IBA claims World Boxing "unfit" to represent boxers, national federations. GETTY IMAGES

With IOC President Thomas Bach announcing last month that the International Boxing Association (IBA) will have no involvement in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, World Boxing - run by former IBA presidential candidate Boris van der Vorst - hopes to become boxing's new International Federation.

Earlier this month, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld the IOC's decision to withdraw recognition of IBA as the International Federation for boxing. IBA was suspended in 2019 due to finance, governance and integrity concerns before being expelled from the Olympic Movement last June. The IOC has said IBA would not be involved in LA 2028 and that it "needs to have a partner international federation for boxing by early 2025".

World Boxing, headed by former IBA presidential candidate Boris van der Vorst, has said it wants to "fill the void left by IOC's exclusion of IBA" and become the sport's new IF. USA Boxing is the biggest national federation to sign up with World Boxing staging two successful World Boxing Cup events this year - January's GB Open in Sheffield, and last week's USA International Invitational in Pueblo, Colorado.


However, IBA has claimed in a statement that World Boxing - which it refers to throughout as "World Boxing" - is "unfit on all levels to support national federations around the world". It also said the start-up body "must provide evidence of good governance, despite a flawed voting system that gives more power to founding members rather than disperse voting rights equally to all member nations, like IBA and the majority of International Federations do".

IBA adds, "Make no mistake – any members who have joined “World Boxing” after its inaugural congress do not have a fair say in how this group is operated. Anyone who chooses to join from now is automatically deemed less important in decision-making, receiving fewer votes than less prominent boxing nations who are given privileges in exchange for their loyalty.

"Members who choose this “World Boxing” path are not guaranteed Olympic inclusion, as is promised, nor a prosperous future for its athletes. Aggressive recruiting campaign of the “World Boxing” is built solely on the speculations about the Olympic future of the sport, which they, in fact, cannot guarantee. The presence of boxing at the Olympic Games is a source of existence for many National Federations, that’s why they are likely to follow the promises that may well never be fulfilled. First and foremost, “World Boxing” has neither sufficient funds to run such ambitious project, nor expertise or know-how, while IBA has all recourses to build the future of boxing.

"Speculations on boxing at the Olympic Games is a candid trick to bring National Federations onboard, but after that, there is neither realistic strategy where to go, nor a firm action plan of what to do. Nations will struggle without high level competition and their boxers will be unable to progress along with declining athlete allocations for boxing since 2000 will continue. We must be mindful that boxers should have the right to compete within both 13 and 12 weight categories respectively for male and female athletes. Limited Olympic weight categories undermine our sport completely, and it is dangerous for the boxers."


This month, IBA set up its first IBA Professional Boxing Committee signalling a shift away from its amateur origins. It insists it "continues to thrive in the evolving sports ecosystem".

"IBA continues to support its athletes financially and mentally, providing a stage to showcase talent and allow them to forge careers from the sport they love. We provide the best pathway to success for all of our athletes and members around the world," the statement concludes.

Reigning Olympic middleweight champion Lauren Price, a World Boxing Athlete Representative, is optimistic that the new body will attract enough members to partner the IOC before next year's deadline. She told Sky Sports earlier this month, "A lot more countries have jumped on board. I believe, maybe after Paris, a lot more will join as well.

"You don't get any higher than the Olympics, so for me, if someone said to me, you could go to the World Championships with IBA or you're going to the Olympic Games, I know which one I would pick."