World Boxing is continuing its efforts to make sure boxing stays in the Olympics.
Its most recent move, evidently, is the creation of a new Asian boxing confederation, an organization separate from the Russian-led International Boxing Association (IBA) that aims to represent and promote boxing in Asia.
Prior to the formation of this new Asian body, the existing Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) held an Extraordinary Congress, where 25 of the group’s 36 members voted to remain affiliated with the IBA. But immediately after the vote, ASBC President Pichai Chunhavajira resigned and called for the foundation of the new organization under World Boxing, noting that such a governing body would “ensure a transparent, fair and sustainable future for our sport.”
“We are thrilled to take this step towards empowering boxing in Asia. We are confident that the new Asian boxing confederation will thrive and further elevate the sport in the region,” said World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst.
Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, two of the most successful nations in Olympic boxing history, had already joined World Boxing early this November.
Saving Olympic Boxing: The Clock Is Ticking
As of the moment, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has already left out boxing in the 2028 Los Angeles Games program. This comes after the IOC formally stopped recognizing the IBA as part of the Olympic family due to ethics-related issues and a perceived lack of financial transparency, among other reasons.
The IOC, in response, has called on national boxing federations to establish a new global boxing body that will take the place of the IBA—and potentially save Olympic boxing.
World Boxing is looking to be that organization. Launched in 2023, World Boxing has so far recruited 55 members, including Thailand, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan from Asia. The Philippines, which has won 10 Olympic medals in boxing (silver silver, six bronze) joined the new organization as early as October 2023.
It remains to be seen if World Boxing will get the IOC’s nod as it still has only 55 members as of this writing. In contrast, the IBA had 199 federations in its umbrella and five confederations (including the ASBC). The IOC has previously announced it will decide boxing’s Olympic fate next year.
The clock is ticking for World Boxing.
