The International Boxing Association (IBA) hosts its key events on 6-7 December with IBA Champions’ Night, Global Boxing Forum and Ordinary Congress in Dubai, UAE.

Fight week starts on 4 December with a media workout at Rocky Road Boxing Club in Dubai, where boxers will showcase their skills in the ring. The event will be followed on 5 December by an IBA Press Conference and media weigh-in ahead of IBA Champions’ Night, taking place at 15:00 local time at the Address Dubai Mall Hotel terrace.

The African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) Congress is to take place at 14:00 on 6 December, followed by IBA Champions’ Night that evening, commencing at 19:00 at the Agenda Arena.

There are eight matches scheduled on the card for the event, the full fight card can be seen here. Cuba’s Arlen Lopez is aiming to successfully defend his IBA Pro World Champion title at 80kg as he looks set to main event the IBA Champions’ Night against the Russian Sharabutdin Ataev. Both Lopez and Ataev have quickly risen to become amongst the very best in their weight divisions at previous IBA events.

The Cuban “Maravilla” (4-0) had a great fight in Havana where he won by TKO in the third round against Luis Antonio Tejada of the Dominican Republic to claim the IBA Pro World Champion title. Ataev (8-0) will be hoping that third time’s the charm, with previous Champions’ Night victories over Loren Alfonso and Azizbek Abdugofurov.

The co-main event features another 10-round IBA Pro World Champion title fight, this time at 54kg between two of the best boxers in the world – Shakhobidin Zoirov from Uzbekistan and Yoel Finol from Venezuela. In October, Zoirov won by split decision in Vienna over another accomplished boxer Samuel Carmona from Spain and fought to a draw against Dmitry Dvali of Russia in the summer.

The bout will be top quality one, and Finol will be hoping to catch the world title too. A victory over Alexis Alvarado in his home country in August was then followed by a unanimous defeat of Samat Zhetibayev in Vienna.

Ryan Martin (26-2) from the United States is now set to take on Jose Miguel Borrego (21-4) from Mexico over eight rounds for the IBA Pro American title at 67kg. Martin, who is to make his IBA debut, has a career going back a decade and has faced impressive boxers in the past including Scotland’s Josh Taylor. Borrego returns to IBA Champions’ Night for a third fight after losing his debut to Russia’s Khariton Agrba in the Sochi main event in March, before defeating Dante Ettore from the USA after four rounds a month later in Aguascalientes.

Australia’s Joel Camilleri and Weljon Mindoro from the Philippines are both vying for the IBA Pro Asian title at  75kg on the undercard. Camilleri is on a seven-match winning streak heading into the bout, while Mindoro (13-0-1) has yet to lose – recently leaving his home nation for the United States where he has won both of his bouts across the Pacific by knockout.

The IBA Pro African title in the 80kg division is on the line as the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s Patrick Mukala (16-2-1) and Namibia’s Paulinus Ndjolonimu (18-0) are ready to fight against each other. It will be uncharted territory for both boxers who will fight outside of the continent for the first time. Mukala is undefeated in five years while Ndjolonimu has not lost ever in his professional career – but will box outside of Namibia for the first time.

Jose Quiles from Spain and Ardit Murja from Albania are to box for eight rounds for the IBA Pro 60kg European Champion title. Quiles, a European Games silver medallist, will be looking to bounce back from a defeat to Javier Ibañez in the main event of IBA Champions’ Night Madrid; and Murja (15-1) heads into the contest having won his last 13 matches, all held in his home country.

Puneh Akhundtabarmazandarani (7-3-1) from Iran and Romania’s Xenia Jorneac (11-7) are to face off in the only women’s contest of the night in the 57kg division. The Iranian, also known as “Tina” took Chiranchaya Phunsang of Thailand to a draw in Bangkok in August and will look to remain undefeated in four matches. Jorneac last fought professionally in September 2023 where she lost on points to Shannon Ryan.

Finally, Artush Hovhannisyan (6-0) from Armenia and Georgia’s Georgi Kushitashvili (2-0) will meet in an eight-round bout in the 86kg division. Hovhannisyan defeated Kazakhstan’s Adlan Selmurzayev in April at IBA Champions’ Night in Almaty, while his opponent has won by TKO in both of his professional contests.

On 7 December, the 5th edition of the Global Boxing Forum is to start at 10:00 at the Jumeirah Beach Hotel in the Safinah Ballroom, followed by the IBA Ordinary Congress at 14:00 local time.

The Global Boxing Forum (GBF) is an annual event organized by the IBA, bringing together key stakeholders from across the world to discuss the sport’s development, achievements, and future strategies. This prestigious platform serves to collaborate among athletes, coaches, National Federations, and other industry leaders.

This year’s edition promises to be a pivotal event as the IBA celebrates its achievements over the past year and unveils its strategic plans for 2025 and beyond. The GBF 2024 will highlight IBA’s role as a leading organization for the successes of boxers worldwide, reflecting the organization’s commitment to fostering sports innovation and excellence. This forum continues to solidify the IBA’s mission of elevating boxing on a global scale, ensuring its legacy while adapting to modern challenges.

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