Press Release

STATEMENT

Following the completion of the boxing tournament at Paris 2024, the President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said:

“The last 14 days of action at Paris 2024 have once again shown why boxing is such a central and important part of the Olympic Movement.

“The high-quality competition has produced a series of memorable bouts featuring 248 men and women from 69 countries across the world.

“It has shown why the Olympic Games is so important to boxing and why the sport is one of the most effective in delivering the values of the Olympic charter as shown by the diversity of the athlete cohort and the number of countries taking part and winning medals. Boxing truly is a global sport in which all countries have the opportunity to compete and a chance of Olympic glory.

“After such a fantastic and hard-fought competition, I would like to congratulate every boxer that has competed in Paris and especially the 52 men and women, from 30 countries plus the Refugee Olympic Team, that have won a medal.

“I would also like to thank the Paris Boxing Unit (PBU) for delivering the competition and the qualification campaign and congratulate them on the fantastic staging of the event.

“The North Paris Arena and Roland Garros have been superb venues and both have enjoyed noisy sell-out crowds that have provided a brilliant platform to showcase the skills, determination and courage of the boxers.

“The energy, passion and emotions seen during this tournament have shown that this is the absolute pinnacle for boxers and it would be a tragedy if Paris 2024 turned out to be the last time ever that boxing appeared on the Olympic programme.

“It would be devastating for everyone connected with the sport at all levels and in every part of the world. Fewer people will come into the sport at the grassroots and there will be less opportunities for boxers at the elite levels of both amateur and professional boxing. It would be a disaster that we cannot allow to happen.

“Since it expelled the previous international federation, the IOC has made it abundantly clear that the only way that boxing will be restored to the programme for Los Angeles 2028 is if it has a trusted and reliable International Federation (IF) to work with that has support of the National Federations (NFs).

“World Boxing is that IF. And we are committed to creating a sustainable and inclusive sporting structure – underpinned by strong governance and transparent financial management – where all boxers can compete and excel knowing that the integrity of the sport is guaranteed and competition is fair.

“Coming into the Games, World Boxing was established as a credible organisation with 37 member NFs covering every Continent that participates in boxing. 

“In the course of the tournament we have received several completed membership applications from NFs to join World Boxing and, following my conversations with numerous boxing leaders from across the world over the last two weeks in Paris, I am very confident that we will soon have more than 50 members, as the leaders of many NFs have assured me that they will apply to join World Boxing once this tournament is completed.

“We are also delivering a calendar of high-quality competitions. In September we will hold our first event in Asia when the World Boxing Cup takes place in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia and in October and November we will host our first global World Boxing Championships, when the U19 World Championships get underway in Colorado, USA.

“Crucially World Boxing has established relations with the IOC, following a meeting in May 2024, and World Boxing has developed a pathway to ensuring that boxing is restored to the programme of the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028.

“This pathway is dependent upon NFs, and the IOC has made it clear that any country that wants to see their boxers have the opportunity to compete at a future Olympic Games needs to take immediate steps to join World Boxing. 

“This is the only course of action that will ensure that Paris 2024 is not the last time we see boxing at the Olympic Games. We cannot allow boxing to exit the Olympic stage, and I invite every NF that cares about their boxers and the future of the sport to take immediate steps to join World Boxing now and work with us to deliver a better future for the sport and ensure that boxing continues to remain at the heart of the Olympic Movement.”

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 to hold its first competition in Asia as Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia is confirmed as the host of third World Boxing Cup of 2024

The third World Boxing Cup event of the year will be held at the UG Arena, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia from 23-26 September 2024.

The four-day competition is the first World Boxing Cup event to be held in Asia and is being hosted by the Mongolian Boxing Federation and World Boxing.

The World Boxing Cup is a new annual competition series in which elite male and female boxers accrue ranking points over several stages of competition throughout the calendar year.  The event in Mongolia will feature contests at seven men’s weight categories and six for women and the winners will earn the right to compete in the World Boxing Cup Finals 2024 which are scheduled to take place in Sheffield, England at the end of November 2024.

The announcement that Mongolia will host this event was made during a visit to the country by the President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, who has held a series of meetings with senior representatives of the Mongolian Boxing Federation.

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “I am delighted that we will be holding our first World Boxing Cup event in Asia and am very grateful to the Mongolian Boxing Federation for its willingness and to host the competition and its steadfast and on-going support for World Boxing and our work to deliver a better future for the sport.

“The World Boxing Cup in Ulaanbaatar will be a top-class event and my colleagues and I look forward to working closely with the Mongolian Boxing Federation to deliver this important competition in Asia.”

Mayor of the capital city and board member of Mongolian Boxing Federation Mr Nyambaatar Khishgee, added: “We are very proud to bring this exciting new competiton to Mongolia and look forward to working with World Boxing to deliver a fantastic event for our country and all of the boxers that will be taking part.”

The event in Ulaanbaatar will be third World Boxing Cup of 2024 and follows events in Sheffield, England in January and Colorado, USA in April.

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 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 34 members covering all of the five Continents that compete in international boxing.

World Boxing announces Initial Certification process for all Technical Officials

World Boxing has launched a new Initial Certification process for Technical Officials to ensure the highest standards of integrity and transparency in officiating at its competitions and tournaments.

The Certification process is based on the practices of the Paris Boxing Unit for Olympic boxing competitions and is open to all active boxing Technical Officials, including Referees & Judges (R&Js) and Ringside Doctors, who have previous international experience. It is designed to identify the candidates with the most appropriate experience and create common standards and working practices to ensure sporting integrity.

Application Process

All active boxing Technical Officials with international experience that wish to officiate at World Boxing events, are eligible to apply for the certification by completing the Initial Certification Questionnaire (Stage 1).

Candidates are advised to complete all applicable sections based on their experience, ensure accuracy and completeness of all provided information to support the certification process and to review responses carefully before submitting to ensure all information is correct and complete as inaccurate information may result in rejection of the application.

The deadline for completion of the questionnaire is 23:59 CET, 15 July 2024. Any applications received after this deadline will not be considered on this occasion.

This questionnaire is the first stage in the Initial Certification process for all Technical Officials. Responses will be carefully evaluated by the World Boxing Sports and Competition Committee to verify qualifications and experience in relevant Technical Official roles.

Candidates that process through the questionnaire will be invited to take online written tests, which will be conducted separately for eligible candidates of the three different groups: R&Js, Ringside Doctors, and all other Technical Official roles.

The results of these tests will determine whether a candidate is granted an Initial Certification by World Boxing.

Any active Technical Officials that do not participate in this process or do not progress beyond the questionnaire will be welcome to enroll in the full certification courses for Technical Official roles that will be offered by World Boxing in future.

Participation in these courses will be mandatory for those who wish to officiate at World Boxing events but have not been certified through the Initial Certification process.

Help & Support

To help address any questions regarding this initial process as well as the future certification courses, two online meetings will be held on 8 July 2024 at 12:00 CET and 21:00 CET to accommodate various time zones. Officials must register in advance to take part in these meetings at the links below:

Registration for Support Meeting 1 on 8 July 2024 @ 12:00 CET

Registration for Support Meeting 2 on 8 July 2024 @ 21:00 CET Any further questions regarding Certification for Technical Officials can be emailed to sport@worldboxing.org.

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.

2024 U19 World Boxing Championships to be held in Colorado

The 2024 U19 World Boxing Championships will be held at the Pueblo Convention Center in Colorado, USA from 25 October – 5 November 2024.

The competition for boxers aged 17 and 18 is the first-ever global World Boxing Championships and will be held across 10 weight categories for both men and women.

All of World Boxing’s member National Federations are eligible to participate in the tournament which is being hosted in Colorado following an open bidding process.  The response from USA Boxing was deemed to be the best submission and has been approved unanimously by the Executive Board of World Boxing.

The Chair of USA Boxing’s Board of Directors, Tyson Lee, said: “USA Boxing is honored to be selected as the host of World Boxing’s first World Championships.  As a member National Federation of World Boxing, we look forward to hosting the next generation of elite boxers and delivering a high-quality competition, which places the boxers first and ensures sporting integrity on the field of play.”

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, added: “Staging our first World Championships is a significant milestone and we are delighted that it will be held in the home of USA Boxing which has been a steadfast supporter of World Boxing from the start and has played a vitally important role in the development and growth of the organization.

“World Boxing is committed to delivering a calendar of high-quality competitions that create opportunities for boxers and we have no doubt that USA Boxing will deliver a top-class event that will provide a fantastic platform for U19 boxers from our member National Federation to showcase their skills and further their development as elite sportspeople.”

The 2024 U19 World Boxing Championships will be the second time that USA Boxing has hosted a World Boxing competition and follows the ‘World Boxing Cup: USA Boxing International Invitational’ which took place at the same venue in Colorado in April 2024.

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 meeting with the IOC which signaled 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 29 member National Federations covering all five Continents that compete in international boxing.

Boxing Federation of India agrees to join World Boxing

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has agreed to become a member of World Boxing, the International Federation established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

The membership application has been approved by the BFI’s General Assembly and will be ratified by World Boxing’s Executive Board. The BFI President, Mr Ajay Singh, recently met with World Boxing’s President and Secretary General to discuss ways in which India can support the International Federation in growing its membership base in Asia, where the BFI is one of the largest National Federations.

As part of its commitment to the future development of World Boxing, the BFI aims to play a leading role in establishing an Asian Confederation and drive the recruitment of other National Federations in the region.

It also intends to actively participate in the work of World Boxing Committees and all Commissions as well bidding to host World Boxing competitions and supporting World Boxing’s efforts to secure commercial partnerships and generate new income streams.

The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, stated: “India is a very important country in international boxing and we look forward to welcoming the BFI into the growing World Boxing family. This is a very exciting development which will significantly increase our presence in Asia and I look forward to working closely with the BFI in delivering our common goals.

“In both its public comments and during our recent meeting, the IOC has delivered a clear message to all National Federations that if they want boxers from their country to have the opportunity to compete at future Olympic Games then they must now join World Boxing. This is the only path that will see our sport remain in the Olympic Games after Paris 2024 and National Federations must act now and follow the example of the BFI if they want boxing to have any chance of still being part of the programme at Los Angeles 2028.”

The President of the BFI, Mr Ajay Singh, said: “It is absolutely vital to the sustainability of boxing that it retains its Olympics status, so we are delighted to join World Boxing and look forward to working closely with the Executive Board and our fellow members to shape the future development of the sport and deliver a brighter future for boxers across the world.

“The BFI shares the same values and goals as World Boxing and are keen to play a leading role in its development. We also wish to be at the forefront of the formation and hosting of a new Asian confederation to ensure boxing continues to expand and grow its membership on the continent.”

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 members covering all of the five Continents that compete in international boxing.

World Boxing Cup Finals 2024 to be held in Sheffield as world class international boxing returns to the City

The World Boxing Cup end-of-year Finals event for 2024 will be held at English Institute of Sport Sheffield, England from 27-30 November 2024.

The competition, which is being hosted by England Boxing and World Boxing in association with GB Boxing, will be the culmination of the World Boxing Cup series for 2024 when the stage winners and other top-ranked boxers from this year’s events will compete for the World Boxing Cup Trophy.

November’s Finals event will see the World Boxing Cup return to Sheffield after it hosted the first competition of the series in January 2024.  It was followed by the ‘World Boxing Cup: USA Boxing International Invitational’ in Pueblo, Colorado in April 2024. The third event of this year’s series is scheduled to take place in September 2024 and a number of locations are bidding to host it.

The World Boxing Cup is a new international boxing format developed by World Boxing, the international federation which has been established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

It features contests at 13 weight categories (seven for men and six for women) and allows male and female boxers accrue ranking points over several stages of competition throughout the calendar year.

The World Boxing Cup Finals 2024 will be delivered by England Boxing in association with World Boxing and GB Boxing and is supported by the National Lottery and Sheffield City Council.

World Boxing’s Secretary General, Simon Toulson, explained:  “We are very happy to bring the year-end Finals event back to Sheffield after the success of this January’s ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open’, which was held in the city and received very positive feedback from the boxers, coaches and National Federations that participated.  World Boxing is committed to delivering a calendar of high quality competition opportunities and we have no doubt that this year’s Finals event in Sheffield will be a great end to the first series of the World Boxing Cup.”

Jerome Pels, Chief Executive, England Boxing, added: “We are thrilled to host yet another event at the home of England Boxing and GB Boxing in Sheffield. The World Boxing Cup in January demonstrated the remarkable achievements possible when stakeholders collaborate effectively. This upcoming tournament will offer fans a fantastic opportunity to witness the superstars of the sport firsthand and provide the boxers with another chance to compete in an elite environment against the world’s best.”

Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development Committee at Sheffield City Council, said: “We are incredibly proud of Sheffield’s sporting credentials and being a city of sport. We have hosted many major sporting events over the years, and we are delighted that the World Boxing Cup Finals will be another.”

GB Boxing’s Chief Executive, Matt Holt, added: “This is great news for the boxers in our squad who will again get the opportunity to compete at home. They all enjoyed competing in the first World Boxing Cup in Sheffield back in January and those that make the Finals will be very much looking forward to having the chance to box at home once more where their family and friends can come to see them in action, in what will definitely be a high-class international competition.”

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 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 29 members covering all of the five Continents that compete in international boxing.

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