IABA seeks control of all boxing
10/23/2007 | 06:02 PM
CHICAGO – The Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur (International Boxing Association) hopes to launch its own world league of boxing as early as next year and bring amateurs and professional fighters under one organization.
On the eve of the World Boxing Championships, delegates to the IABA congress on Monday endorsed a long list of recommended reforms, including one to create the boxing league.
"They said, 'IABA, go make this happen if you can'," USA Boxing chairman Tom Virgets said.
It's all part of sweeping changes to clean up and solidify the sport under new AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu of Taiwan, who ousted longtime head Anwar Chowdhry of Pakistan in last year's election.
"It's a first step for amateur boxers and professional boxers to be managed under the same umbrella," IABA vice president Humbert Furgoni of France told the members Monday.
"We are producing the best boxers from the Olympic games and the World Championships, but we want to protect that because after they got their medals, what was the next step? Not just to be taken by the professional promoters," Wu said following Monday's four-hour meeting.
"We want them fully protected to develop their career. Once we have our own league, the federations and the boxers will be fully protected. And this is the reason we want to set it up."
Wu said he hoped to announce the league by the Beijing Olympics next year.
"We are talking about an investment of close to $200 million to $300 million (€141 million-€212 million) that is going to have to be found to make this happen," Virgets said.
"I believe there are so many people who want to see it happen, that it's going to... Promoters who have given absolutely nothing to the sport, no contribution whatsoever, have come in and reached into our talent and just exploited that top talent and took it away and used it for personal gain.
"What IABA is saying is we're going to start our own league and we're going to start developing our own boxing internationally to move them in a direction whereby we can keep them in the program longer, see to it they get financially rewarded and we can keep some integrity in this game."
The balance will be a challenge, Virgets said. "How do you maintain the quality of the amateur program that is the fundamental program, the foundation? The professional side is the icing."
Other recommended competition reforms would wipe out age limits for referees and reward them for good work. One recommendation that brought much debate was the age categories for different boxing classifications – juniors (14-to-16), youth (16-18) and elite (18 plus).
Unveiled was a plan to create an international boxing academy. And also under study is the importance of the headgear worn in amateur boxing, whether it is necessary protection or actually causes more injuries than it prevents because it creates a larger hitting area.
There are 195 member federations in IABA and nearly 700 boxers from more than 100 countries attended a parade on a downtown street Monday to the legendary Chicago Theater, where the opening ceremonies were to be held.
During the parade down State Street, the boxers were cheered by several thousand spectators spread out along the route. Some fighters stopped during the half-hour procession to pose for pictures as they made their way to the Chicago Theater.
During the opening ceremonies, the biggest star was the greatest boxer of all-time, Muhammad Ali, who received two standing ovations. The program included remarks from Wu and Chicago major Richard Daley and a performance from about 40 dancers representing the various cultures of the city.
The World Boxing Championships, which begin Tuesday at the University of Illinois-Chicago and run through November 3, are a qualifying event for the Beijing Olympics. - AP
On the eve of the World Boxing Championships, delegates to the IABA congress on Monday endorsed a long list of recommended reforms, including one to create the boxing league.
"They said, 'IABA, go make this happen if you can'," USA Boxing chairman Tom Virgets said.
It's all part of sweeping changes to clean up and solidify the sport under new AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu of Taiwan, who ousted longtime head Anwar Chowdhry of Pakistan in last year's election.
"It's a first step for amateur boxers and professional boxers to be managed under the same umbrella," IABA vice president Humbert Furgoni of France told the members Monday.
"We are producing the best boxers from the Olympic games and the World Championships, but we want to protect that because after they got their medals, what was the next step? Not just to be taken by the professional promoters," Wu said following Monday's four-hour meeting.
"We want them fully protected to develop their career. Once we have our own league, the federations and the boxers will be fully protected. And this is the reason we want to set it up."
Wu said he hoped to announce the league by the Beijing Olympics next year.
"We are talking about an investment of close to $200 million to $300 million (€141 million-€212 million) that is going to have to be found to make this happen," Virgets said.
"I believe there are so many people who want to see it happen, that it's going to... Promoters who have given absolutely nothing to the sport, no contribution whatsoever, have come in and reached into our talent and just exploited that top talent and took it away and used it for personal gain.
"What IABA is saying is we're going to start our own league and we're going to start developing our own boxing internationally to move them in a direction whereby we can keep them in the program longer, see to it they get financially rewarded and we can keep some integrity in this game."
The balance will be a challenge, Virgets said. "How do you maintain the quality of the amateur program that is the fundamental program, the foundation? The professional side is the icing."
Other recommended competition reforms would wipe out age limits for referees and reward them for good work. One recommendation that brought much debate was the age categories for different boxing classifications – juniors (14-to-16), youth (16-18) and elite (18 plus).
Unveiled was a plan to create an international boxing academy. And also under study is the importance of the headgear worn in amateur boxing, whether it is necessary protection or actually causes more injuries than it prevents because it creates a larger hitting area.
There are 195 member federations in IABA and nearly 700 boxers from more than 100 countries attended a parade on a downtown street Monday to the legendary Chicago Theater, where the opening ceremonies were to be held.
During the parade down State Street, the boxers were cheered by several thousand spectators spread out along the route. Some fighters stopped during the half-hour procession to pose for pictures as they made their way to the Chicago Theater.
During the opening ceremonies, the biggest star was the greatest boxer of all-time, Muhammad Ali, who received two standing ovations. The program included remarks from Wu and Chicago major Richard Daley and a performance from about 40 dancers representing the various cultures of the city.
The World Boxing Championships, which begin Tuesday at the University of Illinois-Chicago and run through November 3, are a qualifying event for the Beijing Olympics. - AP
