IBA and AFBC forge stronger alliance to secure boxing’s future in Africa
IBA President Umar Kremlev and IBA Vice-President Abdulmutalim Abakarov met with the African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) President Eyassu Wossen and AFBC Board members on 9 October 2024. The meeting in Dubai was aimed at discussing the strategic plan for the African continent, to elevate boxing and create further conditions for the betterment of National Federations, athletes, coaches and officials.
In the first year of the AFBC President’s term, IBA has directed significant funding, development programs, and financial resources to benefit those boxing communities across the continent.
IBA has supported 15 National Federations directly with equipment and value-in-kind for a total amount of $293,926 USD. In a show of personal commitment, IBA President extended direct support to the Ethiopian boxing community in early 2024 and distributed hundreds of pairs of boxing gloves and headguards during visits to Zimbabwe, Nigeria, and Kenya. For those African teams attending the upcoming IBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Budva, Montenegro, IBA has provided full accommodation support and accompanying feeding arrangements.
On top of the above, African boxers have benefited from IBA’s prize money, with $865,000 allocated to the 2023 AFBC Elite Men’s and Women’s African Boxing Championships in Cameroon and $222,500 for the 2024 Mandela African Boxing Cup in Durban, South Africa. With over $1.2 million invested in organizing these events, IBA has ensured high-quality platforms for African boxers to showcase their talent on the international stage. Moreover, African boxers who secured medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics will also receive prize money from the IBA.
IBA Champions’ Nights have enabled African athletes to compete in venues worldwide, including the events in Kazakhstan, Russia, Uzbekistan, and Spain. This August, Addis Ababa hosted Africa’s first-ever IBA Champions’ Night, with a prize pool of $150,000 and an equal amount invested by IBA to support the event organization, highlighting IBA’s commitment to African boxing at every level.
The IBA has invested in building Africa’s local boxing expertise through multiple Coaches and Referees & Judges (R&J) development courses held across the continent. This year, these courses spanned Durban, Addis Ababa, Dar es Salaam, and Namibia. Upcoming courses in Botswana and the Democratic Republic of the Congo will continue this effort, bringing top-tier coaching qualifications within reach for African boxing officials and enhancing the quality of officiating at both local events and internationally.
The IBA has also emphasized the development of women’s boxing, equipping female athletes with resources and supporting their participation in high-profile events like the Champions’ Night in Ethiopia. We continue the work in this space.
To support AFBC’s mission of strengthening African boxing, IBA has invested in leadership and governance training, helping African national federations effectively manage resources and grow the sport. The opening of AFBC’s headquarters in Addis Ababa marks a significant step in advancing the region’s boxing infrastructure.
‘The IBA actively supports the African continent and invests in its rapid development to ensure that boxing thrives here. We are united and strong for the sake of our common goal, which is to deliver opportunities for boxers in every corner of the world. We want African boxers to be successful, provide for their families, and achieve new heights. Africa has all the potential to excel at the international stage, it has heritage and young talents, and we will support the continent in every stride forward,’ IBA President Umar Kremlev said.
‘As President of the African Boxing Confederation, I fully express my unwavering support for the International Boxing Association and stand united with the AFBC in our shared commitment to safeguard the future of boxing,’ President Eyassu Wossen stressed. ‘We strongly oppose the injustices and interference from the IOC in both IBA and AFBC matters. Boxing is not just a sport for African boxers; it is a means to support themselves and their families. We are prepared to do whatever it takes to protect the interests of boxers, boxing, and its future. I am committed to uniting all African National Federations to stand together with the IBA in facing these challenges and securing a brighter future for the sport. And I believe we will win.’
‘As we enter into a new era for IBA, with significant global projects that have grown in stature throughout 2024, along with our continued development leading in to 2025, AFBC remains a significant part of that plan. I have witnessed first hand those wider opportunities presented at every level, I am deeply impressed with the African way of communal respect, and with the positive mindset, and I know that AFBC will remain a strong hold for IBA, and the continued success that the continent wants, needs and delivers,’ claimed IBA Secretary General and CEO, Chris Roberts OBE.
The Confederation is getting ready to organize AFBC Men’s and Women’s African Boxing Championships, which is scheduled to take place in Kinshasa, DR Congo, from 16-26 October. Over 30 nations are to take part in the event with 263 boxers registered to fight.
