the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee.  All full members will have voting rights at the Congress.

World Boxing’s Secretary General, Simon Toulson, said: “We are very pleased to welcome this latest cohort of National Federations and increase the global footprint of World Boxing which now has members on every continent that participates in international boxing. 

“It is clear from comments made at its recent Session that the IOC is supportive of boxing, as a sport, and wants it to remain part of the Olympic programme and that the only way to do this is for National Federations to get behind a new international federation that is committed to integrity, transparency and rigorous governance standards.

“World Boxing is the only organisation that can deliver this and the consistent growth in our membership along with the continued interest we are receiving from National Federations on all continents is a clear sign of the growing support for World Boxing and widespread desire for change that exists across the sport. 

“We are continuing to process membership applications from around the globe and look forward to welcoming more countries to be part of World Boxing in advance of our inaugural Congress.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

The first cohort of World Boxing members was made-up of USA Boxing, New Zealand Boxing, Boxing Australia, GB Boxing, England Boxing and the Dutch Boxing Federation.  They were joined in August 2023 by the National Federations for boxing in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Honduras and Sweden.  The third group to join included the National Federations of Denmark, Mongolia, Panama and French Polynesia.

World Boxing to hold inaugural Congress in Frankfurt am Main on 24 and 25 November 2023

World Boxing, the new international federation established to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement, will hold its inaugural Congress at the Mainarcaden Venue in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on 24 and 25 November 2023.

The Congress will host World Boxing’s first ever elections when members will vote for a range of offices including President, Vice President (VP) and places on World Boxing’s Executive Board along with the Chairs of the Sport and Competition Committee, the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee and the Finance and Audit Committee.

Frankfurt am Main has been specifically chosen as the location for World Boxing’s first elections owing to its historical significance as the cradle of the German democratic movement and the place (Frankfurter Nationalversammlung) where the first freely elected parliament for all German states first sat in May 1848.

All of the National Federations that have joined World Boxing will be eligible to take part in the Congress and vote in the elections which have received more than 40 nominations, from 18 countries across four continents, for the Executive positions.

In line with the processes set-out in World Boxing’s Statutes, Rules for Electoral Voting and Rules for Candidates of Elections (HERE), the candidates are currently being assessed for eligibility by an independent Vetting Panel. The Vetting Panel is made-up of three independent, external experts that do not have any involvement or knowledge of World Boxing and is supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions.

Once the vetting process has been completed a final list of eligible candidates will be published in October 2023, no later than 30 days before the elections take place.

World Boxing’s members will have two or three votes depending on their compliance with the voting rules detailed in World Boxing’s statutes (HERE).

The elections will be overseen by an experienced, independent, third-party organisation.  Scrutineers will be onsite to ensure the veracity of the election processes and that candidates are treated in a fair and equitable manner.

Simon Toulson, Secretary General, World Boxing, said: “Hosting its inaugural Congress and holding open, fair and transparent elections will be a significant milestone in the evolution of World Boxing and demonstrate that the organisation is delivering on its commitment to the principles of integrity, honesty and excellence.  

“We have a number of excellent candidates and the support we have received from high calibre National Federations to participate in the Congress is a clear indication of the desire for change and determination to deliver a better future that exists across international boxing.

“By holding its first elections in a city which is so historically linked to the principles of democratic process, we aim to send out a strong signal about the way that World Boxing will operate and the values that it stands for as an organisation.”

The Secretary General of the German Boxing Association, Michael Mueller, added: “Hosting this inaugural Congress in Germany is a sign of our federation’s commitment to supporting the goals of World Boxing and working closely with this new international federation and all of our fellow members to ensure the future of Olympic boxing for all our athletes.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement. It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

World Boxing boosts its Executive Board with a two new appointments

World Boxing, the new international federation established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement, has added two new members to its Executive Board (EB), Dinah Glykidis, Chief Executive of Boxing Australia and Marketa Haindlova, who is the Founder and Principal of an International Law Firm specialising in sport.

The pair have extensive experience in a wide variety of sports executive roles and were unanimously appointed following a request by World Boxing to National Federations asking them to nominate individuals with the skills and expertise to make a positive contribution to the work of the EB.

Dinah Glykidis has been the CEO of Boxing Australia for three years and is responsible for the leadership and strategic direction of the organisation.   Under her leadership, the federation has made progress in a number of areas including improvements in the provision of medical services, the introduction of new committees, the establishment of partnerships to improve governance and regulation and the creation of new initiatives to enhance Boxing Australia’s pathways programme.

JUDr. Marketa Vochoska Haindlova LL.M. is an attorney and sports executive.  She is the founder and principal of an international law firm, Marketa Haindlova, specialising in sports law and has specific expertise in governance and dispute resolution.  In parallel to her legal practice, Marketa has extensive executive experience in governance and sports diplomacy and has previously served as Chair of the Board of Appeal and Review of the Football Association of the Czech Republic.  She co-founded the Czech Association of Football Players and is a member of the Expert Group of the National Council for Sport, a Board member of both the National Court of Arbitration for Sport in the Czech Republic and the FIFPRO Division Europe Executive Board.  Since July 2023, she has been a member of the UEFA Fair Play and Social Responsibility Committee.

The new additions mean World Boxing’s EB is made-up of 12 men and women from 9 countries across four continents.  It includes two Athlete Representatives: Tokyo 2020, middleweight gold medallist, Lauren Price from Wales, and the USA’s super-heavyweight silver medallist, Richard Torrez Jr. 

The 12 men and women will serve as members of the EB on an interim basis until the organisation’s inaugural Congress in November 2023 when they will have the opportunity to stand for election to the EB, which will be voted-on by the membership of World Boxing.

Dinah Glykidis, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Boxing Australia, said: “It is vitally important that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement and I am delighted to have the opportunity to play my part in making sure this happens.  World Boxing offers hope of a better future for everyone connected with the sport and I am looking forward to working with my colleagues to create an international federation that we can all be proud of that puts the interests of boxers at the heart of decision making.”

Marketa Haindlova commented: “Boxing is one of the world’s most traditional sports and has always been an integral and valued member of the world’s sport community. Many international sport organizations today face significant challenges and threats and I am very proud to be part of an organisation, in World Boxing, that is proactively addressing these while embracing the key values of fair play and transparent governance. World Boxing has been set-up to preserve the integrity of boxing and enable it to grow and I look forward to contributing to this process.”

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.