Adonis (pictured below) was voted out the position by USA Boxing's Board of Directors after making hugely controversial comments in The New Yorker magazine where he suggested that homosexuality was rife in female boxing and that all boxers should have suffered child abuse to prosper in the sport.

However, Butler (pictured top) is likely to provide a steadying influence to USA Boxing due to his strong links with AIBA as he is not only on the Executive Board but also chair of the AIBA Medical Commission and AIBA's Medical Representative to the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

"It is a great honour to be elected President of USA Boxing 16 days before our team leaves for London," said Butler.

"The time is critical for USA Boxing.

"We have a great and proud tradition.


"Now we must support that tradition with achievement.

"We will provide for all needs of our athletes and coaches in this short preparation period.

"Once the Olympic Games are over, we will work to increase the number of both men and women boxers in our country and work to restore boxing to its rightful and historic place among all sports in the United States."

Butler works professionally as a cardiac surgeon and has held teaching positions at some of America's top institutions including Harvard University, the Mayo Clinic, the University of Alabama, the University of Utah and the Michigan State University.

One of his first jobs as USA Boxing President will be to implement a financial incentive programme for the 2012 Olympic team, encouraging the team members to train and perform at their highest levels.

The athletes will be rewarded for their efforts both in the training camp as well as medal performances at London 2012 via the financial incentive programme.


Following the Olympic Games, Butler will turn his attention to updating USA Boxing's rulebook and bylaws to ensure they are consistent.

The United States are the most successful boxing nation in the history of the Olympics and they have produced several of the all-time greats in the competition including the legendary Muhammad Ali – who won the light heavyweight gold medal at Rome in 1960 under the name of Cassius Clay (pictured above, second right) before going on to become the most famous boxer ever.

Other American Olympic boxing greats include George Foreman, who won the heavyweight gold medal at Mexico City in 1968, Sugar Ray Leonard, winner of the light welterweight title at Montreal in 1976 and Oscar De La Hoya, who claimed victory in the lightweight category at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics.

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