In a period where World Boxing is vying for supremacy as the primary governing body for amateur boxing, the International Boxing Association (IBA) is fighting back even after being discarded by the Olympics for regulating amateur boxing fights. Still active, the organization is clearly not willing to lay down to allow World Boxing to gain influence after their latest press conference, held on July 2nd in Istanbul, Turkey, unveiled plans to increase their influence in both amateur and professional boxing.
The “Golden Era” press conference held by the International Boxing Association (IBA) on July 2nd presented a host of both boxing and non-boxing stars meant to illustrate itself as the top amateur governing body.
With World Boxing also claiming to be the primary international amateur governing body, the IBA’s presser was clearly a strategic affair to signal that the organization would not be trumped. Though barred from regulating amateur boxing during the Olympics, with World Boxing having taken its spot, it is still active ― last hosting the 23rd incarnation of the men’s IBA World Boxing Championships in May, with the women’s version ensuing in March of this year.
Taking a nod from Turki Alalshikh’s Riyadh Season and The Ring shows and press-conferences, the IBA opted for a more extravagant approach with several well-known personages, including Tyson Fury, Terence Crawford, Rashida Ali ― daughter of Muhammad Ali and mother of middleweight (160 lbs) contender Nico Ali Walsh ― and supermodel Naomi Campbell, making an appearance at the show.
Headed by the controversial Umar Kremlev, the IBA’s intent now appears to easier bridge the gap between amateur and professional boxing according to the IBA president himself.
“Amateur [boxing] is so important. It is the beginning for professional boxing. It starts from the amateurs [and] it ends up in professional,” Kremlev went on to state through a translator.
“Our endeavors are to make this transition as smooth, as exciting as possible. That is a golden era.“
Secretary General and CEO of the IBA Chris Roberts further weighed in on the IBA’s plans, revealing that there were strategies revolving around “feeding amateurs through” towards the pro ranks through a new competition dubbed the “IBA Pro” which appears similar to the now-inactive World Series of Boxing competition.
First introduced on July 2nd, IBA Pro seems to borrow professional rules and combine that with the competition format in amateur boxing to allow prevalent amateur fighters to gain relevant pro boxing experience.
“When it comes to IBA Pro, this is like Real Madrid,” Al Siesta, head of Dubai-based promotion IB Challenger which will be heading this IBA Pro competition, stated.
“From the early stage, you get to the academy, then you go through the pro ranks, and then eventually ― if you’re interested ― if you want to continue your career, you come to us at IBA Pro and we will do our best to enhance your career, media, talent-wise.“
IBA Pro seems to be a rebranding of IBA Pro Boxing which introduced its own professional boxing league though now seems to have been rebranded with the help of IB Challenger to include a media presence for competing boxers, including interviews and press-conferences, and other aspects normally associated with professional boxing.
First introduced this March, IBA Pro held its 7th event on July 2nd and will be planning more into the future. According to Secretary General and CEO of the IBA, Chris Roberts, IBA Pro will become regularly hosted where possible.
“So [the] calendar is being worked up,” Roberts said.
“I was discussing it with Umar [Kremlev] yesterday, so we got World [Boxing] Championships every year. We’re going to be looking at [hosting] three every year. The feed-through goes directly to the professionals. So, when you come to the major world championships, we pick out our gold medalists, silver medalists, and then we feed them through. This is what we’re talking about with the academy, the pull-through effect.“
Mentions of the academy were made throughout the presser but there was no actual substantiation on whether this merely meant amateur fighters that are developing through their local gyms, or actual academies that will be set up to steam younger fighters ready for the amateur ranks ― similar to the format seen in Association Football.
In any case, World Boxing’s intent to take control over the international amateur boxing scene is not panning out very well with the IBA clearly having established partnerships and strategies that aim to keep it on top for some time to come.
