IBA declares 2023 as Year of Asia

Aiming to promote boxing’s growth and development in the continent, the International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced 2023 as the Year of Asia.

Asia is set to gather the best boxers around the world as it will host the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships next month in New Delhi, India as well as the IBA Men’s World Boxing Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan in May.

IBA President Umar Kremlev was elated with the decision to celebrate the sport in the Asian continent following the Year of Africa in 2022.

“This is a great opportunity for us to showcase the immense talent and potential of Asian boxing on the global stage. We are going to have two IBA major events on the continent, as well as numerous educational programs. We are eager to see the results of our efforts in Asia this year,” said Kremlev through a news release on the IBA website.

Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) President Pichai Chunhavajira, who is also a member of the IBA Board of Directors, echoed the same excitement and expressed his gratitude to the world governing body.

“The Asian Boxing Confederation is honored to be a part of this exciting initiative by IBA. Asia has a rich history and culture of boxing, and we are confident that this year will be a turning point for the sport in the region,” said Chunhavajira.

“With the IBA Men’s and Women’s World Championships taking place in Tashkent and New Delhi, respectively, we look forward to seeing the growth and progress of boxing in Asia and we are excited to share our knowledge and best practices with other regions,” added the Thailand Boxing Association head.

Educational projects are also included in the Year of Asia program, with the ASBC already hosting courses for  2-star Referee & Judges, Cutman, and ITO during the Asian U22 Championships last month in Bangkok. ASBC is eager to host four more major events in 2023, namely the Asian Club Elite Championships, Asian Youth & Junior Championships, Asian Schoolboys & Schoolgirls Championships and Grand Slam Championships.

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