The International Boxing Association (IBA) grows from strength to strength, based on achievement to achievement as an independent organization, working hard alongside those key stakeholders who have a vested interest specifically targeted to the sport of boxing, declares IBA Secretary General & CEO, Chris Roberts OBE.

Throughout the month of April, we will see the global boxing story unfold with a filled sporting calendar unmatched by any other International Federation on the world stage. The first Champions’ Night of the month will take place tonight in Mexico, providing an exciting fight card filled with action packed boxers willing to showcase their credentials within IBA’s premier event.  The total pot of USD prize money for this event is high six-figures and gives both our current amateur and ex-IBA professionals the opportunity to win a tidy purse.

From Mexico we move across to Durban, South Africa, with the inaugural Mandela African Continental Cup on 15-21 April; a long anticipated tournament in close cooperation with the AFBC. The event will see around 370 boxers land in the city of Durban, again to compete for a continental place, which will qualify them to perform at the end of the year in the IBA Global Boxing Cup. The total amount of prize money at stake sits at 500,000 USD for this very first event named after Nelson Mandela. IBA is pleased to announce a partnership with the fabulous Thembekile Mandela Foundation. The celebration is especially important as the inaugural Mandela African Boxing Cup coincides with South Africa’s commemoration of 30 years of freedom and democracy since the historic election of 27 April 1994.

From Durban to Tashkent, from Tashkent to Ufa, from Ufa to Almaty, our reach continues with a further three Champions’ Nights; the fight card for these events demonstrates the loyalty and support shown to our World Champions and supporting National Federations. Uzbekistan Boxing Federation remains one of our outstanding organizations, demonstrated by the most illuminating World Championships to date; the standard of which will no doubt be seconded to that that during this Champions’ Night event in Tashkent. Indeed we see an outstanding fight card of superstars, to include Hasanboy Dusmatov, and Bakhodir Jalolov.

Serious business continues with another high-level event to take place in Ufa, Russia, with both Tashkent and Ufa Champions Night seeing a substantial winning purse. After that, the excitement moves to Kazakhstan, another boxing powerhouse, where Almaty hosts the next edition of the IBA Champions’ Night with an impressive line-up.

As the IBA moves into May with an exciting start to the month with a Champions’ Night showcasing event to be held for the first time in Madrid. World and Olympic medallists will perform to move ever closer to that IBA World Title belt; an extremely fantastic product and one that will see another added layer of ranking points for our boxers. The city of Madrid is the right place for our event with a long history of both amateur and professional boxing. We welcome this opportunity to work here with a fantastic National Federation.

There is nothing more to be said, the IBA brand speaks for itself, offering the opportunity for all boxers to compete every month, 12 months of the year. The fast moving and action packed train continues on the track in the right direction, full of sporting excitement, preparing our boxers for the stage that dreams of made of.

We have seen the past, we understand the present and the capability of IBA, we see the future, and the golden product that awaits. Unmatched by any other, our boxers will receive the ticket that has never been seen or witnessed before within this sport at the amateur level, in preparation to become a professional sports person with the well-deserved riches for those who have the ability and drive to become a Champion.

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