The World Boxing Association becomes a Professional and Amateur organization

The World Boxing Association (WBA), in search of “The comeback of Boxing,” opens its doors to Olympic pugilism to achieve a true union in this sport and bring back the honor that this discipline had in the past. To achieve this goal, the WBA has summoned, through a letter, all National Boxing Federations to join this initiative. The intention is to achieve the systematic development of the sport, by the hand of specialists in the area. All this in favor of the two pillars of this discipline: the athletes and the fans.

“… As boxing is going through its issues there is another huge threat looming on the horizon: its negative public image, corruption, bureaucracy and continuing dysfunction of all parties involved, including amateurs and professionals of the sport of Boxing. Now they might lose participation in the Olympics. If this absurd decision were to take place, it would be an unprecedented setback for the sport”, reads the letter issued by the organization and signed by Gilberto Jesús Mendoza, President of the WBA, and Wladimir Klitschko, former World Heavyweight Champion and former Olympic Champion.

In order to achieve the proposed objectives, the WBA developed a 7-point general plan:

1. Strengthen our values: Participative writing of the Universal Charter of Boxing, together with athletes, officials, federations and fans from all around the world in order to underline our values of universality, diversity, respect, engagement and education.
2. Athlete’s welfare: Provide educational tools, and health/life insurance so the athletes are able to fully focus on their careers, and later enjoy a sustainable future after retirement.
3. Simplify the structures: Offer a unique regulator, and an ultimate authority. There’s a need to simplify with less bureaucracy, leveraging digital technologies to improve transparency, collaboration and efficiency.
4. Professionalize the officials and trainers: Let’s take care of those who care for the champions, give them scalable salaries, further their education and even develop a pension system.
5. Fans Empowerment: Turn them into real participants of the boxing world, share the passion and information but also strengthen the objectivity of decisions.
6. Digitalize the experience: Enable deeper insights, share exciting information and possibilities through a customized application.
7. Optimize the reach: Create one worldwide “PRO/AM” broadcasting channel, defined by regions, including subscriptions/PPV, OTT streaming facilities and its own production unit.

In this way, the WBA will work hand in hand with the National Federations to create tournaments and seminars that promote the systematic development of boxing and show the great strength and importance of our sport.

Today begins a new era in this sport and it starts hand in hand with the World Boxing Association, which as of today becomes a Professional and Amateur organization.