Ukraine officially enters World Boxing: Here's what it means
Photo: Ukraine will compete in the first World Championship under the auspices of the new organization (Boxing Federation of Ukraine)
The Boxing Federation of Ukraine (BFU) has officially become part of World Boxing, a new global boxing organization that seeks, in particular, to oversee competitions within the framework of the Olympic Games, the BFU's official Facebook page reports.
Official decision and admission to World Championship
In February 2025, the BFU officially withdrew from the International Boxing Association (IBA). Earlier, on September 9, 2024, it had applied to join World Boxing.
On September 3, the World Boxing Board of Directors approved the BFU's application. This opened the door for Ukrainian athletes to all tournaments under the auspices of the organization, including world championships and world cups, and in the future, the Olympic Games.
The decision was made on the eve of the first World Championship under the auspices of World Boxing, which kicks off on September 4 in Liverpool. The Ukrainian national team was admitted to the competition even before the BFU's official membership: 20 Ukrainian boxers will take part in the men's and women's events at the World Championship.
Compromised IBA
The IBA, which historically oversaw Olympic amateur boxing, was suspended from its organizing role at the Games in 2019. In 2023, it was finally stripped of its membership in the International Olympic Committee.
The grounds were allegations of financial, refereeing, and ethical problems.
The IBA was one of the first international federations to lift sanctions on representatives of Russia and Belarus. Back in October 2022, the organization reinstated athletes from those countries into competitions under their own flags and with their national anthems during awards ceremonies, calling it "political neutrality."
It should be noted that since 2020, the IBA has been headed by Russian Umar Kremlev, who is linked to Russian President Putin. He moved most of the federation's operations from Switzerland to Russia. The only official sponsor of the IBA remains the Russian corporation Gazprom.
World Boxing and the 2028 Olympics
As a result of the IBA's suspension, the IOC itself managed the qualification and organization of boxing competitions at Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024.
Boxing events at the next Games in Los Angeles 2028 were even under threat. The IOC stated that boxing could be excluded from the Olympic program if no new globally recognized governing federation was established. It was precisely for this reason that World Boxing was created in 2023.
Despite resistance and behind-the-scenes maneuvers by the IBA, the new organization is actively taking on a dominant role in amateur boxing. Currently, it includes more than 120 national federations.
In March 2025, the IOC officially included boxing in the program of the 2028 Olympic Games.
Earlier, we reported who made it into the top 10 richest boxers of all time.
