Press Release

First set of Rankings from World Boxing confirm Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as current leaders in Olympic-style boxing

October 17, 2025

The first set of world rankings for men and women published HERE by World Boxing have confirmed the status of Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan as the current leading nations in Olympic-style boxing.

Uzbekistan has 12 boxers (seven male and five female) in the top five in the world across the 20 weight categories; Kazakhstan is second with 11 (six men and five women).

The next best performing nations are Türkiye which has eight boxers (seven female and one male) ranked in the top five across the 20 weight classes, Brazil with seven (three women and four men) and China which has six (four women and two men). England, India and Japan all have five boxers ranked in the top five in the world.

When it comes to the top spots, Kazakhstan has the world number one in seven categories (three female and four male) while six men from Uzbekistan are ranked number one in the world.

Other countries that have a female boxer ranked number one in the world include Türkiye, Chinese Taipei, Brazil, Ireland, Australia and Poland which has two. In the men’s weights all of the top ranked boxers are from Uzbekistan or Kazakhstan.

According to the rankings, the leading female boxer in the world is Polish featherweight (W57kg), Julia Szeremeta, who has 2,075 points accrued from her performances at the World Boxing Championships 2025, the World Boxing Cup – Foz do Iguazu 2025 in Brazil and the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

In the men’s weights Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalokov and Asadkhuja Muydinkhujiaev, who box at lightweight (M60kg) and welterweight (M65kg) respectively, are tied on 3,000 points, based on their gold medals at the recent World Boxing Championships in Liverpool and the Paris 2024 Olympics.

The top five ranked male and female boxers in the world are:

MALE BOXERS			FEMALE BOXERS
	Boxer details	Points		Boxer details	Points
1^st =	Abdumalik KHALOKOV, 60kg, UZB	3,000	1^st	Julia SZEREMETA, 57kg, POL	2,075
1^st =	Asadkhuja MUYDINKHUJAEV, 65kg, UZB	3,000	2^nd	Buse CAKIROGLU, 51kg, TUR	1,975
3^rd	Erislandy ALVAREZ, 65kg, CUB	2,100	3^rd	Rebeca DE LIMA SANTOS, 60kg, BRA	1,837.5
4^th	Aibek ORALBAY, 90kg+, KAZ	2,025	4^th	Nazym KYZAIBAY, 51kg, KAZ	1,750
5^th =	Sanzhar TASHKENBAY, 50kg, KAZ	1,650	5^th	Hsiao-Wen HUANG, 54kg, TPE	1,725
5^th =	Makhmud SABYRKHAN, 55kg, KAZ	1,650
5^th =	Fazliddin ERKINBOEV, 75kg, UZB	1,650
5^th =	Javokhir UMMATALIEV, 80kg, UZB	1,650
5^th =	Turabek KHABIBULLAEV, 90kg, UZB	1,650

The Acting Secretary General of World Boxing, Mike McAtee, said: “One of our key priorities as the International Federation for boxing is to deliver a calendar of high-quality competition opportunities for the boxers from our member National Federations and the publication of the first set of World Boxing rankings is a manifestation of this.

“The rankings are based on a detailed methodology and are designed to provide an empirical measurement of performance over time that can be used to determine seedings at future competitions and Championships and multis-port events.”

The World Boxing rankings are for senior elite boxers and are calculated on a three-year, rolling point system which began with the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. To be included in the rankings, a boxer needs to have competed in at least one World Boxing sanctioned event.

Ranking points are awarded for performance in World Boxing Challenge events, World Boxing Cups, World Boxing Cup Finals, World Boxing Championships and the Olympic Games. In future, performances in Continental Championships will also be eligible for ranking points.

The competitions that contributed to this first set of rankings are:

Paris 2024 Olympic Games (Under PBU regulations)
World Boxing Cup Finals – Sheffield, England 2024
World Boxing Challenge – Tammer Tampere, Finland 2024
World Boxing Cup – Foz do Iguazu, Brazil 2025
World Boxing Challenge – Usti, Czechia 2025
World Boxing Cup – Astana, Kazakhstan 2025
World Boxing Championships – Liverpool, England 2025

Full details on how the rankings are calculated and the allocation of points are available HERE.

The World Boxing rankings will be used to determine seedings at World Boxing’s major Elite competitions, including the World Boxing Championships, Continental Boxing Championships, Multi-Sport Games, World Boxing Cup Finals and others.

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.

Oceania Boxing Confederation elects Beulah Daunakamakama from Fiji as first President at its inaugural Congress in Fiji

October 13, 2025

The newly established Oceania Boxing Confederation has elected Beulah Daunakamakama from Fiji as its first President at its inaugural Congress in Fiji.

The establishment of the new Confederation, which is affiliated to World Boxing, marked the beginning of a new era for the sport in Oceania aimed at strengthening and promoting boxing in the region.

The Congress was hosted by the Fiji Amateur Boxing Association and attended by the National Federations for boxing from Aotearoa, Australia, Fiji, Kiribati, Samoa, Tahiti, and Tuvalu.

It was chaired by Dinah Glykidis, Chief Executive of Boxing Australia and a Vice President of World Boxing and included welcomes from Kathy Wong, President of the Fiji Association of Sports and National Olympic Committee (FASANOC) and Board Member of the Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC), and Ratu Meli Nacuva, Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Youth and Sports (Government of Fiji).

The business of Congress included the ratification of Oceania Boxing’s Statutes, and elections for the Executive Board, including the position of President and two Vice Presidents. The election process was scrutinised by FASANOC to ensure it was fair and transparent.

The full list of people elected to the Executive Board include:

President: Beulah Daunakamakama (Fiji)
Vice President (1): Phil Goodes (Australia)
Vice President (2): Tavui Mike Lemisio (Samoa)
Board Members: Ishmael Tahiata (French Polynesia), Lefau Francis Joseph Ainuu (Samoa), and Ms Manaema Saitala (Tuvalu – subsequently co-opted)
Chair of Sports and Competition Committee: Scott Bindloss (Kiribati)
Treasurer (Chair of Audit & Finance Committee): Vacant
One additional Board position remains vacant.

In speeches during the Congress, delegates expressed appreciation to World Boxing for its ongoing support in maintaining the Olympic pathway for athletes and enabling the revitalisation of boxing in the Oceania region.

The Congress also extended thanks to the current President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, for his support in helping Oceania to establish the new Confederation.

World Boxing relocates Congress 2025 to Rome

October 1, 2025

World Boxing’s forthcoming Congress has been relocated to Rome in Italy.

It follows discussions between World Boxing and the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) who reached a mutual decision to relocate the Congress, that will now be held in Rome, Italy, on 23 November 2025.

The Congress will include elections for the Presidency and a number of other Executive Board positions along with a series of other votes on World Boxing business.

The decision to relocate the Congress does not impact the forthcoming World Boxing Cup Finals which will take place in New Delhi over five days of competition from 17-22 November 2025.

World Boxing’s Acting Secretary General, Mike McAtee, explained: “The World Boxing Congress is one of the most significant events in the calendar and following discussions with the BFI, we reached a mutual agreement to separate this from the forthcoming World Boxing Cup Finals which will take place around the same time.

“We would like to thank the Italian Boxing Federation for offering to host the Congress and have no doubt this will be a fantastic occasion and a great opportunity for the World Boxing family to come together again.”

The President of the Boxing Federation of India, Ajay Singh said: “After positive discussions with our colleagues at World Boxing, we have mutually agreed to relocate the Congress to Italy. The decision was guided by logistical factors—such as travel-processing timelines—so that all delegates can participate smoothly.

“We will continue working hand-in-hand on the World Boxing Cup Finals and are focused on delivering a best-in-class event. The BFI is fully committed to a long-term relationship with World Boxing and to constructive collaboration with World Boxing and other National Federations.”

The President of the Italian Boxing Federation, Flavio D’Ambrosi added: “We are honoured that Italy will be the host of such an important event as the first World Boxing Congress after recognition by the IOC. We will do everything to ensure the best conditions for run smoothly and I hope that the participating delegates can appreciate our hospitality as well as recognize with full satisfaction that Italy is a country that can host major sport events.

“I thank the World Boxing Board and am aware that we are hosting a historic and very important moment for the entire Olympic boxing movement. We will work hard and do everything responsibly to host delegates, authorities and participants in the right way giving to them the chance to express their membership to World Boxing and freely choose the governance that will guide us for the Los Angeles 2028 challenge.”

World Boxing welcomes eight new nations to take membership to 125 National Federations

September 23, 2025

The Executive Board of World Boxing has approved membership applications from eight more National Federations, to take its membership to 125 countries.

The eight new members are spread across four continents and include: Slovenian Boxing Federation (Slovenia); National Boxing Federation of North Macedonia (Macedonia); Qatar Boxing Federation (Qatar); Libyan Boxing Federation (Libya); Senegalese Boxing Federation (Senegal); Nicaraguan Amateur Boxing Federation (Nicaragua), Kenya (Boxing Federation of Kenya); and the Ukrainian National Federation (Ukraine).

Each 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, the existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes, evidence of independent, structured, dispute resolution and appeals processes, formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport and a solid national and international boxing programme.

A full list of the 125 National Federations that are members of World Boxing can be viewed HERE.

Under World Boxing’s Statutes, the approval of the Executive Board means the seven new National Federations have been endorsed for membership. Final approval of membership status can only be conferred by Congress, which is the ultimate authority of World Boxing, and will be voted on at its next Congress which is scheduled to take place in New Delhi in November 2025.

World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst will not stand for a second term in upcoming Presidential election at Congress on November 2025

September 18, 2025

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, will not stand for a second term in the forthcoming Presidential election which will be held at World Boxing’s third annual Congress in November 2025.

The decision was announced by Boris van der Vorst in a personal letter to the Presidents of all of World Boxing’s member National Federations today (Thursday 18 September 2025).

In the letter, van der Vorst wrote: “I am writing to you personally to confirm that after long and careful deliberations I have made the decision to not seek re-election as the President of World Boxing and will not be standing as a candidate in the forthcoming election at World Boxing’s third annual Congress in November 2025.”

The letter went on to highlight the major achievements of World Boxing under van der Vorst’s tenure as President, which include: growing its membership to more than120 National Federations from all five Continents; establishing an annual competition calendar that recently included the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 for elite men and women; and securing provisional recognition for World Boxing from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) which, in March 2025, resulted in the reinstatement of boxing at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games (LA28).

Commenting on these in his letter, van der Vorst wrote: That we have achieved our primary objective of keeping boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement is a source of huge pride and the realization of a dream.

“It was only possible thanks to the support and close cooperation of many colleagues from every continent. Many of those colleagues will be reading this letter and I am deeply grateful to all of you.”

Explaining the reasons for his decision not to seek re-election, van der Vorst added: “My time as President has been fulfilling and inspiring, but it has also been relentless. After years of global travel and the daily demands of building World Boxing from the ground up to meet the requirements of the IOC and other stakeholders, I have concluded that I will not commit to another term as President.

“World Boxing is firmly established and recognised, and it is time for new leadership to guide the organisation towards Dakar 2026 and Los Angeles 2028.”

A statement from the Executive Board of World Boxing said: “The Executive Board would like to thank Boris for his hard work and commitment over the last three years and the vital contribution he has made to the achievements of World Boxing in helping to establish the organisation and in his tenure as its first President.

“Boris has played a key role in enabling World Boxing to secure recognition as the International Federation for boxing within the Olympic Movement and the subsequent reinstatement of the sport at the Games in Los Angeles. In being part of this, he has helped to keep the Olympic dream alive for tens of thousands of male and female boxers across the world and ensure that they will have the opportunity to compete on the biggest stage in sport.

“We wish Boris and his family all the very best for the future and in whatever he goes on to do once his term as President has come to an end.”

The window for nominating candidates to take part in elections at the World Boxing Congress in November is now closed. In line with the processes set-out in World Boxing’s ‘Election process And Voting Regulations’ policy HERE all of the candidates will be assessed for eligibility by an independent Vetting Panel using open-source materials.

The Vetting Panel is made-up of three independent, external experts that do not have any involvement or knowledge of World Boxing and will be 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 no later than 30 days before the elections take place.

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

Queensberry Promotions partners with World Boxing for inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 in Liverpool

September 1, 2025

One of the world’s leading boxing promoters, Queensberry Promotions, has agreed a partnership with World Boxing as part of the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025, in Liverpool. 4 -14 September 2025.

The decision is a sign of Queensberry’s desire to support the sport at every level from the grassroots amateur scene to the highest echelons of professional boxing.

Many of the best-known boxers such as Tyson Fury, Daniel Dubois, Joshua Buatsi, Moses Itauma and Nicola Adams, that have been promoted by Queensberry in high profile fights in recent years, enjoyed successful careers in the amateur ranks and this link-up is a sign of its ongoing commitment to every tier of boxing.

“Having such a prestigious tournament as the World Boxing Championships taking place in Liverpool makes it a landmark event that I am delighted Queensberry is providing backing for,” said Frank Warren, Queensberry Promotions Founder and Chairman.

“I know that so much hard work has been put in to make this inaugural Championships a major success and Liverpool will be playing host to elite fighters from right across the globe.

“Competitions like this are the bedrock of boxing and it is where the public can identify the future stars of the sport. I am thrilled to have Queensberry associated with the pinnacle of amateur boxing.”

World Boxing’s Chief Operating Officer, Simon Toulson, said: “It is great to have the support of Queensberry Promotions as we head-in into our inaugural World Boxing Championships. Queensberry’s decision to partner with World Boxing is a great endorsement of our work and the confidence they have in World Boxing as the International Federation for the sport.”

The Chair of the Steering Group of the Local Organising Committee of the World Boxing Championships 2025, Jason Harborow, said: “Having the support of one of the world’s leading boxing promoters, that has been involved in some of the biggest global fights of recent years, is a sign of how significant an event the World Boxing Championships is.

“This is the place where many people will get their first look at some of the men and women that will become the global superstars of the future, so it is great that Queensberry wants to be a part of this and recognises the importance of supporting Olympic-style boxing and the grassroots, which is the lifeblood of the sport.”

More than 500 men and women from over 60 countries will compete in the World Boxing Championships which is the biggest Olympic-style boxing event ever held in the UK. It will feature competition in 10 weight classes for men and women and be the first time ever that male and female boxers have competed in Olympic-style boxing at the same event for the title of World Boxing Champion.

The competition schedule is available HERE and provides details of the weight classes that will box on each day of the competition and enables fans to buy tickets for the specific sessions where they want to watch boxers compete in particular weight categories.

Tickets for the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025 are on sale now with Adult tickets priced at £15 and Concessions £5 (U16, OAPs, Students and those in receipt of benefits). For tickets, the schedule and all the latest news and info about the Championships visit www.worldboxingliverpool.com.

World Boxing confirms mandatory sex testing will apply in the female category at the inaugural World Boxing Championships 2025

August 20, 2025

New eligibility policy introduces mandatory sex testing for all World Boxing competitions

World Boxing has introduced mandatory sex testing, to determine the eligibility of male and female athletes that want to participate in its competitions as part of a new eligibility policy published HERE today.

The policy is designed to ensure the safety of all participants and deliver a competitive level playing field for men and women and means that all athletes over the age of 18 that want to participate in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned competition will need to undergo a once-in-a-lifetime PCR (polymerase chain reaction) of functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete.

The new policy comes into effect from 20 August 2025 and will be applied in the female category at the forthcoming World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, 4-14 September 2025.

It means that all athletes who wish to take part in the 10 female weight categories at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool will need to undergo a PCR or functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to certify their eligibility to box.

World Boxing’s policy on ‘Sex Eligibility’ has been crafted by a Working Group of its Medical and Anti-Doping Committee which examined medical evidence from a range of sources and spent nearly 12 months consulting with experts and studying legal, societal and sporting developments relating to the issue of eligibility by sex.

Under the policy, World Boxing will operate two categories as determined by sex: a men’s category and a women’s category. To be eligible for the men’s category, a competitor must be male at birth. To be eligible for the women’s category, a competitor must be female at birth.

Participation in either category will be determined by a PCR or functional medical equivalent genetic screening test to determine sex at birth. The PCR test is a laboratory technique used to detect specific genetic material, in this case the SRY gene, which reveals the presence of the Y chromosome, that is an indicator of biological sex. The test can be conducted by nasal/mouth swab, saliva or blood.

Athletes deemed to be male at birth, as evidenced by the presence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a difference of sexual development (DSD) where male androgenization occurs, will be eligible to compete in the male category.

Athletes deemed to be female at birth, as evidenced by the presence of XX chromosomes or the absence of Y chromosome genetic material (the SRY gene) or with a DSD where male androgenization does not occur, will be eligible to compete in the female category.

National Federations will be responsible for testing and will be required to confirm the sex of their athletes when entering them into World Boxing competitions by providing a certification of their chromosomal sex, as determined by a PCR or functional medical equivalent genetic screening test.

A failure to provide certification of the chromosomal sex of an athlete or the provision of a false certification, will render the athlete ineligible to compete and may lead to sanctions against the athlete and/or its National Federation.

Where test results for boxers that want to compete in the female category reveal Y chromosome genetic material and a potential Difference of Sexual Development (DSD), the initial screenings will be referred to World Boxing’s expert medical panel for genetic screening, hormonal profiles, anatomical examination or other valuation of endocrine profiles by medical specialists. The policy includes an appeals process, and support will be offered to any boxers that provide an adverse test result.

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “World Boxing respects the dignity of all individuals and is keen to ensure it is as inclusive as possible, yet in a combat sport like boxing, we have a duty of care to deliver safety and competitiveness fairness which are the key principles that have guided the development and creation of this policy.

“It has been a long and detailed process, but it was vital that we examined all of the medical, legal and sporting issues raised by this issue and I am confident that in introducing testing to certify the eligibility of an athlete to compete as a male or female, the new policy on ‘Sex Age and Weight’ will deliver sporting integrity and protect the safety of all participants.

“We recognise that the issues relating to eligibility in boxing are more pronounced in the women’s events which is why we have made the decision to implement the policy in the female category first, where it will apply for the forthcoming World Boxing Championships and this was communicated to all of our member National Federations some time ago, to enable them to begin the process of testing.

“I would like to thank the members of the Working Group for their hard work in developing and creating this policy over the last year and am grateful for the ongoing support of our member National Federations for their commitment and assistance in implementing it.”

World Boxing’s decision to prioritise testing in the female category is based on a recognition that the issues of safety and sporting integrity in relation to eligibility are most pronounced in women’s boxing. Testing will be applied for boxers in the male category at all World Boxing competitions from 1 January 2026.

This will mean that from 1 January 2026, all athletes over the age of 18 that want to participate in a World Boxing owned or sanctioned competition will need to undergo a, once-in-a-lifetime, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) or a functional medical equivalent genetic test to determine their sex at birth and their eligibility to compete.

TOP TEN secures agreement with World Boxing to become an Official Equipment Manufacturer at multi-sport events and international boxing championships

August 19, 2025

World Boxing has reached an agreement with TOP TEN for it to become one of its Official Equipment Manufacturer.

The agreement means all relevant TOP TEN boxing products, including gloves and headgear, have passed independent technical and chemical tests and that it is now able to tender to be World Boxing’s equipment provider at any international competition or multi-sport event that features boxing.

The technical equipment vetting process included a wide range of chemical and mechanical tests which covered: the durability and strength of gloves and head protectors to withstand a pre-determined number of impacts; the scope, materials, structure and dimensions of products; safety requirements; functional quality; and environmental controls relating to the composition of the equipment and the materials used.

As part of the agreement World Boxing will continue to run random tests on TOP TEN boxing equipment to ensure the products in the market meet the original standards.

Peter Kruckenhauser, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of TOP TEN said: “TOP TEN has contributed significantly to the development of boxing gloves and headgear since 1989. Since then, TOP TEN has made a name for itself in the world of boxing. We are delighted to have now also agreed on a collaboration with World Boxing.”

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, added: “To be able to add a high-quality brand like TOP TEN to our roster of Official Equipment Manufacturers is great for World Boxing and all of the male and female boxers that will take part in the competitions covered by this arrangement. It means the boxers can be confident that they will be competing with equipment that has been rigorously tested and meets the highest standards of technical quality and safety.”

World Boxing’s agreement with TOP TEN is non-exclusive and part of the process of building a list of accredited suppliers that meet the safety and quality standards to be able to tender to provide equipment for any boxing competitions where World Boxing’s rules apply or where World Boxing or its stakeholders are responsible for the event (such as Olympic Games, Continental Games, Multi-sport Games or Championships and other international boxing events).

As an officially approved World Boxing equipment manufacturer, TOP TEN is also eligible to supply and equip National Federations and a wide range of international competitions, including multi-sport events and continental championships to help support the sport’s development through high-performance, certified gear and long-term collaboration.

The agreement with TOP TEN is separate from World Boxing’s existing arrangement with Sting which is its ‘Official Competition Equipment Supplier’ and provide all the gloves, protective clothing, handwraps and training equipment used by boxers at the World Boxing Cup series and the U19 and elite World Boxing Championships.

Safety is our success – TOP TEN gear has been approved for Olympic boxing since 1988. With over 30 years of experience, TOP TEN is a leading name in combat sports. The TOP TEN safety equipment is rigorously tested and exceeds all required standards. TOP TEN offers complete solutions for athletes of all skill levels and is passionate about supporting athletes.

World Boxing-approved TOP TEN equipment includes boxing gloves, protective gear and hand wraps.

World Boxing’s agreement with TOP TEN is separate to its existing contract with Sting which is its ‘Official Competition Equipment Supplier’ and provides all the gloves, protective clothing, handwraps and training equipment used by boxers at the World Boxing Cup series and the U19 and elite World Boxing Championships.