Liverpool to Host Inaugural World Boxing Championships, Establishing New Era in the Sport

World Boxing will hold its first-ever world championships in Liverpool next year, aiming to establish itself as the sport's recognized international federation. The event will feature concurrent men's and women's competitions, diverging from the separate tournaments organized by the discredited International Boxing Association (IBA).

World Boxing announced on Tuesday that it will host its inaugural world championships in Liverpool next year, marking a significant step in its efforts to become the sport's recognized international federation. The newly-formed organization, launched in 2023, currently has 44 members and aims to fill the gap left by the International Boxing Association (IBA).

The IBA lost its recognition from the International Olympic Committee last year and has not been included in the Los Angeles 2028 Games program. This has prompted calls from national boxing federations to form a new global body to replace the IBA. Unlike the IBA's separate men's and women's tournaments, World Boxing's championships will feature concurrent competitions for both genders in ten weight categories, which will be finalized later this year.

The championships are scheduled for September 4-14 next year. "Liverpool is a globally famous city with a proud heritage in boxing and it will be a fantastic place to host our first ever Elite World Boxing Championships," said Boris van der Vorst, president of World Boxing. The IBA is also planning to hold two world championships in 2025, with men's events in Astana, Kazakhstan, and women's competitions in Belgrade, Serbia.

(With inputs from agencies.)