In his new role, Horan will oversee content creation, broadcasting, marketing, promotion and fundraising for USA Boxing.

He joins USA Boxing from his position as head of business development for All American Heavyweights, which is a private equity start-up that recruits and develops world-class athletes into heavyweight boxers.

"The opportunity to work with USA Boxing's board of directors and the organisation's dedicated volunteer membership with the support of the USOC (United States Olympic Committee) and their chief executive Scott Blackmun is a great honour and challenge," said Horan, who will be based at the USOC training centre in Colorado Springs.

"We have every intention of increasing the exposure of our male and female athletes competing in the 2012 Olympic Games, while adding to our Olympic medal count.

"The ultimate goal is to build United States into an Olympic boxing powerhouse once again."

Prior to joining All American Heavyweights, Horan was involved with raising equity financing for motion pictures and held several high level positions in the television industry including vice-president of business affairs for Warner Bros Television.

He moved over to independent film as President of WMG, where he was executive producer of indie hit The Usual Suspects.

"We are delighted to have someone with Art's entrepreneurial background, passion and commitment for the sport of boxing joining our team," said Hal Adonis, President of USA Boxing.

"For the first time, USA Boxing has established a business plan and a new vision to bring boxing in the United States back to the golden age.

"We need the support of the private sector to help us compete on the world stage in a sport we once dominated, and Art is well positioned to do that for us."


The United States has produced some of the greatest Olympic boxing champions of all-time including heavyweight Muhammad Ali and welterweight Sugar Ray Leonard, who both went on to claim gold in the Rome 1960 and Montreal 1976 Games respectively, before going on to become multiple world champions.

However, the nation has suffered a decline in fortunes in Olympic boxing since those glory years as they won just one bronze medal at the Beijing 2008 Games through heavyweight Deontay Wilder.

This is something they will hope to rectify in London next year after recruiting legendary professional trainer Freddie Roach - the coach of multiple world champions Manny Pacquiao and Amir Khan - to help assist them in their goal.

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