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 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.