NEWS

World Boxing Leadership Meets Italian Boxing Federation in Milan

The President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, and Secretary General Tom Dielen met with senior representatives of the Italian Boxing Federation (FPI) in Milan today, during the ongoing Winter Olympic Games Milan-Cortina 2026. 

The FPI delegation included President Flavio D’Ambrosio, General Secretary Walter De Giusti, and Vice-President Matteo Schiavone.

The meeting was an opportunity for Golovkin to introduce the new World Boxing Secretary General, Tom Dielen, and was the first official encounter between World Boxing’s leadership and representatives of the Italian National Federation. It began with a warm welcome and mutual expressions of appreciation for the strong relationship between World Boxing and the Italian Federation.

As part of the meeting, World Boxing outlined its upcoming plans and competition calendar, which included a series of updates from Golovkin and Dielen on ongoing efforts to streamline events and support National Federations worldwide.

The Italian Boxing Federation expressed interest in hosting educational programmes and international events in collaboration with World Boxing, which were received positively.

The meeting also covered broader plans for the coming year, including key events, development programmes, and initiatives to support athletes and federations globally.

Golovkin and Dielen praised the Italian Federation for its successful organisation of past tournaments and a highly professional Congress in Rome in November 2025 and expressed gratitude for its proactive approach and dedication to the sport and the Italian delegation’s enthusiasm and active participation in the discussions.

The meeting reinforced the collaborative relationship between World Boxing and the Italian Federation and the commitment of both sides to continued cooperation and the development in the sport.

World Boxing appoints Tom Dielen as new Secretary General

World Boxing has appointed Tom Dielen as its new Secretary General to lead and manage its day-to-day operations on the path to the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 (LA28).

Dielen was appointed following an open recruitment process and will take-up the role in February 2026. He will be based at World Boxing’s office in Lausanne and will report to the Executive Board and the President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin.

A Belgium and Swiss national, Dielen has nearly 30 years’ experience in a wide variety of leadership roles within Olympic Sport and spent two decades as the Secretary General of World Archery from 2005-2025.

In this role he led the development and execution of a strategic plan that transformed the International Federation from a sport at risk of Olympic exclusion into a credible, well-respected, financially stable model of innovation which was recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Prior to this he held senior positions with the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) and the Fédération Internationale de Tir à l’Arc (FITA).

As part of his various roles in sport Dielen has also sat on numerous committees and boards within the Olympic Movement for a variety of organisations including the Association of Summer International Olympic Federations (ASOIF) the International World Games Association (IWGA) and the Association of Paralympic Sport Organisations (APSO).

The President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “Mr Dielen’s background in international sport aligns well with the responsibilities and expectations of our organisation. I am confident that this experience will strengthen our work and support its future development.”

Tom Dielen added: “I am really thrilled to start a new challenge in the Olympic Movement as Secretary General of World Boxing. From the first contact with Mr Golovkin, the President, there was a good feeling between the two of us and I thank him and the Board for this opportunity.

“I am looking forward getting to know the athletes of this truly universal sport. There are exciting moments ahead this year with events for young athletes in Thailand and of course Senegal. Then there will be the World Boxing Cup series events in Brazil, China and Uzbekistan for the athletes as they start their road to LA2028.

“In the coming months, I will start to expand the team to ensure a bright Olympic future for the sport. Let’s get in the ring and work on inspiring and engaging people to pursue a passion for boxing through integrity and excellence.”

Dielen has a Master of Engineering (Computer Science) from the Catholic University of Leuven and a Sport Management Degree from the Belgian Olympic Academy. He also holds a Sport Merit Award from the Catholic University of Leuven and is an Honorary Member of the Compagnie des Archers de Lausanne.

He competed in Field and 3D Archery at national level and is active in Tennis, Curling, Skiing and Cycling.

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

World Boxing’s Executive Board endorses four new membership applications from Benin, Mali, Moldova and St Lucia

The Executive Board of World Boxing has endorsed four new membership applications from the National Federations for boxing in Benin, Mali, Moldova and St Lucia.

The endorsement of four new applications means World Boxing now has 159 National Federations as members, made-up of 123 ‘Full Members’, one ‘Associate Member’ and 35 ‘Endorsed Members’.

Under World Boxing Statutes HERE the National Federations for boxing Benin, Mali, Moldova and St Lucia have “Endorsed Member’ status which means they are able to compete in World Boxing competitions but cannot vote at Congress 2026 as they do not have ‘Full Member’ status.

‘Full Member’ status can only be conferred by Congress, which is the ultimate authority of World Boxing, and will be voted on at Congress 2026. ‘Endorsed Members’ that are successful in having their membership applications ratified at this Congress and become ‘Full Members’ will be able to vote at the following year’s Congress in 2027 and all those thereafter.

The four new National Federation members are:

  • Beninese Boxing Federation
  • Malian Boxing Federation
  • Boxing Federation of the Republic of Moldova
  • St. Lucia Boxing Association

To secure the endorsement of the Executive Board, all four have completed a rigorous application process and 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-recognsied anti-doping polices and processes
  • Evidence of a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process that is either fully independent or subject to external input

Lists of the 124 National Federations that have ‘Full Member’ or ‘Associate Member’ status and the 35 National Federations that are ‘Endorsed Member’ can viewed be in the membership section of the World Boxing website HERE.

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.

Evaluation report reveals World Boxing Championships 2025 boosted global profile of Olympic-style boxing and delivered multiple benefits to the host city Liverpool

The inaugural World Boxing Championships in September 2025 boosted the global profile of Olympic-style boxing and generated multiple benefits to the host city, Liverpool, according to an evaluation report by Quantum Consultancy HERE.

The report, which analysed a range of factors covering visibility and reach; the spectator experience; and impacts on the city and local communities, found that the World Boxing Championships generated a huge global audience on television and social media, and delivered a series of economic, social and reputational benefits to the host city.

The report states that following an agreement between World Boxing and the European Broadcast Union, 955 hours of action from the Championships were broadcast globally and watched by a cumulative audience of 5.32 million.

On social media, the Championships had a huge reach with 27 million views that generated 831 million impressions around the world.

The President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “The World Boxing Championships 2025 was great event for Olympic style boxing and a fantastic platform for our male and female boxers to showcase their skills and abilities to a huge global audience.

“I know from speaking personally to many of the boxers at the Championships that they were very impressed with the staging and organisation of the competition and I would like to thank the Local Organising Committee and all of their partners for hosting and delivering a world class event that has delivered a wide-range of benefits to both the sport of boxing and the host city of Liverpool.”

For the city of Liverpool, the report found that hosting the World Boxing Championships delivered a range of benefits covering the local economy, tourism and social impact. These included:

  • Economic:
    • The Championships delivered an overall economic impact of £4.03 million with many of the prime beneficiaries being local hotels shops and businesses in the hospitality sector, with visitors spending £1.83 million over the course of the competition
  • Tourism:
    • 55 per cent of tickets were purchased by spectators from outside of the Liverpool City Region, with 43 per cent coming from other parts of Great Britain, four per cent from Ireland and eight per cent from the rest of the world
    • 94 per cent of out-of-town spectators said they would recommend visiting Liverpool to friends and family
    • 96 per cent of spectators rated Liverpool as a good or very good host city
  • Social impact:
    • More than £50,000 worth of boxing equipment was distributed post-event to local clubs
    • More than 1,000 tickets were distributed to schools and clubs
    • 127 volunteers took part in the Championships and delivered 3,142 hours of volunteering
    • A sport-themed literacy programme, ‘Literacy Kicks’, created learning opportunities for more than 1,200 Primary School children in Liverpool
    • More than 2,700 people in the boxing community participated in a series of Mental Health Fitness workshops, delivered in partnership with the charity, Movember. 
    • An ‘Unsung Heroes’ project recognised 19 people from boxing clubs for their contributions to the grassroots of the sport with a series of portraits, photographs and stories that were exhibited during the Championships.

Liverpool’s City Council’s Cabinet Member for Health, Wellbeing and Culture, Councillor Harry Doyle, added: “As a city, we are well-known for delivering huge, world-class events and we are always delighted to host prestigious competitions like the World Boxing Championships.

“Not only did it generate a £4m boost to our economy, it also supported local businesses and our hospitality sector, and created lasting benefits for our people and our communities. As this report shows, the Championships brought multiple economic and social benefits to thousands of people across our city through wrap-around cultural activities, social impact programmes, and volunteering opportunities.”

Jason Harborow, Chair of the Local Organising Committee (LOC) Event Steering Group, commented: “The World Boxing Championships was a fantastic occasion for the sport and the city of Liverpool and I would like to thank World Boxing for choosing Liverpool and all of the LOC stakeholders and partners that did such a great job of making the event happen from the initial bid process to the delivery of the 10-days of competition at the M&S Bank Arena.

“The boxers produced a world class competition, and it is fantastic to see that the Championships have delivered so many wider benefits to both the sport and the city, which once again demonstrated to a worldwide audience that Liverpool is a brilliant place to host major sporting events.”

The World Boxing Championships also broke new ground in terms of sustainability and minimising environmental impact through a comprehensive programme delivered in partnership with the venue owners, ACC Liverpool. 100 per cent of energy used in the venue came from renewable sources and all branding was fully recycled or donated to local boxing clubs post-event.

A  summary of the report by Quantum Consultancy is available HERE.

Liverpool hosted the World Boxing Championships, 4-14 September 2025, following a successful bid that was developed by a group of partners which comprised England Boxing, GB Boxing, Liverpool City Council and the M&S Bank Arena, with the support of the National Lottery and UK Sport. Event partners included Sting, Nike Boxing, Brabners, the Liverpool Bid Company and Visit Liverpool.

World Boxing President Gennadiy Golovkin Attends Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Tashkent

The President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, took part in the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), which was held on 26 January in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and brought together senior leaders of the Olympic Movement from across the continent.

During the Assembly, key strategic issues related to the development of sport in Asia, institutional cooperation, and the strengthening of governance within international sport were discussed. The event served as an important platform for dialogue between international federations, National Olympic Committees, and continental sports bodies.

Gennadiy Golovkin’s participation underscored World Boxing’s commitment to constructive engagement with the Olympic Movement and its readiness to contribute to the continued development and integrity of boxing at both continental and global levels.

World Boxing President Gennadiy Golovkin holds productive meeting with the leadership of European Boxing

The President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, has identified the importance of creating education programmes for officials as a key priority in the future development of the sport following a productive meeting with the leadership of the Continental Confederation for Europe, European Boxing,

The meeting covered a wide range of issues and developments within the sport including the future direction of European Boxing, opportunities for collaboration, and key development areas including governance, competitions and the use of technology.

On competitions, the meeting reviewed European Boxing’s recent activities, which included the successful delivery of both the U17 and U23 European Championships, and looked forward to the inaugural European Boxing Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria, 15-26 September 2026.

Other areas of discussion included the importance of training seminars for Technical Officials and referees and judges; developments in the use of technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in competitions; the commercial development of Olympic-style boxing and collaboration and closer alignment between World Boxing and European Boxing.

Following the meeting, the President of World Boxing, Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “I appreciate the strong engagement from European Boxing and the leadership shown by President Lars Brovil and his team. Europe has demonstrated that it can deliver high-quality events and high-level organisation — and that experience is critical as we build the next stage of World Boxing.

“At the same time, we know that credibility is built not only through competitions, but through people and standards. That is why education will be one of our key priorities: structured programmes for coaches, technical delegates, referees and judges, with clear pathways and consistent certification. Better education means better officiating, safer boxing, and greater trust from athletes and National Federations.”

World Boxing publishes updated 2026 competition calendar

World Boxing has published an updated calendar for 2026, which includes the international competitions that will be delivered by World Boxing, three continental confederation championships and a series of multi-sport events that will take place under its rules and where World Boxing is the recognised International Federation for the sport.

The updated calendar features competitions for elite and U19 male and female boxers and can be viewed on the World Boxing website HERE.

World Boxing Competitions

The centrepiece of the 2026 calendar for elite men and women is the continuation of the World Boxing Cup series, which will consist of three stages across the year.

Stage 1 of the World Boxing Cup 2026 will be held in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil from 20–26 April, followed by Stage 2 in Guiyang City, China from 15–20 June. The series will culminate in the World Boxing Cup Finals, which will take place in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from 25 November – 2 December 2026.

At U19* level, the competitive year will begin with the World Boxing Futures Cup in Bangkok, Thailand from 8 – 15 March 2026, which is an entry event for the Youth Olympic Games** that will be held in Dakar, Senegal, 31 October – 13 November 2026. 

2026 will also see World Boxing host its second World Boxing U19 Championships which will take place in the final quarter of the year. A bidding process has been held for this event and an announcement will be made shortly on dates and a host city.

Continental Championships

Following the establishment of Continental Confederations in 2025, the next 12 months will see three of them host their inaugural championships.

The Asian Boxing Championships will take place in Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, 28 March – 11 April 2026, followed by the European Boxing Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria from 15 – 26 September 2026.  The Continental Confederation Championships will conclude with the PanAmerican Boxing Championships in Pueblo, Mexico, 10 – 17 October 2026.

Multi-sport Events

The 2026 calendar also includes several multi-sport events where World Boxing is the recognised International Federation for boxing and will be held under its rules. These include the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, 23 July – 2 August 2026 and the Asian Games in Japan (Aichi/Nagoya), 19 September – 4 October 2026, and the Youth Olympic Games.

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 International Olympic Committee (IOC) in May 2024 and, on 25 February 2025, was granted provisional recognition by the IOC as the International Federation (IF) governing the sport of boxing at world level within the Olympic Movement.

Notes:

* U19 competitions are open to boxers born between 1 January 2008 – 31 December 2009

** The Youth Olympic Games is open to boxers born between 14 November 2008 – 31 December 2009

ITA Webinar | ‘World Boxing -Clean Sport Education Webinar for Coaches’

Registration link: Webinar Registration – Zoom
Title: WB – Clean Sport Education Webinar for Coaches
Date: 5 February 2026
Time: 14:00 – 15:00 CET
Panellists: ITA Education Team

Clean Sport Education webinar hosted by the International Testing Agency (ITA), on behalf of World Boxing. Afsheen Panjalizadeh, WB Senior Competition Manager and Ervin Kade, Finland Boxing Federation and Member of World Boxing Coaches Commission, will be hosting alongside the ITA.

As trusted figures in an athlete’s life, coaches significantly influence their values and behaviours. Athletes depend on their entourage for reliable information and mentorship, making it important for you to understand the anti-doping rules and how to foster a culture of integrity in sport.

This webinar will outline the roles and responsibilities of coaches, offering practical tips for you to support your athletes, protect yourself and serve as a role model for clean sport. Join us as we work together to Keep Sport Real and bring your questions for the live Q&A!

This webinar will be delivered in English, with and automated translated captions available, and all attendees will receive a PDF of the webinar presentation, including links to the resources covered.