Boxing
WORLD BOXING COUNCIL KICKS AGAINST PROFESSIONALS AT TOKYO 2020 OLYMPICS
BY DUNCAN MACKAY
Amateur fighters run the risk of serious injury if they come up against professionals at atTokyo 2020, the World Boxing Council (WBC) have warned the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
Any professionals who compete at next year’s Olympic Games the Japanese capital will be banned from competing in fights organised by the WBC for two years, they have confirmed.
Unified world heavyweight boxing champion Andy Ruiz Jr had originally thought about representing Mexico at Tokyo 2020 before changing his mind.
The WBC have campaigned against plans for professionals to compete in the Olympic Games since the initiative was launched by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) before Rio 2016 because they claim it is dangerous for them to fight amateur boxers.
As well as deciding at its 57th Annual Convention in Cancun to issue the threat of suspensions for boxers taking part at Tokyo 2020, the WBC also announced they had written to the IOC about the matter.
Delegates were told the letter was intended to highlight and underline “the controversial issues of seasoned powerful professionals being allowed to fight against and likely dominate callow amateur youth, with all the risks of injury and the willful crushing of young dreams”.
WBC-affiliated boxing federations in the United States, Canada, Japan, Spain, Portugal and Switzerland have already underlined their opposition to professionals fighting in the Olympic Games.
“A four rounds fighter has very different characteristics from a 12 round champion,” WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman said.
“There is a very different attitude between amateurs and pros.
“We at the WBC have no other agenda apart from the protection of the boxers.”
The consequences for those professional boxers who decide to compete at Tokyo 2020 will be severe, Sulaiman warned.
“Well they’re simply expelled from WBC activity for two years,” he said.
Three professional boxers qualified to fight at Rio 2016, all of whom are more than 30 years old, and none of them were able to win against largely younger competition more than once.
Among those defeated was Cameroon’s Hassan N’Dam, the former World Boxing Organization and World Boxing Association middleweight champion, who lost to Brazil’s Michel Borges in the 81-kilograms category.
N’Dam, who had fought at Athens 2004 as an amateur, blamed his defeat on poor judging.
Earlier this year, AIBA was stripped of its right to host the boxing tournament at Tokyo 2020 because of poor governance and alleged financial mis-management.
Boxing at Tokyo 2020 will instead be organised by an Ad-hoc IOC Task Force led by Morinari Watanabe, President of the International Gymnastics Federation.
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The Nigerian boxing landscape has been thrown into uncertainty following reports that the Nigerian Boxing Federation (NBF) is considering steps to regulate professional boxing—an area traditionally overseen by the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC).
Reacting swiftly, the NBBofC has dismissed the reports as misleading, warning that any such move could destabilise the established structure of the sport in the country.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Board reaffirmed its statutory authority as the sole body responsible for the regulation, control, and sanctioning of professional boxing in Nigeria.
“The attention of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control has been drawn to insinuations that another body intends to assume regulatory authority over professional boxing in Nigeria. We wish to categorically state that such claims are unfounded and should be disregarded,” the statement read.
The Board stressed that the NBF’s mandate is confined strictly to amateur boxing, in line with global sports governance frameworks, and does not extend to the professional ranks.
NBBofC President, Rafiu Ladipo, warned that any attempt by another organisation to assume control of professional boxing could trigger administrative conflicts, weaken regulatory standards, and expose athletes to unnecessary risks.
The Board also cautioned promoters, managers, and boxers against engaging with unauthorised bodies claiming regulatory powers.
“We advise all promoters, managers, and boxers to remain vigilant and not be misled by such insinuations. The NBBofC remains fully committed to its responsibility of regulating and sanctioning professional boxing in Nigeria in accordance with established rules and international best practices,” the statement added.
Observers within the boxing community note that clarity in regulatory authority is critical—not only for safeguarding athletes but also for ensuring fair competition and maintaining Nigeria’s credibility within the global boxing ecosystem.
For now, the NBBofC has reiterated its resolve to continue overseeing professional boxing in the country, even as stakeholders await further clarification on the reported position of the NBF.
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Oleksandr Usyk will put his WBC heavyweight title belt on the line against Dutch kickboxer Rico Verhoeven on May 23 at Egypt’s Pyramids of Giza, Ring Magazine announced on Friday.
The Ukrainian three-times undisputed champion holds the IBF, WBA and WBC titles after vacating the WBO belt.
The 39-year-old has not boxed since beating Britain’s Daniel Dubois at London’s Wembley Stadium last July.
“I respect his (Verhoeven’s) journey – he’s truly the ‘King of Kickboxing’. But this is boxing – a different game, with its own rules and its own kings,” said Usyk, who has a 24-0 record.
“I’m ready and looking forward to meeting him in the ring. It’s going to be a unique experience for both of us, and I know the fans are excited too. A big night is coming.”
The ‘Glory in Giza’ fight will be streamed live on DAZN.
“I spent 12 years as the undisputed heavyweight kickboxing champion and accomplished everything I set out to accomplish,” Verhoeven, 36, told The Ring.
“But staying at the top for that long didn’t take away from the hunger; it strengthened it. Usyk is the undisputed champion in boxing. That’s the kind of challenge that motivated me. Undisputed versus undisputed.”
Verhoeven has sparred in the past with former champion Tyson Fury and had one professional bout in 2014, which he won by a knockout.
-Reuters
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Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao will face off in a professional rematch at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September, with the bout streaming globally on Netflix, the fighters and promoters announced on Monday.
The fight marks Mayweather’s return from retirement and will be the first professional boxing match held at the Sphere.
Mayweather, who holds a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, defeated Pacquiao in their 2015 encounter dubbed the “Fight of the Century.”
That bout generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a $72 million live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
“I already fought and beat Manny once. This time will be the same result,” Mayweather said in a statement.
Pacquiao, whose record stands at 62-8-3 with 39 knockouts, expressed confidence he would hand Mayweather his first professional loss.
“I want Floyd to live with the one loss on his professional record and always remember who gave it to him,” the Filipino fighter said.
The rematch will stream to Netflix’s more than 325 million subscribers worldwide, continuing the platform’s push into live boxing.
The streaming platform has recently broadcast several high-profile fights, including Jake Paul versus Mike Tyson, which the company said drew 108 million live global viewers
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