World Boxing supports the formation of new Asian boxing body
The World Boxing has supported the formation of the Asian Boxing body in order to get recognition from the IOC.
REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO: Boxing gloves lying in the ring.
World Boxing has backed the formation of a new Asian Boxing Confederation aimed at representing and promoting boxing across the continent.
The announcement comes after the majority of the member federations (25 out of 36) of the existing Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) once again voted against leaving the suspended International Boxing Association (IBA) to join the World Boxing during an Extraordinary Congress in Bangkok on Saturday.
In the wake of this vote, ASBC President Pichai Chunhavajira and Secretary General Ali Salameh resigned from their positions.
Thailand's Chunhavajira soon revealed plans for creating a new Asian boxing governing body under the aegis of World Boxing.
World Boxing expressed its support on its official 'X' account, stating, "We welcome news that a group of National Federations in Asia will set up a new Confederation aligned to World Boxing. We thank Mr. Pichai Chunhavajira of the Thailand Boxing Association for his strong leadership on this issue & his commitment to Olympic boxing."
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) stripped the IBA of Olympic recognition over "financial transparency and governance" last year.
It has time and again reiterated its threat to leave boxing out of the 2028 Olympics if national federations continue to align themselves with the suspended IBA.
World Boxing, the breakaway body founded last year, has also been given time until early 2025 to do the needful in order to gain provisional recognition from the IOC and ensure boxing's inclusion in the LA Games. World Boxing currently has 55 members.
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