World Boxing: Olympic-Confident Breakaway Federation Hits 60 Associates

The Executive Board meets and officiates five new applications

Boris van der Vorst from the Netherlands, candidate for the post of president, takes part in the founding congress of the new World Boxing Association. He now acknowledges the affirmation of World Boxing marking 60 members / Getty Images.

By Isaac Nyamungu

World Boxing has reached the landmark of 60 memberships after the applications to join from the National Federations for boxing in Cambodia, Dominican Republic, Jordan, Myanmar and Palestine were permitted at the last meeting of its Executive Board (12 December 2024).

"World Boxing has achieved an enormous amount in the last 12 months and to approach the end of the year with 60 members is a fantastic achievement and conclusive evidence of the widespread desire for change that exists in international boxing," said president of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst.

Besides, the World Boxing, a breakaway international federation is optimistic to attain recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"The decision of so many national federations to join World Boxing is a sign of the critical importance of remaining part of the Olympic movement to the future health and stability of our sport and a recognition that this can only be achieved by countries joining and supporting World Boxing," said Boris.

The federation designed in April after the International Boxing Association (IBA) was stripped of its status as boxing's world governing body in June 2023, having originally been suspended in 2019.

World Boxing noted that the new members finalised a "rigorous application process".

"Their statutes and operating processes, are able to demonstrate: a transparent and open election process; the existence and operation of WADA-recognised anti-doping polices and processes; a structured, dispute resolution and appeals process; a solid national and international boxing sports programme; and formal recognition by either their National Olympic Committee (NOC) or Ministry for Sport," said World Boxing.

The governing body further agreed to progress consultations with the National Federations of Brazil, Germany, Kazakhstan and India to host World Boxing Cup proceedings in 2025. The plan is to hold the first World Boxing Cup of the year in Brazil in March 2025, followed by competitions in Germany, Kazakhstan and India. Dates and venues will be confirmed in January 2025

The body also approved that the final World Boxing Cup of the year will be in New Delhi, India, in November 2025 will also host the third World Boxing Congress, which will comprise elections for the Presidency and Executive Board

Moreover, following a bidding process, Astana in Kazakhstan was selected as the location for the 2027 Elite World Boxing Championships for men and women

“It is great news that we have been able to confirm Astana in Kazakhstan as the host of our second Elite World Boxing Championships in 2027 after next year’s first edition which will take place in Liverpool, England in September 2025. I would like to thank the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation for its commitment to World Boxing in agreeing to host both a World Boxing Cup and a World Boxing Championships over the next three years,” said Boris.

“I am also very grateful to the Boxing Federation of India for its ongoing support in bidding to host both a World Boxing Cup and our next Congress in 2025 in New Delhi,” he added.